he theme for this year’s Los Angeles Auto Show Design Challenge is how technology will change the human-to-machine interface (HMI). Infiniti is the first carmaker to preview its entry, dubbed the SYPNATIQ concept, which the Japanese carmaker is calling “The Future Vision of Infiniti HMI.” The year is 2029, and Infiniti is sponsoring an extreme A.R.C. triathlon. The futuristic race, covering Air, Rally, and Circuit, uses a “universal fuselage pod” that can transform into different vehicles for each stage of the race.
According to Infiniti the “first stretch of the race is a Formula-1 grand prix course from L.A. to Las Vegas. The second portion is a desert race which requires an off-road buggy to the Grand Canyon. The final third leg of the race is a radical gymkhana style jet race through virtual pylons back to Los Angeles.” The SYPNATIQ interface uses a S.U.I.T. (Symbiotic User Interface Technology) that suspends the driver into the driving seat, connecting to their brain via a spinal lock attachment that “both enhances and gives tactile resistance to the driver to simulate a physical interaction with the machine.”
