HiPhiX is an electric SUV inspired by the Transformers produced in China by Human Horizons: it has nine motorized doors operated by facial recognition.
What will the cars of the future look like? According to Human Horizons – a Shanghai-based manufacturer specializing in electric vehicles – they will be very similar to the robots seen in science fiction movies today. In particular, they will look like the Transformers. The Chinese company has in fact presented the prototype of an electric SUV that looks like it was inspired by the heroes of the Micheal Bay saga. HiPhiX has a compact and futuristic design. There are nine motorized doors whose opening is operated by facial recognition software. Throughout the exterior bodywork, there are mobile aerodynamic parts that adapt to the air flows that the vehicle “meets” while in motion. This allows the SUV to obtain a very low drag coefficient: just 0.28. At the front of the vehicle – at the headlights – there are panels that allow the driver to project messages to pedestrians.
HiPhiX: the Chinese electric SUV inspired by Transformers
The interior of the HiPhiX SUV is also a true concentration of technology. Inside, there are 6 individual seats, a dashboard with multimedia display, a digital dashboard for the driver and a myriad of monitors for the selection and viewing of multimedia files by passengers. The Transformers inspired SUV is also equipped with Level 3 driver assistance systems. This means that the car is able to handle driving under ordinary environmental conditions, managing acceleration, braking and direction. The driver only has to intervene in problematic situations, i.e. if the system is required or if he notices adverse conditions. The first “exemplars” (available in two versions: one rear-wheel drive and one four-wheel drive, both with electric motorization) should debut in Chinese car showrooms by 2021. The price? The exact figure is not yet known but it is likely that the cost will be very similar to that of the Tesla Model X (so about 90,000 dollars). HiPhiX aims to become the “Chinese answer” to Elon Musk’s vehicles: will it succeed?
