The oldest among them is only 20 years old, but Mercedes-Benz is already targeting Generation Z with their latest introduction: the Vision Tokyo design study concept.
Press previews for the Tokyo Motor Show kicked off today, with marques left and right unveiling their latest designs for international crowds gathered in the Japanese metropolis. Mercedes-Benz issued a press release today detailing their centerpiece for the show, with a slew of photos and a YouTube video giving us a virtual look at this car of the future. The Vision Tokyo, as it's being called, is the next evolution of the design-study showcars, which were first introduced in 2012 with the Vision Ener-G-Force at the Los Angeles Auto Show. The most recent car in that series that holds the most resemblance to the Vision Tokyo is the autonomous F 015 Luxury in Motion Research Vehicle, which was introduced at the 2015 Consumer Electronics Show. The Vision Tokyo is also designed to be an autonomous vehicle, acting more as a luxury lounge than a car to drive. "Mercedes-Benz aims to show how the car of the future can be turned into a hip living space – a chill-out zone in the midst of megacity traffic mayhem," describes the release. The idea of a car acting as customizable luxury lounge is similar to Nissan's Teatro for Dayz concept, which focuses more heavily on an integrated user experience geared toward entertaining passengers as they travel from "a" to "b." It's through designing cars for the newest generation that these manufacturers hope to jump to the forefront of the inevitable transportation revolution; traffic is becoming increasingly congested in cities, traditional driver's cars are being viewed as unsustainable and cars are looking more and more like large electronics than gas-powered beasts to tame.
"The role of the vehicle has changed for this global generation: it is no longer simply a means of getting around, but a digital, automobile companion," described Mercedes-Benz, speaking to the growth of software integration in vehicles. Electric vehicles are increasingly popular, as are cars with wireless hotspots, 4G connectivity, app integration and Bluetooth abilities. But the coolest part about the Vision Tokyo concept is its use of LED screens and holograms. Particularly the holograms. Apps, maps and displays will be displayed as 3D holograms in the center of the console, and will be used through touch activation.
This is the car the of the future, no doubts about it. Check out the photos of this insane new concept, then find one of Mercedes-Benz's more traditional designs for your collection from our exclusive listings at the button below.
