CES Mercedes-Benz Vision AVTR is an Ambatenium for a Zero Impact Future

Mercedes-Benz has teamed up with the "Avatar" movie series to create a concept car. The Vision AVTR is a unique concept car that looks to the distant future and is made of unobtanium.

Unveiled Tuesday at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas, Vision AVTR (short for Advanced Vehicle Transformation) explores a new relationship between man, machine, and nature, and envisions a future where automobiles live in harmony with their surroundings

The vision is based on the idea that "the car will be a vehicle for the future.

The car interfaces with the driver through a biometric connection. When the driver places his or her hand on the center console, the car recognizes the driver by heartbeat and breathing. The center console also functions as a control unit where the driver operates the vehicle. There is no steering wheel, and the car can drive autonomously in comfort mode or be controlled by the driver or other passengers.

The driver's palm has a menu of functions that can be selected with gestures. For example, the driver can view real-time 3D graphics of the fictional world of Pandora. A curved display serves as the dashboard. It provides all passengers with a connection to the outside world and offers multiple perspectives, including a bird's eye view. The interior has no buttons.

Sustainable materials are used throughout, including synthetic leather Dinamica for the interior and rattan wood for the floor. The car's haptic seats monitor breathing and can adjust the interior based on the emotional state and stress of the driver and other occupants. Haptic feedback also alerts occupants to objects outside the vehicle. The "Magic Pool" infotainment system is integrated into the backrests of the front seats. This system includes games and augmented reality designed for children.

The design consists of a single flowing line that meanders from the exterior through the interior and back out. The body has 33 scale-like "bionic flaps" that communicate with the outside world in a fluid motion. They also act as solar plates that provide the energy needed for sensors, computer chips, and other components, and can be oriented to aid in maneuvering the vehicle. Nature is brought into the interior through transparent doors that open upward. The center console is inspired by the Tree of Souls, the most sacred place for the Na'vi in Avatar, and extends through the A-pillars to the roof.

The Vision AVTR is an electric vehicle, and Mercedes imagines graphene-based organic cell chemistry and a rare earth metal-free battery. According to Mercedes, the battery is compostable, recyclable, and uses no fossil fuels at all. Likewise, the car's overall impact on the planet would be zero. According to Mercedes, the battery can also be quickly recharged in just 15 minutes using conductive charging. With a capacity of approximately 110 kwh, Mercedes says the range will be over 435 miles.

The car features four electric motors mounted near the wheels with a combined output of 469 hp. Each wheel can be driven individually, and the front and rear axles can be driven in the same or opposite directions. As a result, the vehicle can "crab-walk" at an angle of up to 30 degrees.

While Mercedes will never produce the Vision AVTR, its user experience, design, and battery concept are a beacon for a possible future in which cars interface with their occupants and do not harm the planet.

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