Geneva 2009: Clever EDAG "Light Car Open-Source" is like safety television for tailgaters
by Chris Paukert on Mar 3rd 2009 at 12:59PM 
Click above for a high-res gallery of the EDAG Light Car - Open Source
EDAG has presented its new "Light Car – Open Source" concept here at the Geneva Motor Show, and while it outwardly appears to look like any other nondescript electric bubble car, there's a lot of innovative content on the inside screaming for attention.
It's hard to know where to start: The use of (O)LED technology as both driver-configurable exterior lighting units and as a television-screen-like safety feature that alerts those behind of road conditions; its 100 percent recyclable basalt fiber chassis (said to be at once lighter and cheaper than carbon-fiber or aluminum); or the fact that this is an open-source effort, with EDAG taking the lead but freely opening up the car's technologies to outside developers for improvement and modification.
In any case, the fact that the lithium-ion powered compact car utilizes in-wheel motors that help maximize interior space is a neat detail, but we're actually most intrigued by the (O)LED technology, which gives the Light Car an egg-smooth exterior. Out back, the (O)LEDs are used to show trailing vehicles not only the LCOS' strength of braking, but also road conditions ahead – a pedestrian crossing the road, say, or whether there's a speed or construction zone ahead. We imagine this sort of tech would be murder to legalize (at least in the States), but it does have us thinking in new ways about vehicle safety and car-to-car communications. See the EDAG's (O)LED tech in action in a video after the jump, and learn more from the official press release by downloading the PDF here.
Gallery: EDAG Light Car - Open Source
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
jharlan 1:07PM (3/03/2009)
This is the slickest concept car I've seen yet. It's a real leap forward.
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paulwesterberg 7:07PM (3/03/2009)
My prius gets twice the mileage of my last car. I want my next car to get twice the mileage(mpge) of the prius. I think something like this could make that possible.
harlanx6 7:18PM (3/03/2009)
You always make sense, paulwesterberg. I would expect a modern scrubbed diesel hybrid could get 75-80 MPG and associated decrease in pollution now, but who knows where the limit is? The harder they try, the better they get.
Chris M 2:38PM (3/03/2009)
Minor nitpicking: While basalt fiber is cheaper than carbon fiber, it's strength to weight ratio isn't nearly as good a carbon fiber, so it isn't as light. It is stronger than fiberglass, and only slightly more expensive.
With that aside, the concept does show the potential automotive use of OLED material - assuming the price can be brought down to reasonable levels.
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Rick 2:46PM (3/03/2009)
Where's the vulgar gesture lightshow pattern for tailgaters?
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Bill 3:26PM (3/03/2009)
I'm sure the rear display would be the first thing on this car to get an app developed and downloaded!
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MovGP0 6:56AM (3/05/2009)
Huh,
I really want an radar that measures the distance between the cars (forward and backward) and an automatic keep-your-distance-warning-sign at the rear display.
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Garry Golden 11:25AM (3/06/2009)
Love it...
Hints at a wonderful future ahead for the auto industry based on some disruptive changes to the driving experience via a new role for software, intra-vehicle communication (very disruptive idea of making 'smarter drivers') and external designs to facilitate communication.
Just moving towards more modular manufacturing/design (if not Open Source) is a breakthrough in that it enables growth in an 'after sales' market (shifting profits from new car, to constant upgrades!)
I'm feeling very positive about the auto industry's future once they get past this crisis of transition!
Thanks for the post...
Garry G
Editor
The Energy Roadmap.com
http://www.theenergyroadmap.com
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