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Tesla-Based Rinspeed XchangE Concept Offers A Vision For The Future Of Autonomous Driving

It has become an annual tradition for Swiss automaker Rinspeed to release details of its latest inventive concept just ahead of the Geneva Motor Show. Not your customary custom shop, Rinspeed considers themselves an "automotive think tank and mobility lab." Perhaps it's no surprise, then, that this year's concept pairs two emerging automotive industry trends: electric vehicles and autonomous driving technology. From the outside, the Rinspeed XchangeE looks much like the all-electric Tesla Model S upon which it is based, save for a modified front fascia, clear plexiglass roof and bright green paint job. Inside, however, is where things get interesting. View 6 Photos "Passengers will be able to assume virtually any seating or resting position when traveling in a fully autonomous vehicle in the future, which will require a completely new operating and display concept," says the automaker in a statement. The plush "business-class" interior of the XchangE is reconfigurable, offering up to twenty possible seating positions to passengers. Additional flexibility is provided by a "bionic" steering column, featuring a TRW wheel that can slide to the center of the vehicle when not in use by the driver. With the XchangE, Rinspeed has rethought safety and security for the autonomous age as well. An RFID access control system ensures that only approved drivers will be able to command the vehicle. The steering wheel's hands-on recognition system will let the car know when the driver has returned to the helm. All data transfer between car and cloud is handled by a secure LTE network connection. In-car infotainment runs on HTML 5, which Rinspeed claims will provide "comprehensive protection against hacker attacks." The only question that remains is what to do on those long road trips, now that you're no longer hunched over a steering wheel the entire time. Forget flip-down or seat-back DVD players. The Rinspeed XchangE features a gesture-controlled 32-inch 4K television. "You can read, listen to music, surf the web, play games and watch movies in brilliant picture and sound quality," says the automaker. "Or you can hold a four-party meeting at 120 km/h [75 mph] and work on your files while brewing a fresh cup of Italian Amici espresso." This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings. Geneva Motor Show Tesla Autonomous Vehicles Concept Cars Translogic Videos

Has Tesla's fire chilled the battery car market?

The nascent battery-car market just might be short-circuiting.
If this year is average, about 194,000 vehicles will catch fire before the ball drops in Times Square. And, for the moment at least, just one of them will have been a Tesla Model S. Of course, it didn't help that a passerby happened to catch that blaze in the Seattle suburbs earlier this month, quickly posting the video on YouTube (you can watch it yourself below).

Recharge Wrap-up: Tesla Launches In Australia, Model S makes for a popular limo

A Chicago limousine company that uses the Tesla Model S in its fleet is finding demand overwhelming. E-Motion Chauffeurs and Hires introduced six Model S EVs to its lineup in October, which resulted in the company's website server crashing due to high demand. "We are completely booked and I've been looking for other Tesla owners to try to cover some of our overflows," says E-Motion owner Abdullah Illahi. E-Motion has ordered another six of the all-wheel-drive P85D model, set to arrive in January. Illahi says that he chose the Model S in order to gain a competitive edge, as it is a car customers would find interesting. It also has the benefit of lower operating costs than traditionally fueled vehicles. Read more at Hybrid Cars. The province of Quebec is offering EV incentives, as well as penalties based on engine size. Quebec is offering an $8,000 (about $6,997 US) rebate for EV purchases, plus up to $1,000 ($874) toward the installation of a home charger. The government is also imposing additional registration fees for traditional vehicles based on the size of their engines beginning in 2016 (on top of the ones already in place). This will mean that cars with engines displacing 4.0 to 4.9 liters will be charged an extra $50, 5.0 to 5.9 liters an extra $100, and cars with engines larger than 6.0 liters will cost an added $200 to register. Read more at Montreal Gazette or at Green Car Reports. Battery company Seeo has closed a successful round of investment funding. Samsung Ventures, Khosla Ventures and GSR Ventures all invested in Seeo, making this funding round it largest yet. Seeo will use the money it secured to commercialize its DryLyte lithium polymer batteries. The solid polymer electrolyte in these batteries is especially energy-dense, and or not flammable or volatile. Seeo also claims they are lighter and longer lasting than other lithium batteries. Read more in the press release below. Tesla has officially launched in Australia. The company delivered the first nine units of its Model S EV to customers on Tuesday, December 9, with more to come on Wednesday and beyond. Tesla powered up its first Superchargers at the Star and Darling Hotel at Pyrmont and at the North Sydney Retail and Service Center. Wednesday, Telsa will open its first store and service center in St Leonards, Sydney. By the end of 2015, Tesla will have stores in Sydney and Melbourne, and a Supercharger network connecting Canberra, Melbourne and Sydney.