Future

In the 20th century, World’s Fairs were some of the best places to see concepts for the future of technology and transportation. At the 1964 New York World’s Fair, General Motors turned up with the Bison, a concept design for a truck that looked like something that might be used in space exploration, rolling along the surface of a lunar colony or something.

Much of the recent news in the auto industry has been about electrification, autonomy, technology, and the changing face of mobility. That got me wondering what all of this might mean for the future of motorsports.

BMW’s i8 is one of the coolest looking production cars ever made, as it is basically a concept car that you can actually own. Now, BMW is teasing what the next generation of hybrid supercars might look like with the reveal of the Vision M NEXT.

Rolls-Royce has unveiled its Vision NEXT 100 concept, which predicts what the company thinks its luxury rides may be like in the distant future. The car, also known as the Rolls-Royce 103EX, is a bit odd looking by today’s design standards, with a front that is very high off the ground and wheels that are almost completely enclosed.

With the advent of Formula E, we’re already starting to see incredibly powerful electric vehicles designed for professional racing. But while these cars offer futuristic drivetrains, their exteriors look much like the Formula 1 cars we’ve been looking at for years.

Car companies are all looking for ways to make their vehicles consume less fuel, and release fewer greenhouse gasses. While most of the methods are focused on alternative energy sources, increased engine efficiency, and reduction of weight, Toyota is looking at a unique concept – to allow vehicles to hover a short distance from the ground in order to reduce friction.

If you’ve seen TRON: Legacy, Oblivion, or Captain America, you’ve seen the work of vehicle designer and futurist Daniel Simon. His designs include the latest-gen TRON light bikes, tanks and jets, those amazing retro-futuristic Hydra craft, and the incredible Lotus C-01 bike among others.