7 Future-Revealing Details From the 2018 Geneva Motor Show
The world’s flashiest motor show is underway in Geneva, Switzerland, and with it comes a soothing feeling for those anxious about a future filled with anonymous, autonomous pods. Because, it turns out, car makers are still determined to have at least some fun with their machines. Some add crazy power and innovative drivetrains. Others go mega-lux, lavishing their buyers with leather and diamonds. Yet more throw technology into the mix, with smart new ways for cars and drivers to interact.
For those who can't make it to Switzerland, or just need a pick me up before giving up the wheel to the robot, here are seven of the top trends we spotted at this year's show. Some might be exclusive to rich royals and rappers for now, but what’s on high-end cars (not the diamonds, though) has a habit of trickling down to the everyman-mobile—so they can give a hint of what’s to come.
Daimler AG01The Future Is Bright
The future is brightMercedes used the Geneva Show to demonstrate new headlights that will never blind oncoming drivers, and which can automatically highlight pedestrians in a spotlight beam, or throw warning symbols onto the road in front of the car. The company’s calling it Digital Light, and, for now, it’s only available on the super high-end Mercedes-Maybach S-Class. At the lamps’ heart is a small chip with a million “micro-reflectors” which mirror the light beam, and angle it. Cameras detect other road users and digital maps warn of upcoming corners, so the beams can start turning before the driver does. Projecting symbols is not only eye-catching for driver warnings, but could also help the self-driving cars of the future communicate with people.
Porsche AG02Look Straight Ahead
Look straight aheadPorsche showed up in Geneva this year with the unexpected Mission E Cross Turismo. This luxury electric SUV, wagon, grand tourer—call it what you will—has a few clever design tricks other manufacturers may well copy, like charging points on either side of the car so you don’t have to stretch that cord quite so far. But its cleverest feature is an instrument cluster that knows what information the driver is looking for, and displays it front and center. A camera in the rear-view mirror monitors the driver’s gaze, and figures out if he’s looking at the the Performance, Drive, Energy, or Sport Chrono virtual gauges. A computer then moves the relevant bit to the foreground, while minimizing other distracting lights and gauges. As touch screens replace mechanical switches in cars, anything to reduce driver distraction is welcome.
Bugatti03Clear Vision
Expect clear visionCar builders are turning to carbon fiber for more and more components. It’s strong and lightweight, so perfect for racing machines. And its properties allow designers to think in new ways. Bugatti has developed what it says is the first carbon fiber windscreen wiper. Wait, wait, this is interesting. The more flexible structure of the fiber wiper arms removes the need for complicated, failure prone, joints and metal links. They’re also more aerodynamic. The tips are still metal—aluminum—but 3D printed. The whole assembly is 71 percent (or three pounds) lighter than the old versions. The future? Moar fiber.
Pirelli04Get Sensitive
Get sensitiveIf you have a modern car, you might be able to remotely monitor the pressure of the air in your tires. Useful, because running too flat can zap your mileage. Pirelli is going further with a new system called Cyber Car, which embeds sensors into the tires themselves, to transmit much more data to the vehicle, and to you. Temperature and tread depth influence grip, so a car’s stability control could start to compensate for worn or cold tires. A load sensor can accurately measure how heavy the car is, with all your mates piled in the back, and let you know if you should add more air, or rotate the tires. The tiny wheel-mounted sensor transmits data to an on-car electronic control unit, to be accessed by a smart car, or a smartphone app.
McLaren05Race to the Future
Race to the futureBritish company McLaren, best known for its Formula 1 team, made its most extreme road legal, but truly track-oriented car ever, with the Senna, officially unveiled at Geneva. It didn't stop there, building a Senna GTR concept, a track-only version. It has more power, and even more downforce (2,200 pounds), a race-style transmission, revised double wishbone suspension, and slick tires. In the distant future, human driving may be banned, or relegated to closed courses, as a hobbyist pursuit. McLaren is getting ahead of the game.
Aston Martin06Sit Back, Relax
Sit back, relaxOnce upon a time, horseless carriages were a luxury item, crafted from the finest of materials to wrap an owner in wealth and ostentation. Aston Martin is keeping up with Joneses (or whomever they have in England), and trending towards electric, autonomous vehicles, but leapfrogging their designs with the Lagonda Vision Concept. The exterior of the luxo-sedan is sleek and aerodynamic, but it's inside that we can see a hint for a very fancy future. Along with carbon fiber, Aston included ceramics, cashmeres, silks, and hand woven carpets made with the help of Savile Row tailors. We’re not going to see all of that in econoboxes anytime soon, but the interior of cars is increasingly going to be an important differentiator for auto makers.
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Morgan Motor Company07Don't Settle for Bland
Don't settle for blandAnother British company using the Geneva show as a platform is one we haven’t heard from in a while. Morgan Motor Company, which dates back to 1910, is banking on old being new again with its Aero GT, a souped up version of the Aero 8. The car sticks with a tried and tested BMW V8 engine, good for a 4.5 second 0-60 sprint. It’s stealing from aerodynamic racing cars with louvres on top of the fenders (which increase downforce), and a rear diffuser (which weighs down the back of the car, physically and visually). They may look retro, but the body panels were all designed with full computational fluid dynamics simulations. It shows that modern design doesn’t have to be soulless, or conforming, and should give you hope that some autonomous pods, in the inevitable future, could be pretty.
