I am more than impressed by the huge step BMW has taken away from thinking conventionally with the GINA car concept.
Sure there are probably very real concerns and speculations about this vehicle's limitations. Such as how that mysterious membrane material would withstand getting hit by small projectiles when the vehicle is going at faster speeds, collisions, spills, extreme temperatures, fires, and engine heat and all... but still very very cool.
If that membrane is a recyclable polymer, then this would open many new doors for making vehicles which have components that can not only be melted down to be reused later - ultimately reducing raw material and production costs, but also probably be significantly simpler and thereby, not only cheaper to produce but cheaper to replace. Lightweight framework would allow people to accomplishing faster speeds and more efficient gas mileage.
And need I bring up those headlights? I love how they add the lively animated quality when they literally blinking... as if it's alive. Or how the interior is like a shifting landscape which embraces and conforms to its passengers. Would this mean that finally parents won't need to secure additional units to safely restrain their children? Would this mean that finally those little crevices and cracks that accumulate little bits of dust/junk that vacuums never seem to be able to pick up could finally level away to drop the dirt/grime on the floor and thus, make the whole act of maintaining the vehicle a bit simpler? Whoa...now that would be pretty damn awesome. I wouldn't blame Knight Rider for wanting a few similar upgrades in his own ride.
Needless to say, I can totally see numerous additional applications for a concept of this caliber especially when it comes to those those shared city cars which they are developing to offer alternatives to commuters who prefer to commute themselves.
Click here for additional info on the City Car ConceptSure there are probably very real concerns and speculations about this vehicle's limitations. Such as how that mysterious membrane material would withstand getting hit by small projectiles when the vehicle is going at faster speeds, collisions, spills, extreme temperatures, fires, and engine heat and all... but still very very cool.
If that membrane is a recyclable polymer, then this would open many new doors for making vehicles which have components that can not only be melted down to be reused later - ultimately reducing raw material and production costs, but also probably be significantly simpler and thereby, not only cheaper to produce but cheaper to replace. Lightweight framework would allow people to accomplishing faster speeds and more efficient gas mileage.
And need I bring up those headlights? I love how they add the lively animated quality when they literally blinking... as if it's alive. Or how the interior is like a shifting landscape which embraces and conforms to its passengers. Would this mean that finally parents won't need to secure additional units to safely restrain their children? Would this mean that finally those little crevices and cracks that accumulate little bits of dust/junk that vacuums never seem to be able to pick up could finally level away to drop the dirt/grime on the floor and thus, make the whole act of maintaining the vehicle a bit simpler? Whoa...now that would be pretty damn awesome. I wouldn't blame Knight Rider for wanting a few similar upgrades in his own ride.
Needless to say, I can totally see numerous additional applications for a concept of this caliber especially when it comes to those those shared city cars which they are developing to offer alternatives to commuters who prefer to commute themselves.
Considering the restricted spaces which are available within the city, they are trying to make those shared car vehicles stackable and with a considerably smaller foot print. However, if a GINA-like concept were applied where flexible materials and collapsible frames could make it further compact and stackable. Of course, one doesn't need to go too fast within the city so perhaps the membrane's resiliency to impact could get away with being lesser than usual?
Of course, coming back to the real world issues aside from the ones already mentioned, which apply particularly to city environments: Security seems like it would be a huge issue...gangsters could probably rip their way through that membrane in no time. There's also the issue of how well-protected the car port stations would be because of high chances of vandalism. Unless...of course, they managed to use those city graffiti artists to their own advantage by deliberately leaving the cars out in the open begging to be covered with one-off urban art. How cool would that be?
Those wrinkles which appeared when the car opened brought up another foreseeable occurrence with this concept of flexible fabric like membranes...and that would be the inevitable co-branding between fashion industries design labels with automotive companies to work together and pierce the market in an completely different, more harmonious way.
Imagine Louis Vuitton and Ferrari working together. Or Guess and Lamborghini? Suddenly the car is going to tie in with the other set of pricey designer label accessories that people have accumulated. Another consistent integration into their lifestyle. Could people have the option of changing the skin of their car by replacing the colors, graphics, and texture variations?
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