Fish tank armrest? Yep. This Chinese concept car drives itself, protecting your fishy friends

By Peter Braun November 22, 2013

These days you can get just about any option you want in a car, from TVs to refrigerators. You have never been able to get a fish-tank, though, which is disappointing.

Thankfully, Chinese automaker Guangzhou Auto has answered the world’s prayers with the WitStar concept that debuted at the Guangzhou Auto Show.

The WitStar looks like pretty standard concept car fair from the outside. In fact, it looks sort of like a hyper-futuristic Nissan Murano. That’s not a bad start, but it also doesn’t stand out from the field. What makes the WitStar special is honestly pretty damn silly; it’s the fish tank armrest in the backseat.

It looks like goldfish come as standard, but, maybe if it were ever produced, you could upgrade to fancier fish, like some nice carp, as an optional extra.

So why fish? Well clearly it’s just awesome, but Guangzhou Auto actually has a point to make. The WitStar is supposed to be an autonomous vehicle that will be so safe you never have to worry about your prized aquatic passengers dying in a crash.

According to Car News China, the autonomous driving system uses optical cameras and computers to create a 3D image of the world around it. That sounds pretty run-of-the-mill for autonomous car technology, but don’t get your hopes up.

If you look closely at the WitStar you will see that it is on a static frame and a rather large portion of the interior appears to be carved from foam.

Still, that hasn’t stopped Guangzhou Auto from coming up with a fancy theoretical gas/electric powertrain. The setup is an extended-range EV, where, like a Chevy Volt, the wheels are driven purely by electric motors, but you can get extra juice from an onboard gas engine. But given that the hood – like the rest of this car – is fake, we are just going to have to take Guangzhou’s media folks’ word on this.

This is truly a concept, then, rather than a demonstrator or a prototype. But that’s not all bad; concepts are about fanciful ideas and aspiration. And what Guangzhou is saying with this car is that it has high hopes and access to fish.

(Main Photo Credit: Car News China)

Topics

Photo Galleries

Former Digital Trends Contributor

Peter is a freelance contributor to Digital Trends and almost a lawyer. He has loved thinking, writing and talking about cars…

Cars

Mercedes-Benz EQG: range, price, release date, and more

Concept image of the larger electric G-Wagon

The G-Class is going electric. We already knew that Mercedes-Benz was working on an electric, small-size G-Wagon, but it looks like the company is also working on a larger G-Class SUV, in the form of the EQG. In fact, Mercedes has gone as far as to show off a concept version of the off-roader.

While there's much we don't know about what will become the production model of the EQG, Mercedes has also shared a lot about it. Curious about whether the Mercedes-Benz EQG could be the EV for you? Here's everything we know so far.
Design
Fear not -- the EQG will retain many of the design aspects of the G-Class that you already know and love but with a modern face-lift. The EQG will keep the boxy design that gives the G-Class a classic look but with some additional modern styling, at least if the concept version is anything to go by.

Cars

Rivian R2 vs. Kia EV9: battle of affordable electric SUVs

Kia EV9 GT-Line Three Quarters

The long-awaited Rivian R2 has finally been announced, and it's an excellent option for those who want an electric SUV that doesn't completely break the bank. Sure, the R2 isn't cheap -- but it's a whole lot cheaper than most other EVs out there, especially when it comes to SUVs. But Rivian isn't the only company trying to tackle the problem of the budget electric SUV. The Kia EV9 is finally available, and it too offers a modern design and a range of helpful features.

Given the fact that the Rivian R2 and Kia EV9 are two electric SUVs in a similar price range, you might be wondering which is better for your needs. That's why we put the Rivian R2 and the Kia EV9 head-to-head.
Design
Both the Rivian R2 and the Kia EV9 are actual SUVs -- not crossovers pretending to be SUVs, like plenty of other EVs out there. The two vehicles offer big, boxy designs and plenty of interior space, making them excellent options for families or those who need that extra storage.

Cars

Rivian R2 vs R1S: How will Rivian’s cheaper SUV compare?

The front three-quarter view of a 2022 Rivian against a rocky backdrop.

Rivian has finally unveiled the R2, its long-awaited attempt at a more affordable electric SUV. The new vehicle may not be available just yet, but fans of Rivian's design aesthetics and feature set are already looking forward to being able to order the new car. The R2 is targeted at being a more affordable take on the electric SUV and will sit alongside the flagship-tier R1S.

Let's get this out of the way right now: The R1S is most likely going to be a better vehicle than the R2. Rivian isn't replacing the R1S with the R2 — it's releasing the R2 as a more affordable alternative, and there will be some compromises when buying the R2 over the R1S.