German automaker, Volkswagen, has embarked on an initiative to design a people’s car for the Chinese market. The project is open source and invites ideas from all quarters to design a vehicle that will address the issue of congestion, pollution and sustainability. An entry by a citizen named Jia Wang has caught our attention for its innovative take on how a sustainable and pollution-free automobiles should be designed. Wang’s concept involves a vehicle that runs on magnetic levitation as well as incorporating various components like sensors to avoid road mishaps.
Out of the 119,000 ideas that were submitted to VW, the company selected three concepts that it deems could pave the way for car designs in the near future. The automaker developed the entries and put them on display at the 2012 Auto China event. The concepts consist of the Hover Car, Smart Key and Music Car.
The Hover Car works on the principle of magnetic levitation and sees the car travel a few inches off the road. The two-seater is a zero emissions automobile that will be able to travel along magnetic road networks.
The Smart Key is a vehicle that can be monitored in real-time via satellite transmission on a 9mm slim key. It features a high resolution touchscreen display that informs the driver about fuel consumption, climate conditions and car security using 3G network.
The Music Car is the last entry and boasts some pretty high-tech technology. The car is able to change its color through organic light emitting diodes with the music driver selects to play. The vehicle will no doubt appeal hugely to the younger populace.
Volkswagen’s decision to include the public’s opinion will see its brand image rise in the country. This is already evident by the fact that though the project was to have run for just a year, high demand has forced it to be extended indefinitely.
Via: Technologicvehicles
