Fiat Chrysler revealed a new selfie-centric concept car at CES 2017 that has a camera, is fully connected and lets you update your adventures on the go.
Gone are the days where smartphones were the only form of communication. Automobile manufacturers are keen to make their cars into gadgets that does a lot of work. Lamborghini and Ferrari may be trying to provide increased horsepower but the selfie generation doesn’t care about it. All they want is comfort, connectivity and most importantly be able to update on their favorite social media networks.
The Chrysler Portal concept car is designed to be an integral part of people’s lives and will allow them to complete a wide range of tasks when they are on the move. Obviously, it will sport an electric powertrain combined with autonomous capabilities so that it doesn’t rely on a human driver to handle the ride.
Being a SUV crossover, there is ample space for every passenger made possible with three rows of setup. The doors are futuristic as they can slide forward and backward, making it easy to get in or out anytime. A selfie cam is mounted in the dashboard of this concept model which has a wide angle lens to cover all passengers onboard. A display is available for backseaters making it easy to take photos and share them on the social media. Those seated in the third row can communicate with the driver using the built-in intercom.
The Fiat Chrysler Portal concept focuses strongly on the comfort and connectivity aspect of the people onboard. It also has reliable power under the hood and the battery powered car can go up to 250 miles on a single charge. With DC quick charging support, the car can cover 150 miles with just 15 minutes of charging time. It is not going to be fully autonomous as there are some practical hurdles to implementing it. Other features found in the car include camera sensors, ultrasonic detection, Lidar, Radar which when combined will make it a moving internet hub.
According to the Engadget report, Chrysler didn’t discuss the possibility of bringing it into production and even if they do, it might take some time before you could actually purchase this selfie car that is geared to appease the younger generation. More such concept models will find their way to the CES 2017 event and this year we expect many of them to sport electric motors instead of conventional fuel powertrains.