Category — cars

[Jason Calacanis | Tesla Motors]

[ebay]

[via ffffound]

[Youtube]

[via paleofuture]

Behold the most flexible family car ever devised. It’s not just one car—it’s two, or three or four. Imagine you’re driving to the shore. Your daughter wants to see her friends, your son wants to surf, and you and your wife want to hit the boardwalk. No need to play taxi. This groundbreaking new sedan is made from four independently drivable pods. When attached as a single car, the side windows rotate open to allow for side-to-side interaction, with a high-fidelity microphone system for clear front-to-back conversation, as well. If the passengers want to split up, each driver enjoys either hand controls or, particularly for younger, not-yet-road-legal children, the latest in fully autonomous driving capabilities.

-BIG WHEELS: Two full-height, hub-motor-powered wheels frame each pod.
-JOINING FORCES: Each pod has its own power source. When combined, the motors work together to drive the sedan. An onboard computer manages power to each motor.
-BALANCING ACT: Individual pods balance with the help of accelerometers and gyroscopic sensors that detect instabilities and instantly adjust the relative speed of each wheel to keep you upright.
-CORNERING ON RAILS: Individually and when connected, the pods steer by varying the relative speeds of the wheels—almost like a tank—or, at higher speeds, a slight pitching of each wheel to the left or right.
-THIRD WHEEL: Because balanced driving for individual pods works best under 20 mph, a deployable third wheel extends from the front of each car to permit pods to safely reach 50 mph. Top speed of two or more pods joined together: 150 mph

[PopSci.com Future of Cars]

[PopCult Magazine]