BYTON may not be that big brand auto name that people have come to know like Ford, Hyundai, or Tesla, but they sure have made an impression at CES 2018 as to what they have to offer for the next luxury autonomous concept car. It has a nice futuristic look to it that will differentiate itself from other brands, but it may not be for everyone out there.
During the press conference, BYTON CEO/Co-Founder, Dr. Carston Breitfeld, along with President and Co-Founder, Dr. Daniel Kirchert, took the stage to show off the BYTON SUV and give a rundown of the specs and what it can do. A 49-inch screen called the Shared Experience Display center console shows off everything in the car including video chat, health information from the seats, or a bevy of other useful information. Amazon Alexa is integrated into the software for intelligent voice control, with additional Amazon collaboration on audio and video content and even allows you to make purchases from the car. There will be two variants of the BYTON: a base model and a high-end model.
Here are some specs on the vehicle that Byton shared at their presentation:
- A single 125 x 25 cm (49 x 9.8 inch) Shared Experience Display center console, along with three additional display screens.
- Incorporation of Amazon Alexa for intelligent voice control, with additional Amazon collaboration on audio and video content.
- A maximum range of 520 km (323 miles) on a single charge. A charge of 30 minutes will get you to 80% battery.
- BYTON is equipped with multiple screens including a Shared Experience Display replacing the central console in traditional cars.
- A Driver Tablet and two display screens on the rear-seat entertainment system integrate other content and features as part of the lounge.
- User profiles that can be downloaded to any BYTON SUV letting you feel like you’re driving in your own BYTON vehicle
- A Driver Tablet allows the driver to control the Shared Experience Display, navigation, control seats, and more.
With everything this car can do, it looks like as if the price would be in the $100k price mark, but BYTON has the starting price at $45,000USD with sales starting late 2019 for China, while the U.S. and Europe will get the SUV in 2020.
“The BYTON Concept SUV connects both the automotive and digital industries in ways that will deliver an entirely new connective experience for people on the move. The result is the world’s first Smart Intuitive Vehicle, or SIV,” said Dr. Carsten Breitfeld, CEO and Co-Founder, BYTON.
Don’t get me wrong, seeing this vehicle in person and seeing everything it can do, it’s a bit too much for a driver to have in their vehicle when driving around or sitting in traffic. It’s that 42-inch screen that shows everything and being able to make video calls from the car with a webcam, but you can’t blame them for taking a step that no one has taken yet. With Amazon Alexa being integrated into the software, that’ll attract some people but it’s still a lot for people to really care for in a vehicle.
What do you guys think about BYTON’s concept car and all of its features with the low price point? Will it be enough competition to Tesla Motor, Nissan, or Chevy in the EV demographic? Let us know in the comments below or on Google+, Twitter, or Facebook and stay tuned for even more CES 2018 coverage.
