Seeking new ways to incorporate Formula 1 features into road going sports cars, McLaren just revealed a newly developed MP4-X Concept. It truly represents “the future of motorsport technology” and what is most astonishing about it is the fact it has a Formula 1 looking silhouette, architecture and an enclosed cockpit (unlike this one)! We have been waiting to see a Formula 1 car with insanely cool enclosed cockpit for a while now and the MP4-X Concept granted our wishes. However, this does not imply that F1 cars will be like this. On the other hand, this clearly shows that big changes in the motorsport are necessary and inevitable.
With some innovative ideas about the future of the motorsport, the MP4-X Concept incorporates an impressive array of tech gizmos in the cabin thus improving the link between the machine and the driver in an awesome way. The head-up display, active aerodynamics available for custom adaptations during a race and epic looks definitely make us interested. However, this concept developed by the Applied Technologies of McLaren has one rather disturbing and creepy technology. Apparently, it is equipped with technology which monitors brain waves! It basically synaptically connects with the driver’s brain and acts according to the driver’s thoughts. That said, there is a theoretical possibility of a driving a car without using hands or feet, although McLaren emphasises that everything is still in the development phase.
Not to sound too creepy, but this basically means that a driver could sit inside, somehow connect his brains and the car and just think about acceleration, turns, braking or the or aero features. Neat stuff. This could be of great use in fighter jets or small space ships. The time we live in truly is amazing. This is only a concept and it will certainly remain that for a long time, but someone has to think outside the box and McLaren is our best bet.
“With the futuristic McLaren MP4-X concept racecar, we wanted to peer into the future and imagine the art of the possible,” John Allert, group brand director at McLaren Technology Group, commented. “We have combined a number of F1’s key ingredients – speed, excitement and performance, with the sport’s emerging narratives – such as enclosed cockpits to enhance driver safety, and hybrid power technologies.”
To go further than anyone else, McLaren thought of using hydrophobic and photochromic canopy which ensures top visibility for the driver regardless of the weather. Also, special helmets could provide a 360 degree view so the driver is aware of everyone’s whereabouts regardless of their position. Obviously, all of this is a far fetch and yes, no way in hell will the F1 managers allow this to happen, but that does not prevent us from dreaming. People in McLaren are imaginative since they thought of using cars with hybrid systems and batteries with inductive charging capability. In short – wireless charging that would be possible thanks to the integration of some sort of a charger in the track. That way they could provide power at all times. So, we would basically have trams roaming down the track with little or no sound. On the other hand, this technology could be dramatically improved. If this were to happen, the world would become such a different place we cannot even comprehend at this point.
All in all, impressive ideas are at work here but for now only the CGI model remains developed. Even though it looks stunning, it is far from simple and we can only imagine seeing it in a futuristic Sci-Fi movie, not on the track. The enclosed cockpit, on the other hand, could be realised.
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