It's almost been a year since Mercedes Benz launched its innovative concept car based on the movie AVATAR. The name AVTR not only stands for the collaboration in developing the car with the AVATAR team but also for Advanced Vehicle Transformation. This modern concept car is a mix of everything- outlandish styling, far-off future tech and a tie-in with major entertainment property.
The all-wheel drive technology with torque vectoring enables complete freedom; meaning each wheel can be driven separately. Due to this possibility of driving the front and rear axles simultaneously, the car can move sideways and diagonally by approximately 30º.
The entire rear end is covered in 33 discrete reptilian-like scales which are actually bionic flaps that help communicate between the driver and the outside world through ‘naturally flowing subtle gestures’.
The steering wheel in the car is replaced by a central console; by placing the hand on the console it recognizes the person from their breathing and heart rate and the interior of the car comes to life. By simply lifting your hand, it pulls up menus for different functions on a curved display module. The Vision AVTR thus establishes a biometric connection with the driver.
As one would expect the AVTR runs on electricity and makes use of revolutionary battery technology based on graphene based electric cells, and is completely compostable and recyclable. In spite of having exponentially high energy density with upto 1,200 Wh/litre, the battery gets fully recharged in less than 15 minutes.
The car takes inspiration from the Pandora village from Avatar and the seats are covered in a colour changing fabric which can range from light blue to dark blue depending on light. It makes use of vegan DINAMICA leather which is the first and only microfibre that guarantees complete environmental sustainability throughout the entire production cycle. Even the wheels are inspired by the seeds of 'The Tree of Souls'.
As Mercedes Benz says, ‘The VISION AVTR is an example of sustainable luxury in the field of design. As soon as you get in, the car becomes an extension of your own body and a tool to discover the environment much as in the film humans can use avatars to extend and expand their abilities.
Source and Image Courtesy: Mercedes Benz