Daimler plans to show off a self-driving, electric Smart car concept at the Frankfurt Motor Show next month.
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Mercedes-Benz will debut a self-driving, electric smart car concept next month — here's what it will look like
The vehicle is meant to showcase Daimler's vision for how autonomous cars will be used for ride-sharing in the future.
The company envisions the vehicle, dubbed the Smart Vision EQ Fortwo, being used for car sharing in cities. People would be able to request an autonomous car pick via their smartphone and the vehicle would take them to their desired location.
"The smart vision EQ fortwo is our vision of future urban mobility; it is the most radical car sharing concept car of all: fully autonomous, with maximum communication capabilities, friendly, comprehensively personalizable and, of course, electric," CEO Annette Winkler, said in a statement.
Here's a closer look at the vehicle.
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The concept vehicle is aimed at urban environments and is meant to be used basically as a robot taxi.
A black panel grille on the front of the vehicle can be personalized so that the person who requested the vehicle knows it's his or her ride. The grill can also display whether or not the vehicle is occupied.
The front radiator grill can also be used to communicate with pedestrians.
There's are also projection surfaces on the side of the car where personalized information can also be displayed.
The vehicle has scissor doors, which can also be used as displays to show information like weather, news, or local events.
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The vehicle is electric, powered by a 30 kWh lithium-ion battery.
When the vehicle is not being used for rides, it will return to a charging station to power up. Daimler also envisions the vehicle being able to dock with the power grid to provide energy.
Inside the vehicle, a 24-inch screen takes the place of the dashboard. There are also two 4-inch screens, one on each side of the main screen. As you can see, Daimler has completely done away with pedals and a steering wheel.
Functions inside the vehicle are controlled via voice or by a user's smartphone.
Users of the car sharing service can opt to use a car pooling feature, which will match them with someone based on a saved personal profile.
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Daimler plans to debut its Smart Vision Fortwo concept vehicle on Sept 12 at the Frankfurt Motor Show.
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