What will they think of next?? Looks like a lot of Highway patrol officers will be out of work in a few years if and when this program becomes operational as some of these will have no human onboard. Be wild to see one of these drones roll up on you and zap your car with a disabling jolt of electricity. Welcome to Blade Runner time........



2012 Los Angeles Auto Show
Just the Facts: •Drone technology, electric cars and sporty mobility are some of the key elements of the 2025 cop-car lineup unveiled on Thursday for the 2012 Los Angeles Auto Show Design Challenge.
•BMW showed off its E-Patrol, a "human-drone pursuit vehicle," while Honda rolled out the CHP Drone Squad, which includes un-manned motorcycles.
•
LOS ANGELES — Drone technology, electric cars and sporty mobility are some of the key elements of the 2025 cop-car lineup unveiled on Thursday for the 2012 Los Angeles Auto Show Design Challenge.

Design studios from BMW Group, General Motors, Honda, Mercedes-Benz and Subaru offered their takes on futuristic police cruisers, focusing on everything from speed to "environmental sensitivity." The results are part Blade Runner and part Sierra Club — and some of the vehicles don't even require a human presence.

BMW showed off its E-Patrol, a "human-drone pursuit vehicle," while Honda rolled out the CHP Drone Squad, which includes un-manned motorcycles.

BMW's E-Patrol has a main structure that can deploy three drones.

"In the case of a pursuit during heavy traffic areas, the patrol officer sitting in the two-passenger main structure can deploy either the flying drone or one of the single-wheel drones to chase the suspect and report back data to the main structure," said show organizers in a statement.

Honda's CHP Drone Squad is the brainchild of the automaker's California design studio. The Drone Squad is made up of two vehicles.

"The Auto-Drone operates as a manned or un-manned mission control vehicle which deploys Moto-Drones and can do so on the move," said show organizers. "Moto-Drones are un-manned motorcycles capable of being rigged for multiple response or rescue missions."

GM envisions the "Volt Squad," a three-vehicle fleet designed around the concept of "observe, pursue and engage."

"Each vehicle has a clearly defined situational role," said show organizers.

Honda's Tokyo design studio offered the CHiPs 2025 Traffic Crawler, which puts a premium on "sporty mobility." The futuristic California Highway Patrol vehicle is created to patrol roads where cars drive themselves.

"Despite the transition period to safe automatic driving, the traffic environment is again becoming confusing and challenging as California resumes its once flourishing car culture," said show organizers.

The Mercedes-Benz Ener-G-Force is spun off the Mercedes-Benz G-Class and puts a premium on being "environmentally friendly."

Subaru's SHARC or Subaru Highway Automated Response Concept is designed to patrol a futuristic Hawaiian highway and operates autonomously, thus "eliminating the need for a large full-time highway patrol staff," show organizers said.

The SHARC is described as an "environmentally conscious solution for 24-hour highway monitoring."

The winning design will be announced on November 29 during the 2012 Los Angeles Auto Show.

Edmunds says: It appears that many auto designers envision police cars with no police. Which one should walk away with the prize?

 

Everybody! Man your weapons! The machines are coming.

T

 

They look slower than my monte, we're good

 

Be careful Mitch, they're sleepers.

 

I have a RWD swap LS9 Monte... not scurred.

 

that's just awesome...





I'd love to see someone convince these drones not to give them a ticket.
You may have to flash some circuit boards to win them over

 

Just another reason to abide by the posted speed limits and make sure your vehicle is street legal

If they could get this technology to work out well, could be good and bad. It would definitely lower the risk for the officer, as he could send his drone after the suspect vs. risking himself by trying to keep up.

 

Kinda like the other thread... where the guy was going like 80 down city streets..

 

Well this has disaster written all over it

 

Looks like something from `Space

Thanks `Greg for posting/sharing...I think it's a good idea & I hope that they can invent a `Zap Gun that would disable the electronic's to Stop a vehicle...It's can get dangerous out there on the highways 4-Sure...

From my small amount of driving experience, I believe there are to many out there on the road, that should not be out there on the road 4-Sure...

There also to many unsafe vehicles on the road...I don't like State Inspections, but I think they are a good thing.

I can imagine a robot cop coming up to me in my car & giving me a ticket or Zap'in me (LOL)

.........