As spotted by Wired:
Swiss auto tuner Rinspeed is rolling into the Geneva Motor Show with a wild shape-shifting, iPhone-controlled electric concept car that adapts to suit the number of passengers.
At the touch of an iPhone app, the streamlined rear end of the one-seater pops up to make room for two more people. The adjustable rear end conserves energy by maximizing aerodynamics. The idea, company founder Frank Rinderknecht says, is to create lightweight, streamlined and efficient zero-emissions "individual mobility" that can adapt to suit the driver's needs. The iPhone controls everything from the canopy - there are no doors - to the ignition.
While we understand that this is an important step towards a radically different type of vehicle architecture, this particular execution of the idea isn't really "shape-shifting" so much as it is just one part of the car moving up and down, like a motorized spoiler. Perhaps most disappointing of all is the totally lame video that seems it was shot and edited by someone who wasn't really interested in the car and can't seem to keep it in frame for much of the three minutes.
As for the iPhone controls--WTF? Is this really a good idea?
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