There were a lot of exciting designs that came out of the Frankfurt Auto Show last week, but Renault may have taken the cake on the innovation front.
The French auto maker debuted a vehicle concept that didn’t stop once you parked your car in the garage – rather expanded on the concept of self driving cars being an oasis of relaxation
The Symbioz electric car concept was unveiled side-by-side with a concept house into which it was integrated. The idea is that when the driver arrives, instead of stopping outside or in the garage, the vehicle would cruise straight into the living room and become part of the overall living space. With a clear glass roof that opens up, the Symbioz has seats that can be arranged to face one another, making it less like your typical sedan, and more focused on leisure.
And even if the idea of your vehicle’s dirty road tires on your carpeting doesn’t appeal to you, Renault says there are other, secondary benefits to the design. For one, the batteries of the Symbioz can be charged from your home’s electrical supply, and vice versa – meaning, your home could draw power from the car’s battery in the event of a power outage.
Renault has stressed that this ambitious project is truly in concept stage, but also said that some of the features on the Symbioz driverless car were being developed and could be ready for testing later this year. According to CNN, this does not likely include the house.
