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smart vision EQ fortwo Says Goodbye to the Steering Wheel

The second concept car from Daimler to wear the EQ name comes in the shape of a futuristic smart fortwo, which allegedly previews how urban dwellers will enjoy personal transportation a little over a decade from now.
smart vision EQ fortwo 29 photos
Photo: Daimler AG
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Officially named the smart vision EQ fortwo, the concept car also heralds the future of urban car sharing, and it does so by removing the pedals and steering wheel altogether. In other words, it's more of a pod or an elevator that moves horizontally, than a car.

Since there is no way to control it physically, the vision EQ fortwo is obviously completely autonomous, and it's powered by an electric motor.

Daimler hasn't specified the car's range or any other numbers regarding its performance, but since we're talking about an autonomous vehicle used for ride-sharing, do you really care about any of that?

There is a rechargeable lithium-ion battery underneath the two-seater, which has a capacity of 30 kWh. That's not the most impressive part about it, though, since it can apparently make “its way independently to a charging station to load up with new energy.” The press release doesn't specify if it has wheels and a motor of its own or not, but hey, almost everything about this concept car sounds almost magical anyway.

The smart vision EQ fortwo is our vision of future urban mobility; it is the most radical car sharing concept car of all: fully autonomous, with maximum communication capabilities, friendly, comprehensively personalisable and, of course, electric," says smart CEO Annette Winkler about the cute little bugger.

Since the car is electric and autonomous, there is no need for regular headlights or radiator grille, although the shapes are present on the model. Instead of being used to cool a non-existing radiator, the pseudo-grille is actually a Black Panel Grille, just like the doors, and it can be used to convey messages to people outside the car.

LED displays take the place of regular headlights, and are also used to “communicate on a more human level” by taking on an eye-like shape.

Since a 1+1 sharing option is included in the car, possible passengers can simply summon the vehicle via a smartphone, and if everyone is OK with it, the vehicle can be used by two people who need somewhere to go.

Apart from all the Sci-Fi features included in the concept, the smart vision EQ fortwo also previews a new design language for the diminutive carmaker so we can expect both the technology and the looks to make their way onto production smarts in the next decade.

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About the author: Alex Oagana
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Alex handled his first real steering wheel at the age of five (on a field) and started practicing "Scandinavian Flicks" at 14 (on non-public gravel roads). Following his time at the University of Journalism, he landed his first real job at the local franchise of Top Gear magazine a few years before Mircea (Panait). Not long after, Alex entered the New Media realm with the autoevolution.com project.
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