With the Rinspeed Oasis concept vehicle – unveiled at last CES in Las Vegas and now ready for its Europen debut in Geneva – an ingenious self-driving electric vehicle for the city and surrounding areas, Frank M. Rinderknecht, the boss of the company, refutes the deeply ingrained notion of the urban jungle that requires SUVs the size of battle tanks for the daily struggle for survival. His alternative concept: a maneuverable speedster with an integrated small garden plot behind the windshield. With its large glazed areas and shrouds on the front wheels, the refined and swift two-seat runabout looks rather futuristic.
Speaking of inside: the ultimate eye-catcher is the small garden with enough space for growing radishes or even little Bonsai trees. The small garden plot is just one of features that creates a new living space in the interior of the car that’s made by Stahl. Armchairs, sideboard and TV provide a modern living room ambience in white. Everything looks welcoming and inviting, thanks to its materials. The floor is made from real wood, and created by specialists. The “Oasis” is a really connected car. It lets its driver know that several Facebook friends with similar tastes have recently liked a new restaurant that just opened nearby. To interact with the Harman system, the occupants use a slightly curved 5K widescreen.
Who will own the car, who will operate it and what will it be used for? Rinspeed boss Rinderknecht has designed and equipped the car to keep all conceivable options open, if society is willing to share goods in a beneficial way. The Oasis can be a shopping cart in the morning, a shipping services counter for a parcel service in the afternoon, and a pizza delivery vehicle at night. A digital access system from German supplier Huf makes it possible. Transmitting large volumes of data and information requires perfect connections and consequently is of fundamental importance for autonomous driving in particular.
