In a recent Twitter update, Elon Musk, the business magnate, who’s also the co-founder and CEO of Tesla, revealed that the next-gen Tesla Roadster would have an added feature: an “Augmented Mode” that is designed to enhance the drivers’ abilities when operating the electric supercar.
Responding to Marques Brownlee’s ( YouTube tech reviewer and Tesla owner-enthusiast )query on whether the next-generation Roadster will have an Autopilot, Musk promptly answered in the affirmative, confirming that the next-gen Roadster out of the assembly line will indeed feature a unique intelligent driver-assist mode.
While many people consider him as Marvel’s Tony Stark in flesh and blood, it is no wonder he is rightly compared to the protagonist of Iron Man with his mention of Augmented Mode and flying metal. What may sound like a distant world fantasy, Tesla has been paving the way for integrating augmented reality technology into its electric cars for years. For this, Tesla has been recruiting new talents into its think tanks, just like Tony does in the Avengers.
Andrew Kim previously coordinated with Microsoft in developing the HoloLens headset, a holographic computer that allows users to see and interact with holograms within an environment. He was hired by Tesla back in 2016 to work and provide valuable assistance in many of Tesla’s models like the S, X, 3, Semi, Roadster, and Y, as well as many other future innovations. Considering Kim’s work on Holograms and his assistance on the next-gen Tesla, it would be no wonder if the next-gen Roadster’s Augmented Mode could see the incorporation of a holographic display that assists the driver with routes, safety warnings, and other tips while operating the vehicle; very similar to the one showcased by the Hyundai during CES 2015.
The all-electric supercar’s base variant has already been breaking several records, with a 0-60 mph time of 1.9 seconds, a quarter-mile time of 8.9 seconds, 10,000 Nm of torque, and a range of 620 miles, and a top speed of more than 250 mph. And to top that, Musk even recently announced that a SpaceX option would also be available for the next-gen Roadster, which would enhance the electric car even further.
In the prototype unveiled last November and also on the company’s quarterly all-hands promo video, one could easily note that the next-generation Roadster’s dashboard is almost just as minimalistic as the Model 3. There would be enough space to incorporate the augmented reality technology into the next-gen Roadster’s dashboard, with the new features matching perfectly with the supercar’s interior design.
With the Roadster almost ready to roll out onto the road, Tesla is steadily pushing its marketing efforts for its next-gen supercar. A recent Tesla’s 2018 Annual Shareholder Meeting unveiled a stunning white variant of the next-gen Roadster. In another update, Elon Musk has recently announced that this super beast would be available for the test drive by the end of next year.
Considering the brute force of this supercar, this beast cannot surely be tamed by everyone. Only a handful of professional drivers would be able to drive this beast to its fullest potential. In such cases, adding the Augmented Mode would be beneficial and welcome to its future owners and drivers.