That cabin was a strange place to sit inside, something I was able to do while going for a short test drive in the parking lot of
Washington, DC's FedEX Field. Why strange? Well, for one, there aren't any side-view mirrors. Instead, tiny cameras are positioned within the exterior of the A-pillars facing rearward, reducing drag and offering a clear view of the road behind from two monitors integrated into the cabin's roof at eye level, where the tops of the A-pillars meet the side window glass. While this isn't anything particularly new for a concept, Acura's TL prototype introduced at the 2003 Detroit auto show featured a similar system, for one, its an expensive but effective method for improving aerodynamics.
Another oddity was the inclusion of a clear rubberized mesh that covered the
armrests, front and back. When the engineer driving the car asked what I thought of this idea, I told him what I'll tell you, it's an impractical dust and grime collector. He seemed to grunt in agreement, signaling that sometimes engineers and designers don't see eye to eye.
I have to admit that both front and rear seats were accommodating, delivering up tons of headroom and adequate leg, hip and shoulder room, while the cargo bay in the rear looked to be ideal for packing in a decent sized load.
But I suppose the practicality of a car that will never be produced is a moot point. What matters more is the bionic technology that gives the car its name, and potentially how this may be used to improve the vehicles we drive everyday.
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| The Bionic Car doesn't have any side-view mirrors, but nstead tiny cameras project rearward images onto two monitors integrated into the cabin's roof at eye level. (Photo: Trevor Hofmann, Canadian Auto Press) |
Another oddity was the inclusion of a clear rubberized mesh that covered the
 |
| When the engineer driving the car asked what I thought of the rubberized mesh idea, I told him what I'll tell you, it's an impractical dust and grime collector. (Photo: Trevor Hofmann, Canadian Auto Press) |
I have to admit that both front and rear seats were accommodating, delivering up tons of headroom and adequate leg, hip and shoulder room, while the cargo bay in the rear looked to be ideal for packing in a decent sized load.
But I suppose the practicality of a car that will never be produced is a moot point. What matters more is the bionic technology that gives the car its name, and potentially how this may be used to improve the vehicles we drive everyday.