5 coolest features of Cadillac's autonomous InnerSpace concept

Cadillac revealed its new InnerSpace concept ahead of CES earlier this year, but thanks to the precarious public health situation, we weren't able to check it out in person. Cadillac set out to rectify that by inviting us to the General Motors Tech Center in Warren, Mich., to see this slick new coupe alongside the other two members of Cadillac's Halo Concept Portfolio, the PersonalSpace and SocialSpace, both of which debuted at CES a year ago.

And the boss picked me, of all people, to be Autoblog's representative. Yeah. It's safe to say I'm a skeptic when it comes to self-driving cars but if anybody at Cadillac knows that, they were polite enough not to question my presence as I strolled into GM's Design Dome and pointed to the big, long, sexy coupe in the middle and said, "I like that. Tell me about it." As it turns out, Cadillac's design team had plenty to say. 

1 - The Body

OK, that's kind of a cop-out. The body isn't really a feature, but just look at this thing. The InnerSpace is meant to be the pinnacle of Cadillac's Halo Concept family and it absolutely looks the part. This low-slung two-seater is positively massive in person; those are 27-inch wheels in the front; the rears are 28s. The stance is killer, especially when viewed from the rear, which tapers almost to a single point.

Forget autonomy for a minute; this is a shape that needs to be built, and these renderings don't remotely do it justice.

 

2 - The Sensory Experience

Cadillac programmed the InnerSpace to offer what it calls "unique wellness experiences." It may sound like a mix of pop psychology and yoga studio marketing, but it's more akin to an AI-driven guru whose sole purpose is to make sure you're enjoying yourself. And Caddy takes it seriously. The InnerSpace's interior is chock full of sensors and monitoring systems that can do everything from monitoring your fatigue level to displaying your vital signs.

With the data it collects, the car can then tailor a perfect blend of lighting, sound and smell to preserve or even improve your disposition. Keyed up? The InnerSpace can display soothing colors, play calming sounds and even pump relaxing scents into the cabin. Falling asleep on your way to a big meeting? Flip the script. 

 

3 - The Screen

This 9-foot, wrap-around display panel is actually made up of a matrix of much smaller panels. It can show you the real world, a virtual one, or just about anything in between thanks to a mix of augmented reality, conventional streaming apps and even a little bit of gaming. The augmented reality view is made all the more dramatic because the display actually extends beyond the main wrap-around screen to a pair of smaller panels in the base of each door, more completely enveloping the passengers in the outside view. In this AR mode, passengers see the world go by around them with the option to view information about the passing environment, from points of interest to educational tooltips. 

Streaming is exactly what it sounds like, so we won't do a deep dive on Netflix et al here, but the gaming angle is a pretty cool one. Since the InnerSpace is lined with sensors, a physical controller isn't always necessary to interact with the software. Cadillac's designers said it's possible to design a game that could be controlled by the passengers' eye movements alone. Look where you want your little digital plane to fly and it'll fly there, in other words.

 

4 - The Door Handles

This one's a bit of a misnomer. The InnerSpace doesn't actually have door handles. Instead, it has LED panels built into the door skin that display a unique animation (that's what those random squares are in the image above left) that functions a lot like a moving QR code that the user (put a pin in that) scans with a smartphone. Once this "handshake" is performed, the InnerSpace opens up ... completely. 

The term "user" was intentional up there, as Cadillac envisions its Halo concepts as part of an ecosystem in which individual vehicle ownership is not the norm. This is part of why the phone-enabled entry makes sense. In Cadillac's version of the future, you could be waiting curbside for one of several InnerSpaces en route to pick up riders. As you're probably aware, customers tend to be rather monochromatic in their color choices. The app handshake will guarantee that you're getting into the right black Cadillac. 

 

5 - The Cup Holders

No ultra-luxury vehicle is complete without some sort of drink service, right? Trust me, I get how sacrilegious it seems for a car enthusiast to be impressed by a beverage retention system, but we're talking about a hypothetical self-driving car here, so kick back with us and enjoy a refreshing drink of whatever suits you. No need to hold the glass; the InnerSpace has magnetic arm rests and comes with a custom dispenser and set of glasses in a caddy (small c) that motors in and out of a recess in the driver's side door. The dispenser and glasses have magnetic bases to match the arm rests, which effectively double as small end tables on either side of your reclining seat. Not bad, right?

Part of Cadillac's Broader Halo Portfolio

The PersonalSpace VTOL drone and SocialSpace party bus are interesting in their own ways, and we took a look at both of them in the video, so check that out if you're curious about either. Ultimately, though, the InnerSpace speaks to me the most because it feels plausible, and not in a 20-years-down-the-road kind of way. Sedans and coupes may be about as welcome in a showroom as a colicky baby boarding a transoceanic flight, but when was the last time you saw an American personal luxury coupe design with this much gravitas? The answer, of course, is "2013." If this is what the future of autonomy looks like, maybe I can be convinced.