Mygreenwheels

I can hardly believe that this is GM talking. They’ve finally worked out that cars as we’ve come to know them are not going to meet the world demand for transportation. “By 2030” they say on their website ”urban areas will be home to more than 60 percent of the world’s 8 billion people.  This will put tremendous pressure on a public infrastructure that is already struggling to meet the growing demand for transportation and basic services.”

Evidence of GM’s revelation came to light when it unveiled three EN-V models – electric networked vehicles - this week in Shanghai.  These three concept cars apparently represent three different characteristics that emphasise ‘the enjoyable nature of future transportation’: Jiao (Pride), Miao (Magic) and Xiao (Laugh)... I can feel the caption competitions coming on already! These concepts will be showcased from 1 May to 31 October at the SAIC-GM Pavilion at World Expo 2010 Shanghai as the city is expected to become one of the epicentres for the establishment of personal mobility solutions for the future.

Now for the corporate-speak: “EN-V reinvents the automobile by creating a new vehicle DNA through the convergence of electrification and connectivity.  It provides an ideal solution for urban mobility that enables future driving to be free from petroleum and emissions, free from congestion and accidents, and more fun and fashionable than ever before,” said Kevin Wale, President and Managing Director of the GM China Group. What they don’t actually utter in the news release is that GM wants drivers to sit back, relax and enjoy the ride behind the wheel of a vehicle that can drive itself.

Let’s ignore all that stuff for the moment and focus on the innards. The EN-V is propelled by electric motors in each of its two driving-mode wheels.  Dynamic stabilisation technology empowers the vehicle, giving it the ability to carry two passengers and light cargo in a footprint that’s about a third of a traditional vehicle.  It can also “turn on a dime” within its own operating envelope.  In addition, everything in the EN-V is drive-by-wire and the motors not only provide power for acceleration, but also bring the vehicle to a stop.

Lithium-ion batteries will take it at least 40 kms on a charge and the EN-V can also improve the efficiency of the public electric infrastructure as it can communicate with the electric grid to determine the best time to recharge based on overall usage.

But what about the ‘driving itself’ bit? By combining the Global Positioning System (GPS) with vehicle-to-vehicle communications and distance-sensing technologies, the EN-V concept can evidently  be driven both manually and autonomously. The autonomous operating capability is intended to offer the promise of reducing traffic congestion by allowing the EN-V to automatically select the fastest route based on real-time traffic information.  It also leverages wireless communications to enable a “social network” that can be used by drivers and occupants to communicate with friends or business associates while on the go.

GM claims that the ability to communicate with other vehicles and with the infrastructure could dramatically reduce the number of vehicle accidents.  And if you’re worried about how it deals with pedestrians, you can relax. Using vehicle-based sensor and camera systems, the EN-V can ‘sense’ what’s around it, allowing the vehicle to react quickly to obstacles or changes in driving conditions. So if a pedestrian steps out in front of the vehicle, the EN-V will decelerate to a slower and safer speed and stop sooner than today’s vehicles.

A lot of very commendable features and thinking in there, but what does the great unwashed public have to say about it? I couldn’t resist reading through the comments on Engadget’s post about the EN-V and here’s a selection of the best ones:

It looks like a giant gumball machine. Is this what we've come to? No wonder GM is 'circling the drain'.

Well look at the bright side. If you happen to get hit by an SUV in one of these it can also act as a coffin. With its' built in GPS your friends will know exactly where you are buried.

They say fashion is cyclical. Apparently we're back to the '80s where looking like a douche was hip.
The idea is to get RID of the SUVs and traditional taxis in places like midtown manhattan, and instead flood the streets with autonomous versions of these. I think it's absolutely the future, and can't wait - especially if not having to pay a shady taxi driver makes my fare cheaper!

People hate change. Especially when it looks stupid.

Yeah, could you get back to work on the Volt, please?

And why didn't we let these guys go under again?

I just have to share this last one. You’ve got to admit the guy’s got a point.

what the **** is wrong with walking short distances? let's just use energy generated by fossil fuels and then transmitted at a loss of more energy to power a device that loses even more energy to friction and other inefficiencies of mechanical design! oh, and while we're at it, why don't we further isolate ourselves from those other dirty dirty people we have to live with in cities? let's make the cities just like the suburbs, where we never have to interact with another human being and we waste huge amounts of energy being selfish!