01/06/2022
Cadillac
Today, Cadillac expanded its vision of personal autonomous future mobility with the InnerSpace concept - a dramatic, two-passenger electric and autonomous luxury vehicle.
Leveraging cutting-edge technologies designed to enhance the passenger experience along with the increased personal time enabled by fully autonomous mobility, InnerSpace grows the Cadillac Halo Concept Portfolio of vehicles envisioned to not only move passengers in a luxurious environment but enhance their well-being. The Cadillac Halo Concept Portfolio represents future possibilities with a range of personal autonomous options and advanced connected vehicle features.
"The vehicles of the Cadillac Halo Concept Portfolio are designed to provide effortless travel through extraordinary means," said Bryan Nesbitt, GM executive director, Global Advanced Design and Global Architecture Studio. "They are visions for the next decade and beyond, showing the possibilities enabled by General Motors' comprehensive approach to autonomous drive technology with the goal of a world with zero crashes, zero emissions and zero congestion."
Cadillac introduced the first two Halo concepts last year at CES: the PersonalSpace, a single-seat, personal vertical takeoff and landing concept designed to literally move its passenger above the din and congestion of ground traffic, and the SocialSpace, a roomy, autonomous vehicle for up to six, designed to help passengers relax and recharge.
Conceptually, the portfolio repurposes how passengers use their time while traveling, providing a space for solace and respite. Full autonomy relinquishes the responsibility of vehicle control while dramatic design and advanced technologies maintain the sensation of arriving in a Cadillac.
In fact, technologies such as biometric input and AI machine learning are harnessed and complement Cadillac's signature luxury environment to support unique wellness experiences. Through software-defined features and advanced vehicle connectivity, the Cadillac Concept Halo Portfolio could offer each passenger a truly personalized experience made possible by GM's Ultifi software platform. Ultifi enables seamless delivery of software updates to customers over the air. The experiences showcased within the Halo Portfolio demonstrate the potential as both Ultifi and autonomous technology continue to evolve.
The PersonalSpace and SocialSpace will join the InnerSpace in GM's virtual CES experience this week, along with a video glimpse of future luxury travel with another concept - the OpenSpace - to be introduced later.
"Electrification and autonomous driving will fundamentally change the role of vehicles and the experiences customers have with them," said Nesbitt. "We're exploring where that will go with these innovative concepts, envisioning mobility as an ally of wellness, giving customers the ultimate luxury, more personal time rather than taking it."
Reimagining the luxury experience
Early in Cadillac's history, compact and personal Runabout models enabled customers to explore new and wider horizons. The new InnerSpace concept reimagines that vision, with a fully autonomous experience that allows two passengers to focus on their journey and not driving.
The vehicle's fully autonomous capability means they could explore more of the world around them, as well as inside the vehicle, with more personal and tailored experiences that add new dimensions to Cadillac's signature luxury experience. AI-driven biometric input and interfaces, accessible via a large, immersive and panoramic SMD LED display, allow passengers to select from Augmented Reality Engagement, Entertainment and Wellness Recovery themes for their drive. Thanks to Ultifi, Cadillac engineers and authorized third parties will be able to innovate additional themes and features that can be added over the air.
With the Ultium Platform's wireless battery management system, the battery modules are spread about the concept vehicle, which allowed designers to optimize the cabin for spaciousness and serenity. This design freedom also allowed for a low-profile floor, providing an extremely low, sports car-like seating position.
On the exterior, the dramatically designed InnerSpace features expansive, panoramic glass on the roof and part of the body sides for almost unimpeded views. The roof opens with the doors for more comfortable entry and egress, and the seats also pivot outward when the doors are opened, enhancing the effect.
Even the InnerSpace's tires are designed to contribute to its solace. Developed by Goodyear for electrified vehicles, they feature SoundComfort technology designed to help mitigate soundwave resonance within the tire for a quiet ride, while soybean oil and rice husk-based silica replaces petroleum-based oil as a key ingredient in their construction. And because autonomous driving takes away some of the driver's connection with the road, Goodyear SightLine, Goodyear's tire intelligence technology, conveys important information about pressure, temperature, load and other performance factors.
Virtual exhibit
The new InnerSpace concept and the other vehicles in the Cadillac Halo Concept Portfolio can be viewed online, along with the rest of the General Motors display at GMExhibitZero.com.