Concept electric car controlled by an iPhone

We knew this will be next, the power of mobility moving into the auto field by wireless devices controlling car functions and even the car itself. I tend to be a visionary when it comes to this and in the past twelve months I wrote a few articles on mobile devices and their potential use in BMW models or other vehicles.

You can read here about my prediction on how some web applications will connect your phone to your car and interact with it in different ways, then I talked about the Google Maps and location based services, and of course, my latest and craziest prediction (crazy to some): full operational personal computer/laptop in your BMW.

So, this morning, when I came across the headline of a concept electric car controlled by an iPhone which will be showcased at Geneva Show, I said to myself: How about that?

Developed by the Swiss automobile design house Rinspeed, the iChange application is used to control different functions of your car.

How does it work?

The iPhone sits in a holder on your dashboard and it automatically connects to your car. The “green start button” on the screen gives you the visual confirmation that you can control several functions through it, from switching headlights on and off, to the crazy idea of riding in a single seater vehicle which can offer room for an extra two passangers by simply pushing on the iPhone’s screen, this action triggers the rear roof to pop-up for additional space.

Obviously the biggest news here is the adaptive body of this concept…doesn’t this ring a bell? YES, Chris Bangle had a similar idea with his “baby” GINA Light Vision Concept or more recently, the low-housing project. I have a feeling we will be seeing more of this in the next few years.

The Concept was developed by designer Frank Rinderknecht and it’s electric car powered by a Lithium Ion batteries and it comes in two versions, based on your driving habits and commute distances.

The “top end” electric concept can go from 0 to 60 mph in only 4.2 seconds.

This opens a new can of worms and lots of opportunities for Apple and BMW. Of course, vehicles safety is a major concern here, but let’s leave that on the side for now, let’s focus on the creative side of this.

Any predictions?

[Source: Macworld and Rinspeed]