WayRay Holograktor: futuristic autonomous taxi unveiled
Made by Swiss tech developer WayRay, the concept gives holographic views
The new Holograktor concept car is Swiss technology developer WayRay’s vision for the future of shared mobility, reinventing the concept of the taxi with a focus on improved safety, enhanced autonomy and passenger comfort.
It’s described as the world’s first car to use holographic augmented reality glazing, a technology that allows content to be rendered in “real time around the car”, providing information and entertainment for the occupants while the car is controlled remotely.
It’s designed for ride-hailing services in the vein of Uber. WayRay founder and CEO Vitaly Ponomarev suggested that the capacity for adverts to be displayed holographically can reduce the cost per ride for the customer. He also highlighted the importance of using AR to visualise how autonomous cars make decisions on the road and even to offer games for the three occupants, each of whom will see different content through their “eye boxes”.
The rear passenger’s holographic system is located in the distinctive “shrimp” device on the roof, while the dashboard houses the devices for those in the front.
The concept, designed by Sasha Selipanov of Bugatti, Genesis, Koenigsegg and Lamborghini fame, adopts an unusual three-seat layout and has radical gullwing-style doors for ease of access.
Its sharp edges are inspired by the Russian constructivism architectural movement and it leans heavily on prism motifs that Selipanov calls “perfectly appropriate for a car built to highlight holography”.
WayRay has backing from Hyundai and Porsche but said no manufacturer was involved in this concept.
“We wanted to make a statement without involving car makers,” Ponomarev told Autocar. “We wanted to present to end users.”
However, he added that the platform could be licensed by manufacturers and suggested that WayRay could even form its own ride-hailing service using the car.
The company hasn’t confirmed the origin of the Holograktor’s EV powertrain but promised a range of 372 miles from its “cutting-edge battery” plus a 0-62mph time of 3.9sec and a 124mph top speed from its sole motor.
Remote driving capability is one of the concept’s unique features and is intended as an “intermediate step” on the way to full autonomy.
WayRay hasn’t explained how a fleet of Holograktors could be operated, but when asked by Autocar if he could imagine large offices full of remote drivers, Ponomarev said: “Yeah, why not? It will be like a call centre.”
The firm’s virtual-reality station could also be used in a home environment. That said, the Holograktor can also be controlled using a conventional steering wheel, which slots into the dashboard when not in use.
