German manufacturers’ move towards an autonomous EV future dampened by the absence of key competitors — and their own old-fashioned ideals.
Audi Aicon autonomous concept
Germans bet on big sedans for AV
While the market for big sedans has fallen precipitously for years, the German brands seem to be doubling down on the format of low, long three-box(ish) cars for their visions of an autonomous future. This contrasts dramatically with the production reality of crossovers killing the very genre that keeps being shown. The big question is whether the idea of luxury limosines as the future of shared premium mobility makes any sense going forward, or whether our shared premium future will be dominated by more practical (or appealing) typologies.
Smart Vision Future concept
Smart Vision
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Feature 3
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