GM revealed concepts of what it expects our electric, autonomous future vehicles will look like. For some, GM shows what to expect in the transportation of tomorrow, and it looks a lot like a Blade Runner future. It includes an autonomous luxury entertainment pod and a personal drone.

 Cadillac shows the autonomous pod “spot between parties” it’s called

A video produced by Cadillac shows the autonomous pod “spot between parties” as it is called. Among other features is that it can take a biometric reading of passengers. This will allow the pod to set the climate inside of the pod including heated or cooled seats and humidity. 

But Cadillac doesn’t want there to be a complete disconnect from the outside environment. That’s why it incorporates a huge glass roof keeping “passengers connected to the outside world.” Reclining chairs and luxurious bench seating portend a future of travel without regard to the pod’s abilities, safety, or other concerns we carry with 21st-century transportation. 

You’re safely tucked into your pod cocoon

To that end, there aren’t any steering wheels or controls. The movement of people is carefree as you’re safely tucked into your pod cocoon. This is all based on GM’s earlier Cruise Automation pod concept. All of this is predicated upon vehicles using roads and pathways. 

But what about flying cars? That scenario has been advertised to consumers for decades. Well, GM has an answer for that too. It has conjured the Vertical Take-Off and Landing Drone. This flight of fancy is a single-seat drone. Cadillac estimates it can fly at 56 mph. 

With this drone, one can get above and beyond the fray. This will lessen the congestion littering downtowns while emitting zero emissions. Taxi drones are being readied for the Summer Olympics in Los Angeles in 2024. With the congestion present in LA, they are seen as the only way to get people quickly and safely to different Olympic venues scattered across the LA southland. 

All the car companies are projecting a dual-pronged pursuit of electric and autonomous transportation. 

Audi is in the development of a flying taxi in conjunction with Airbus and Italdesign. So too is Hyundai developing a taxi drone. Volvo, on the other hand, is focused on autonomous pod development. Basically, all of the car companies are projecting a dual-pronged pursuit of electric vehicles and autonomous transportation. 

We already have what will feel similar today. Shuttles and monorails like the ones in Detroit and Las Vegas are precursors to these personal transport pods. So that is the closest we have to how this all will feel. There isn’t a lot to be excited about. 

The personal drone is at the complete opposite end of the excitement meter. Being able to program and then get to a destination within minutes in the sky holds a fascination that autonomous pods lack. And visually, as Cadillac is presenting, it has a realistic, futuristic, almost Bang & Olufsen look to it. What will become of our 911 Porsches and hot rods?