Connected

SAE 100 Future look: When an automotive designer is asked to envision a vehicle of the future, the response is likely to be, “Define the society of the future and I can create a vehicle responsive to that society.”

When an automotive designer is asked to envision a vehicle of the future, the response is likely to be, “Define the society of the future and I can create a vehicle responsive to that society.”

The Japanese word tsunagu means “connected,” and we think this will be a fundamental element of future society. The vehicle of the future will be part of our “Digital Lifestyle” as described by Bill Gates and others. The car will be more than a mobility device, it will be a mobile environment that transitions easily from home to office for travel and leisure, providing all the levels of connectivity that consumers are coming to expect. The car will have its own level of intelligence for optimized features and performance as it interfaces with its immediate surroundings, and will also provide a communication platform to connect vehicle occupants to the larger world for seamless continuity of home or work connectivity.