History in the making
THE Renault Symbioz, a concept car which was revealed at the Frankfurt Motor Show in September as part of the automotive company’s 2030 vision, has now taken to French roads for the first time.
Powered by electric motors, the Symbioz is fitted with Level 4 autonomous driving to free the driver to complete other tasks such as work.
This goes another step further as owners can ‘call’ the car, via a smartwatch, to pick them up as part of its valet parking mode. It also features a virtual-reality experience, designed by gaming company Ubisoft.
Renault says car travel will become a ‘multi-sensory experience’ in the near future and the latest trials put the company on the ‘cusp of making history’.
However Level 4 driving automation – which controls all aspects of driving – is currently not permitted under French road rules, but the country’s authorities (and similar organisations in other countries) are allowing trials to take place if someone is travelling in the car and can supervise the autonomous drive mode. This person needs to be able to take back control of the vehicle at any time.
Mathieu Lips, director of Symbioz demo car project, said: ‘Technological advances in autonomous driving open up new opportunities for ways of using cars, especially new travelling experiences.
‘The Symbioz demo car is the first vehicle that has been designed for mind-off automation from the start.
‘On authorised highways, the driver can fully delegate driving and concentrate on other things. This exploratory exercise has helped us to envisage what the future will look like for car occupants. As such, it’s been a really important and inspiring learning experience for our engineering and design teams.’
The driver can also choose from three modes: Classic (for comfort), Dynamic (boosts driving sensations), and AD (which pushes the steering wheel back 12cm to allow space for other activities).
Sandrine Woll, Symbioz demo car project manager, said: We designed Symbioz keeping in mind that people want increasingly personal experiences and the car too can be a very personal experience. We’ve decided to extend the use of the
smartphone to allow the car to automatically recognize its drivers and passengers, which will influence everything from seat position to mood lighting and entertainment.’
