Toronto, Ontario — Audi is experimenting with some pretty sleek cargo bed designs on its latest model in a set of four EV concepts; a fastback sedan bearing the name “Activesphere.”
The Activesphere’s “sportback” design, similar to that seen on the Audi A7 hatchback, features a unique trunk design where its cargo bed is made accessible via a retractable rear window, instead of a hinged trunk.
As well, the vehicle’s aerodynamic body is designed to maximize battery range through the use of small cameras in place of larger, drag-heavy side mirrors.
The concept also incorporates a Level 4 autonomous driving system that stows the steering wheel away while the vehicle is in motion, while communicating a majority of the in-vehicle messaging through a virtual reality (VR) interface.
The decision to opt for a VR headset-based digital dashboard instead of the full-width heads-up-displays (HUDs) being developed by automakers like BMW is surely a bold one, however, Audi designers say they don’t want information to be limited strictly to the space provided by the windshield.
“For us, it was important to not focus on the windshield and use the entire space of the vehicle,” said Audi Design’s head of concept car projects, Oliver Keyerleber.
“It is a smart device you can take wherever you go.”
