CAR OF THE FUTURE? A Mercedes “Luxury Autonopod.”

The Tokyo concept is designed to be autonomously driven—although it is possible to get behind a steering wheel and drive it yourself. Conceptually, it’s fitted with an electric powertrain driven by a hydrogen fuel cell; the theoretical range is more than 600 miles. A peek inside reveals that any semblance of a conventional front/rear seating arrangement has been ditched in favor of a couch wrapped around a central area designed to allow the passengers to play with an assortment of electronic gizmos. The lounge-style arrangement is supposed to bring people together, as Daimler believes that “even though the members of ‘Generation Z’ are frequent users of social media, they nevertheless prefer personal contact whenever possible.” We hope so, too.

Hmm.