Business Insider India has updated its Privacy and Cookie policy. We use cookies to ensure that we give you the better experience on our website. If you continue without changing your settings, we\'ll assume that you are happy to receive all cookies on the Business Insider India website. However, you can change your cookie setting at any time by clicking on our Cookie Policy at any time. You can also see our Privacy Policy.
The vehicle was inspired by James Cameron's 2009 science fiction film "Avatar" and pays homage to the film directly with the vehicle's design and intentions.
A traditional steering wheel is replaced by a control unit.
Mercedes-Benz has unveiled its concept vehicle VISION AVTR inspired by James Cameron's 2009 science fiction film "Avatar" at CES 2020 in Las Vegas.
The team behind "Avatar" - including Cameron, who helped present the vehicle on stage at CES - helped develop the car.
"I see a future where we continue to co-evolve with our technology ... we will merge, we will absorb it and it will become such a natural part of our lives," Cameron said at the unveiling.
The automaker claims the film inspired the vehicle's "inside-out design structure" that turns the VISION AVTR - which is short for "advanced vehicle transformation" - into an "emotional whole" connecting the human with the vehicle.
Advertisement
The concept vehicle was also designed to be a "zero impact car" by being carbon neutral and electric, which is directly correlated with Mercedes-Benz's plans to be more environmentally conscious. The automaker currently holds a goal of having a carbon-neutral production and passenger car fleet by 2039. And by 2030, the company hopes to lower the water and energy used in production by a third and 40%, respectively.
"The VISION AVTR shows a completely new interaction between human, machine, and nature," the automaker wrote in a statement.
Keep scrolling to see the unique "Avatar" inspired concept vehicle:
"AVATAR and Mercedes-Benz have similarities: the film conveys values, goals, and messages that we stand for as a brand," Ola Källenius, an exec at Daimler and Mercedes-Benz said.
Mercedes-Benz designed the car to “connect seamlessly with its passengers.”
There is no steering wheel. Instead, the steering is controlled by a center console that “connects” the driver and the car.
The control unit can identify the driver by their heartbeat and breathing.
The center console pays homage to the Tree of Souls, a holy place of the Avatar's imaginary land of Na'vi.
VISION AVTR can also sense its occupants' vital signs and adjust the lighting accordingly. The seats also vibrate to convey information to the passengers.
And when someone in the VISION AVTR lifts their hand, the menu options are projected onto their palms.
"We all know that many cars are called and treated like friends or family," Källenius said. "So it's even more satisfying when you can interact with your car like a friend."
There is also a 3D 360-degree sound system in the vehicle that can play the noises occurring outside of the car. "Instead of shielding the occupants from the outside world, the VISION AVTR brings the environment into the vehicle and strengthens the bond between humans and nature," the automaker claims.
The headrest of the back seat extends to serve the front seat as well.
The automaker claims the curved display “creates the visual connection between passengers and the outside world.”
The battery in the VISION AVTR is compostable and recyclable, the automaker claims.
It's made of "organic cell chemistry" components based in graphene, which is found in technology such as solar panels, according to Graphene Info.
This reduces its dependence on fossil resources such as fuel, the automaker claims.
There are 33 "bionic flaps" on the back of the VISION AVTR that are meant to appear similar to reptile scales. These flaps can convey information to the driver via "subtle gestures."
VISION AVTR can also move sideways by 30 degrees. This unique sideways drive gives the vehicle an "animal-like appearance [like a crab]...in its movement," the automaker claims.
The non-slip interior seats are made of vegan leather by Dinamica, which creates the fake leather — made of recycled materials like old clothes, flags, and plastic bottles — with microfibers in an environmentally friendly and sustainable production process, the automaker claims.
The floor is made of wood from Karuun, which the automaker claims grows fast and is hand-harvested in Indonesia.
“The material gives the interior warmth and radiates naturalness,” the automaker claims.
Markus Schäfer, a Daimler board member, claims the VISION AVTR "impressively" demonstrates the idea of a "zero impact car."
The engine runs on 350 kilowatts of power, about 469 horsepower.
The battery has a capacity of 110-kilowatt hours, giving it a range of over 700 kilometers, about 435 miles.
The doors are transparent and open upwards.
The interior of the VISION AVTR was meant to resemble a nest or cocoon, according to the head of design at Daimler Group, Gorden Wagener.
