Volvo believes the future lies in autonomous cars and not without its own reasons. Tesla has already launched a software program for Model S to make it automatic, while every other automobile manufacturer is working on making cars electric, besides partially autonomous.
Google has been experimenting with autonomous cars for at least half-a-decade now and it is news that the company’s cars received a couple of tickets in so many years, something humans could never accomplish. The company claims even those tickets were due to the negligence of human drivers on road and not because of the car.
While every company loves to talk about making cars move on their own, Volvo Concept 26 takes a completely different approach. The company known for making large vehicles is extremely interested in sedans and capturing the mainstream community. They have launched a couple of cars which tasted mediocre success, but if they manage to be ahead of everyone else in the autonomous cars, there’s no stopping Volvo.
The latest Concept 26 focuses on the interiors of a self-driving car and the features it might have in order to make the ride extremely comfortable for the passengers inside. For those of you who were wondering what the 26 stands for, the company has clarified that it refers to the average commuting time of most individuals. Statistics claim 26 minutes are spent on the road every ride, which is what Volvo used for their concept car.
Volvo has patented a seat design which has three different positions – drive, create and relax. The names are self-explanatory! Drive allows you to drive the car, obviously while create is something new. In this mode, the seat retracts a bit and a large touchscreen display pops in. It’s a mini-computer, passengers could use to communicate with office personnel, send e-mails, make phone calls and create spreadsheets if they please.
The last in the list is Relax which moves the seat to position similar to the ones found in first class airplane seats. The position is designed to allow the passengers to sleep, relax and maybe watch a movie before they reach office. Everything about the Volvo Concept 26 is impressive and it is good to see automobile manufacturers focusing on people first rather than technology.
After all, it’s not going to about engine performance but about the safety and comfort of passengers when autonomous cars get launched for real.