Italdesign Giugiaro Gea Imagines Luxury Driving when no Driver is Needed

The model imagines a fully autonomous luxury sedan that's powered by an electric motor in each wheel with a total output of 764 horsepower.

If drivers are no longer necessary, then auto design can change radically, Italdesign believes, and the Gea's exterior and interior design communicate two very different feelings about that. The outside is painted a deep Obsidian Blue, and when the shade is combined with the dark-tinted windows, it makes the concept look very ominous. The lighting is also minimal thanks to Audi's laser and LED technology, and the only other bright flashes come from small strips of chrome. The major elements to draw the eye are the massive 60-spoke, 26-inch wheels.

Compared to the exterior, inside the Gea is inviting. Italdesign believes that the focus of interior design for autonomous vehicles moves to the rear, but a driver can still take control with a thin yoke. When the suicide doors open, a crimson light is projected on the ground as a virtual red carpet. Rear passengers can then operate all of the concept's functions, including choosing from three configurations. For business, the interior lights brighten, and there are two 19-inch LED screens to work from. Wellness mode lets occupants exercise, and dream mode lowers the lights, darkens the windows, and the right side seats convert into a bed.