| The Los Angeles Auto Show is not just about | | | | |
| showcasing new vehicles and concept vehicles. | | | | Another vehicle which deserves recognition is |
| It is also the place where automakers' design | | | | the Mercedes-Benz Silver Flow. According to |
| studios competed to create the best design of | | | | Marty Bernstein writing for The Auto Channel: |
| vehicles of the future. Fifteen designs | | | | "Designers of the Silver Flow envision a |
| studios entered the competition with | | | | multi-dimensional vehicle composed of micro |
| futuristic cars. | | | | metallic particles that rearrange themselves |
| | | | to become a vehicle of a specific shape, |
| The competition is about designing vehicles | | | | literally by pressing a button on a magnetic |
| which will be attractive to car buyers 50 | | | | assembler. The shape can be selected by the |
| years from now hence the competition being | | | | driver. Inspired by Mercedes-Benz racing |
| called "Design Challenge: Robocar 2057". | | | | vehicles from a bygone age this concept was |
| Designers should be able to explain why their | | | | created by the Mercedes-Benz Advanced Design |
| designs would be popular fifty years down the | | | | of North America in Irvine, CA." |
| road. | | | | |
| | | | Japanese automaker Mazda put forth a |
| Last year's winner of the competition is the | | | | radically-designed vehicle named the Motonari |
| Hummer O2. The said futuristic vehicle won | | | | RX. Said vehicle is described by Bernstein |
| the competition centered on eco-friendly | | | | saying: "Crumpled silver paper? No, the |
| automotive technology. The Hummer O2 design | | | | Motonari is made of a 100 percent, |
| is powered by fuel cell and has the | | | | re-prototypable carbon fiber nano tube shape |
| capability to purify the air around it. | | | | memory alloy weave with a photovoltaic |
| Algae-filled body panels of the futuristic | | | | coating (which, by the way, is yet to be |
| vehicle transform carbon dioxide into | | | | invented). The interface between the driver |
| breathable oxygen. Apart from that, the O2 | | | | and the vehicle is a driving suit made of |
| is also made from 100 percent recycled | | | | millions of microscopic actuators, which |
| materials. | | | | enables the driver to experience the road |
| | | | psycho-somatically while making the driver |
| This year's winner is the Volkswagen Concept | | | | and vehicle indistinguishable from each |
| Slipstream. Said vehicle is basically a pod | | | | other. This sensational ride comes from Mazda |
| fit for a single person. On city streets, it | | | | R&D of North America in Irvine, CA." |
| travels in an upright position to occupy less | | | | |
| space than vehicles of today. On special | | | | While the design put forth by automakers at |
| highways, the pod will travel horizontally at | | | | the Los Angeles Auto Show are futuristic, |
| speeds reaching 250 miles per hour. The | | | | they are sure to have reliable parts like |
| Slipstream is the brainchild of designers at | | | | Bilstein shocks if ever they are mass |
| Volkswagen/Audi Design Center in Santa | | | | produced. |
| Monica, California. | | | | |