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