Mercedes-Benz has been teasing a wild concept car dubbed the VISION AVTR for months now. Now, after almost a year, people got a closer look at the car, which draws inspiration from the James Cameron classic Avatar. The company has now dropped a few more details about the concept, and this time the details are about the interior of the car.
Mercedes has confirmed that the concept car would feature vehicle systems that can be controlled through the driver’s brain. For instance, the driver would be able to pinpoint a navigation destination, change the lighting inside the car, change the radio station, and much more just by using a brain-computer interface (BCI). While controlling vehicle systems with your thoughts might sound science fiction at first, BCIs are pretty common for multiple applications in today’s world.
Brain-computer interface required
VISION AVTR demonstrates how BCI technology can work inside a Mercedes introducing a new method of controlling and interacting with a car through a human brain. For the system to function, the BCI device requires a short calibration process. The BCI device itself attaches to the user’s head with the help of a headband and can measure brain waves to perform the desired task.
The concept car and its mind-reading tech are being showcased at the IAA Mobility 2021 show. The vehicle on display is a prototype, and people attending the show can use the interface. Surely, there’s one downside to thought control systems: the user must sport a wearable on their head. For some people, having something on their heads all the time could be a deal-breaker.
More brain-reading techs incoming
The Mercedes technology will take one minute for the calibration process where the driver’s brain reacts to visual stimuli on the dashboard. This stimuli is in the form of light dots projected onto the fully digital dash of the vehicle.
Elon Musk also has a similar brain-reading tech called Neuralink in the works. The co-founder of Neuralink has also raised more than $47 million for a rival project. Max Hodak, once the President of Neuralink, also appears to be working with Neuralink’s talent for the “stealth startup” Science Corp.
