Mercedes-Benz has created the coolest concept car for a van, ever.
The German automobile manufacturer is calling its latest extravagant piece of future auto tech the "Vision Tokyo."
Made for Generation Z (those born after 1995) the five-seater vehicle doesn't look like today's normal everyday soccer mom minivan. Rather, wrapped in Alubeam silver and a glowing hue of cool blue, the Vision Tokyo concept looks as if it were part of a futuristic movie like "Tron" or "Blade Runner."
In the future, the act of driving may actually take a back seat to robots, computers and algorithms autonomously taking over the wheel. Mercedes knows this and envisioned a car that demands less of the driver and offers more comfort and entertainment for passengers. In fact, the Vision Tokyo lacks a permanent driver's seat. Should the need arise for manual control, a retractable driver's seat pops out of the wraparound sofa in the cabin.
Yes, there is lounge-like seating in this car. In the Vision Tokyo, it's all about how one gets from A to B and not how fast it'll take to get from 0 to 60. Just like the wraparound leather seating, screens built into the side panels of the car give passengers a 360-degree feed of important information about the van and its surroundings. One would think the side screen panels would provide a pleasurable diversion as well but Mercedes-Benz has a grander vision for on-the-go entertainment.
3D holograms are the future of in-car entertainment. Projected in the center of the vehicle in the middle of the car's five passengers, special panels on the flooring and roof of the Vision Tokyo project a holographic image that can be manipulated by hand movements just like Tony Stark in Iron Man. Apps, games, maps and other interactive information can be displayed on the holograms.
If the passengers ever decide to leave the comfy, captivating confines of the Vision Tokyo, they'd do so via a Tesla X-like gullwing door. (There is only one door.) The exterior of the vehicle is wrapped in so much silver that it looks like a large silver bullet on wheels. The Vision Tokyo isn't as fast as a speeding bullet. However, it is powered by a hybrid hydrogen-electric engine that can supposedly be charged wirelessly and go the distance of 609 miles on a single charge. Overall, what the Vision Tokyo lacks in speed, it makes up for in high-tech creature comforts, looks and sustainability.
