Super-futuristic cars will be ‘grown from seeds’ rather than built
By ANITuesday, October 26, 2010
LONDON - Some of the world’s most famous car manufacturers have come up with futuristic designs for vehicles that would be “grown” rather than built and which will be powered by compressed air.
Top manufacturers, like Honda, Mercedes and luxury carmaker Maybach are competing for a “green” award at this year’s Los Angeles Auto Show, Sky News reported.
And they have been asked to come up with “comfortable, stylish and safe” vehicles that would weigh no more than 1,500lbs, which is lighter than a Mini Metro, and run on renewable fuels.
Honda came up with the Air, which it says was inspired by rollercoasters and skydiving suits. The vehicle runs on compressed air and weighs just 800lbs.
Other entries range from cars “grown” from seeds to futuristic models with computers that could link up to a city’s transport infrastructure and avoid traffic jams.
The Mercedes-Benz Biome is one such vehicle that would be grown instead of built, with designers saying it would be created in a lab from organic material and would absorb solar energy like a plant.
Next is the Nissan iV, which would be built from fast-growing ivy and a substance based on a spider’s web.
And Volvo’s Air Motion will use thousands fewer parts than a traditional car thanks to powerful but simple compressed-air motors.
Other manufacturers taking part include General Motors, Mazda and Toyota.The winner of the 2010 Design Challenge, which is in its seventh year, will be announced on November 18. (ANI)
