No Distractions Here: Byton Electric Car Is an SIV, or "Smart Intuitive Vehicle"

Launched at CES, this car has everything to keep you entertained because "young people like IT toys."

Getting stuck in traffic is so boring, just sitting there. That's why the new BYTON SUV is so exciting; it turns boredom into freedom! Oh wait, it isn't an SUV, it's an SIV, or Smart Intuitive Vehicle. Daniel Kirchert, the former managing director of Infiniti China and a longtime BMW executive, tells Fortune:

“We think the 'SIV' will be a new category (in automotive). The car is really becoming more of a smart device, allowing the driver and passengers to have their own digital experience, and a seamless kind of experience that doesn’t require you to use your smartphone or other smart devices.”

© Byton/ I'm so bored. What's on?

According to their press release, it comes with Level 3 autonomous capabilities, so it will not quite drive itself. But it can apparently handle "most aspects of driving in the right conditions with the expectation that the human driver will respond when asked to intervene," like when some stupid pedestrian distracted by their smart phone crosses the street in front of you.

In the meantime, sit back and enjoy; it has Byton Life: "This platform seamlessly connects a driver’s or passenger’s apps, data, and devices, allowing them to take full advantage of their travel time whether for work or entertainment."

© Byton/ So much to see!

According to the press release it also has these other wonderful things:

Shared Experience Display: BYTON is equipped with multiple display screens, with the traditional center console replaced by a Shared Experience Display enabling content shown to be shared with other passengers in the car.
Human-Vehicle Interaction: In addition to voice recognition, touch control, biometric identification and necessary physical buttons, the car features proprietary Air Touch sensors, enabling front and rear passengers to control the Shared Experience Display with hand gestures.

"Young people like IT toys."

© Byton/ skype away! According to the Financial Times, Chinese consumers say that “connectivity is a must-have feature”.

"Big screens are very attractive for customers right now," said Yale Zhang, head of Auto Foresight, a Shanghai-based auto consultant. "Young people like IT toys."
"The young generation need to be connected all the time, which is why we have put our main focus on connectivity. We believe the future car should be a smart device," Mr Kirchert said in an interview late last year. Byton is positioned as a "premium smart electric car”, he said.

Turning boredom into freedom.

© Byton/ view from the rear seat

Forget time on the road; enjoy life on the go. Be free to do whatever you wish in your car, besides driving.... Multiple modems and fully integrated flat antennas provide a bandwidth of up to 1000 Mbit/s. Onboard programmable SIM cards, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, NFC and shared connectivity maximize coverage and increase connectivity options. Your BYTON will be the fastest and most reliably connected vehicle on the data highway.

© Byton/ no distractions here!

Oh, and it is also a car. It is fully electric with fast DC charging, and a range of 325 miles thanks to its 71 kWh battery pack But really, it is a rolling living room, or as they call it "your personal lounge. Sit back, relax and feel at home. Inviting color concepts, luxury materials and traditional craftsmanship blend with flair to give a bespoke lounge experience."

© Byton/ Your personal lounge

Here at TreeHugger, I have been predicting that self-driving cars would turn into rolling living rooms. This one isn't even completely self-driving, but is designed for distraction like no other car we have ever seen. I can't wait to share the road with this.