Expanding the Personal Living Space to the Road
With electric cars well established as the future of the auto industry and autonomous vehicles just around the corner, the concept of mobility is changing at a furious pace. In fact, the auto industry is expected to change more in the next five years than it has in the last fifty, according to experts.
Today’s cars are already computers on wheels so it makes sense that automobiles and technology would follow similar trajectories. The OMNIPOD concept car announced at CES 2022 is an example of LG’s vision for the future, where transportation, technology and smart living all overlap in one product.
LG OMNIPOD is a fully autonomous vehicle that acts as an extension of the home with an onboard living space that adapts to the passenger’s unique needs. This could mean anything from serving as office space, a recording studio, video editing workroom or even a lounge. OMNIPOD’s expansive tunnel screen (Meta-environment Screen) that stretches from the floor to the ceiling is key to achieving the effect of different environments.
Before entering OMNIPOD, passengers first pass through the Air Shower which gently blows negatively ionized air over the individual to carry away dust and germs. Passengers can place their coats, jackets and shoes in the LG Styler which utilizes ionizing technology to ensure that everything is fresh and wrinkle-free on arrival at the destination, ideal for events or meetings.
Once inside the vehicle cabin, Reah adjusts the multimedia screen to create the optimal environment for productivity: the smallest screen dimension can be used as a center dashboard providing essential information such as weather, time and schedule, the mid height screen can be used as a dual monitor or the full size for Cinema mode.
The cabin’s monitoring system scans actions and commands to provide a personalized service that adjusts temperature and lighting accordingly. The interior is equipped with a refrigerator that delivers cooling in a compact space through the Peltier effect*. Designed to be modular, the shelves in the refrigerator can be rearranged to hold items of different sizes from soft drinks to bottles of wine as well as foodstuff. And with an induction range on top, cooking is also possible without taking up any of the cabin’s precious space.
Watching various content on the move is already a good tip to enjoy travel. By connecting OMNIPOD’s tunnel and multimedia screens, passengers can feel like they’ve virtually entered the movie they’re watching. And when the time comes for some much-needed shut-eye, OMNIPOD turns into the perfect sleeping environment by switching lights and screens off, reclining the seat and returning the screen to its original position. The cabin even monitors quality of sleep with its thermal camera and sensors to measure heart rates and body temperatures.
As an autonomous vehicle, on top of enjoying various content on the move, passengers can still monitor the outside environment in real time via exterior cameras. And those who still like driving can use driving mode and, with the MR Navi – a real-time map reflecting accurate topography and real buildings created by LG’s R&D lab and digital map specialist HERE Technologies – shown on the multimedia screen, one never has to worry about getting lost again.
Finally, once everyone has disembarked, Reah can manage the entire vehicle and ensure it remains in tiptop condition for the next trip, such as utilizing UV lighting and robot vacuums to prevent germs and dust from accumulating.
Not just a concept car, LG Vision OMNIPOD represents the company’s vision for future mobility, so watch this space to find out how you’ll be getting around in the next few years.
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* The electrical current flowing through the junction connecting two materials will emit or absorb heat per unit time at the junction to balance the difference in the chemical potential of the two materials