Mind it

PITSTOP

In case you weren't aware, DaimlerChrysler have been in India for ten years. As a celebration of sorts, the manufacturer held a technology workshop in Pune, at which they showcased the F500 Mind concept car "� the first time that it has been shown to the Indian media.

Kicking off the workshop, Prof Dr Bharat Balasubramaniam (vice president engineering technologies and regulatory affairs) gave a presentation on the technological advances that have taken place at DC over the years, particularly in the area of automobile design.

Using the latest iteration of the SLK roadster as an example, Prof Balasubramaniam talked about how the car was developed in a completely digital process and whose production system was designed and tested in a digital factory. These new processes have made it possible to simulate everything from crash tests to assembly processes much before the first prototype is even built.

Prof Dr Herbert Kohler (vice president, body and powertrain research and chief environmental officer) then took over, giving the audience an idea of the sort of advances in technology that were being planned for the future.

The highlight of the day was, naturally, the F500 Mind. First shown at the 2003 Tokyo Motor Show, the car is referred to as a 'mobile research lab', although it looked like a rather cool saloon to us. The car is over five metres long and was designed to provide a lot of interior space, something that was achieved by using pressure-sensitive, non-mechanical brake and accelerator pads which take up far less room than mechanical pedals.

The cockpit contains a host of innovations designed to assist the driver, the centrepiece being a multivision display that incorporates the speedometer, rev counter, navigation display and other instruments. The display system is programmable, so all the driver has to do is press a button on the steering wheel to change it.

The car is a diesel hybrid, so it's extremely environment-friendly too. All these whizbangs don't mean a lack of power, either "� how does a big V8 diesel engine sound? The F500 does pretty much everything except whip up an aromatic cappuccino, but this being DaimlerChrysler, perhaps you should hold your breath.