Rinspeed designed the XchangE to showcase the work and leisure opportunities created by autonomous cars. The concept boasts a highly versatile cabin with business class-like front seats that can swivel around to face the rear occupants. In a novel touch, a steer-by-wire system with no mechanical link to the front wheels allows the steering wheel to be moved to the center of the dashboard when not in use, providing extra space inside the cabin.
The XchangE features a state-of-the-art scalable infotainment system that provides protection against hacker attacks. The software allows passengers to read, listen to music, surf the web, play games, watch movies or hold a meeting while cruising at 75 mph. The car can be fitted with a built-in espresso machine located between the front seats.
The finishing touch in the cockpit is a Carl F. Bucherer wristwatch mounted in a transparent globe above the steering column. An electric motor winds the watch up by spinning the globe when the car is not moving, creating what Rinspeed bills as the world’s most expensive watch winder.
Outside, the XchangE is standard Model S fare save for visual upgrades such as Rinspeed-specific bumpers on both ends, yellow trim, 20-inch alloy wheels and a Plexiglas roof. The coachbuilder has not provided any technical specifications but the XchangE is presumably powered by a stock Model S drivetrain equipped with an 85 kilowatt-hour lithium-ion battery pack.
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