LEADIN

Concept cars are back in vogue at the 2013 Tokyo Motor Show, with Japanese manufacturers unveiling electric vehicles in numbers that haven't been seen since the pre-crisis years.

Large areas of the show are dedicated to futuristic designs, reflecting the industry's attempts to appeal to consumers both through style and technology.

STORYLINE:

The experts here say things are starting to look up again - starting with this triangular-shaped vehicle with doors that open like wings.

It's Nissan's all-electric "BladeGlider," a three-seater vehicle that is designed with aerodynamics in mind and is powered by a lithium ion battery.

Nissan's President and CEO Carlos Ghosn was on hand at the 2013 Tokyo Motor Show to explain the idea behind the concept car.

"The Blade Glider that you see behind me which is a triangular car . . . and this is a shape which is not possible if you are using a normal combustion engine. It is possible only because we have two in-wheel motors moving the car and this allows you a lot of freedom into positioning the driver in the middle of the car and having it triangular and 360 degrees vision and everything which goes with it. This is not only a concept but it is something which precludes the fact that Nissan is going to be extremely innovative thanks to the electric vehicle architecture. Extremely innovative in terms of shape of cars to come."

Nissan is also unveiling the IDx Nismo and IDx Freeflow concept vehicles at the show.

But what is the point of futuristic concept cars when so few come to the market ?

Ghosn explains that they provoke a reaction and act as a platform to try out new ideas.

"The concept cars are here to test. They are here to have a reaction. To have a reaction from our public from our consumers whether they are visiting the motor show or whether they're reacting on the social media. They see the product, they see the concept, they like they don't like, they comment and this is very helpful for us because it's going to trigger or more development around this concept or dropping the concept depending on this. So that's why you see from time to time concept cars that never transform into normal cars or marketable cars but on the contrary a lot of new cars, innovative cars, coming out of the concept car which has been very successful." he says.

One of Toyota's concept cars is this sleek Fun Vehicle 2 (FV2), which does away with the conventional steering wheel and is controlled by the driver's body movements instead.

The scooter-like vehicle interacts with the driver without the use of the conventional steering wheel or brake pedals.

The driver controls the car with body movement leaning to one side to make it turn in a manner that resembles the personal mobility vehicle, the Toyota Winglet.

Takeo Moriai, Project Manager at Toyota Motor Corporation, says that steering it is child's play.

"Our concept was to create a vehicle that intuitively interacted with the driver. These days there are many smartphones and new game consoles that interact with users in different ways but cars still rely on steering wheels and brake pedals. If one can steers a vehicle by just moving their body then even children would be able to use it and driving would be more fun and that's why we wanted to build this car."

Moriai adds that drivers will be able to watch the information screen and the road at the same time: "The front screen will display your destination without obstructing the view of the road in front of you. The area of the screen that does this is still small and one of the things we'll be doing next, is to enlarge it."

Toyota's other headline grabbing concept car is the more conventional looking Fuel Cell concept car.

Nothing is conventional about this car under the hood though.

It has a motor powered by fuel cells which give it an autonomy of between 500-700km (310 - 435 miles) and it can be recharged in just 3 minutes.

Toyota designers explain that the heat generated by the motor is so great that it requires large amounts of air for cooling and this explains the large grill at the front of the car.

Daihatsu, renowned for its smaller car models, is showing off a series of concept kei-cars (or k-cars) popular in the Japanese market with the intention to revive a sector that is normally just known for being economical.

Their new models ranged from models with exceptionally high roofs that offered extra space to the more sporty KOPEN models with panels so easily detachable and replaceable that you can even change the colour of the whole car in minutes.

The level of activity and buzz surrounding this year's motor show hasn't been seen for many years.

Hans Griemel of Automotive News, says that Japanese manufacturers are back in full force: "This year things are back to normal and we have the Japanese back in full force. Lots of concepts here. The stands are bristling with concept vehicles and we need these concept vehicles to kind of show that yes we are thinking again about the future, we are thinking about expansion, we're thinking about growth, and these concept vehicles really underline that push forward by the Japanese".

To whet appetites, automakers are making high-performance, luxury electric versions that give up little or nothing in performance.

BMW's i8 is a hybrid sports car that uses carbon-fibre parts to save weight so it can accelerate from 0 to 62 mph (0-100 kph) in just 4.5 seconds.

While major US manufacturers are notably missing at this year's show, European manufacturers are present in force with many familiar names from Volvo to Audi, and from BMW to Mercedes all present with large booths.

Even if Japan represents still a relatively small market for many of these companies, many brands have had considerable success especially at the high end of the market spectrum.

Testament to this is BMW's decision to have the worldwide premiere of their 4 Series Cabriolet models here this year.

Some other European manufacturers such as Porsche and Mercedes Benz also have some new releases in Japan.

The luxury market has seen a move away from the excesses of past years and now even premium consumers want to be seen to be environmentally conscious, says BMW Japan's President Alan Harris.

"People are not looking for the excesses of the past. They still want premium but their ideas of premium have changed and they want to have the best of both worlds. They want to be seen to be environmentally conscious and let's say 'green' in some ways but they still want to retain those luxury dynamic premium qualities that they now from the past, especially with a brand like BMW".

After some disappointing years, the 2013 Motor Show seems to be largely reflecting the optimism there is in Japan's much touted economic revival and points to a future that's greener, more efficient and more fun.

Over 400 foreign and domestic vehicles are on display at the biennial Tokyo Motor Show, which hosts over 30 Japanese and foreign automakers as well as dozens of parts makers and industry related exhibitors.

The Tokyo Motor Show opens to the public on Saturday November 23rd and runs until Sunday December 1st.

Tokyo, Japan - 20 November 2013

1. Front shot of Nissan's EV concept car, the Blade Glider with the doors opening automatically.

2. Right to left pan of the Blade Glider with doors open.

3. Shot of interior of Blade Glider

4. Shot of the rear of the Blade Glider

5. Shot of Carlos Ghosn, CEO of Nissan Motor Co.,Ltd. standing nearby the Blade Glider.

6. SOUNDBITE (English) Carlos Ghosn, CEO of Nissan Motor Co.,Ltd.

"The Blade Glider that you see behind me which is a triangular car . . . and this is a shape which is not possible if you are using a normal combustion engine. It is possible only because we have two in-wheel motors moving the car and this allows you a lot of freedom into positioning the driver in the middle of the car and having it triangular and 360 degrees vision and everything which goes with it. This is not only a concept but it is something which precludes the fact that Nissan is going to be extremely innovative thanks to the electric vehicle architecture. Extremely innovative in terms of shape of cars to come."

7. Ghosn on stage during Nissan's presentation

8. Shot of two more Nissan concept cars (the IDx Freeflow and the IDx NISMO", developed under the brand "Co-creation for young people".

9. SOUNDBITE (English) Carlos Ghosn, CEO of Nissan Motor Co.,Ltd.

"The concept cars are here to test. They are here to have a reaction. To have a reaction from our public from our consumers whether they are visiting the motor show or whether they're reacting on the social media. They see the product, they see the concept, they like they don't like, they comment and this is very helpful for us because it's going to trigger or more development around this concept or dropping the concept depending on this. So that's why you see from time to time concept cars that never transform into normal cars or marketable cars but on the contrary a lot of new cars, innovative cars, coming out of the concept car which has been very successful."

10. Side shot of the Toyota FV2 concept vehicle.

11. Shot from the rear of the FV2 as Takeo Moriai, Project Manager at Toyota, approaches the vehicle and touches it to open it.

12. Moriai demonstrates how the FV2 is controlled by body movement.

13. Front shot Moriai demonstrates how the FV2 is controlled by body movement.

14. SOUNDBITE (Japanese) Takeo Moriai, Project Manager at Toyota Motor Corporation

"Our concept was to create a vehicle that intuitively interacted with the driver. These days there are many smartphones and new game consoles that interact with users in different ways but cars still rely on steering wheels and brake pedals. If one can steers a vehicle by just moving their body then even children would be able to use it and driving would be more fun and that's why we wanted to build this car."

15. Shot from the rear of the FV2

16. Shot of Moriai explaining about the technology of the front screen.

17. SOUNDBITE (Japanese) Takeo Moriai, Project Manager at Toyota Motor Corporation

"The front screen will display your destination without obstructing the view of the road in front of you. The area of the screen that does this is still small and one of the things we'll be doing next, is to enlarge it."

18. FV2 closing

19. Cutaway - Toyota Newly released Fuel Cell Concept car.

20. Cutaway - Daihatsu concept vehicle

21. Cutaway - Daihatsu concept vehicle called Deca Deca

22. Cutaway - Models demonstrate how to remove panels from the KOPEN Daihatsu concept car.

23. Cutaway - Model removing side panel of KOPEN concept car.

24. Cutaway - Model replacing the hood of a KOPEN concept car with one of a different colour.

25. SOUNDBITE (English) Hans Greimel, Asia Editor for Automotive News

"This year things are back to normal and we have the Japanese back in full force. Lots of concepts here. The stands are bristling with concept vehicles and we need these concept vehicles to kind of show that yes we are thinking again about the future, we are thinking about expansion, we're thinking about growth, and these concept vehicles really underline that push forward by the Japanese".

26. Front shot of the BMW i8 - concept car

27. Left to right pan of the BMW i8 concept car

28. Front shot of the BMW4 series Cabriolet - World Premiere

29. Interior of the BMW4 series Cabriolet

30. Rear shot of the BMW4 series Cabriolet

31. SOUNDBITE (English) Alan Harris, President of BMW Japan

"People are not looking for the excesses of the past. They still want premium but their ideas of premium have changed and they want to have the best of both worlds. They want to be seen to be environmentally conscious and let's say 'green' in some ways but they still want to retain those luxury dynamic premium qualities that they now from the past, especially with a brand like BMW".

32. Toyota concept vehicle demonstration at the Toyota booth.

SHOTLIST:

1. Various of BMW Vision EfficientDynamics car

2. Tilt down from Opel and Vauxhall signs to Opel Ampere

3. Zoom in on Opel Ampere

4. Set up of technology analyst from ADAC (Allgemeiner Deutscher Automobil-Club or German Automobile Club)

5. SOUNDBITE: (German) Manfred Gross, Technology Analyst, ADAC :

"At the moment there are a lot of limitations on electric cars. The corresponding battery technology is very expensive, they are limited in their range compared to cars with combustion engines and we can not look at them as an environmental solution for tomorrow. But we are talking about a time frame of ten years and we will see at the car show in ten years time what really happens - if they are practical and if they are in competition to the combustion engines we have today."

6. Wide of Toyota Auris Hybrid being dusted

7. Wide of Toyoto stand

8. Close up of of sign reading "Hybrid Synergy Drive"

9. Close of Toyota Hybrid engine

10. Wide of Mercedes F-cell

11. Close of sign reading "F-Cell - BlueEFFICIENCY"

12. Various of Renault electric concept cars

13. Interior of concept car

14. Wide of motor show

STORYLINE:

Car manufacturers unveiled a range of electric cars and hybrid engines at this year's Frankfurt Auto Show, which opened to media on Tuesday.

Companies from Volkswagen AG to Hyundai Motor Co. took part with a particular focus on designs that eschew traditional combustion engines in favour of more environmentally friendly electric motors or a hybrid blend of both.

Analysts expect global production of purely electric cars to expand rapidly in the coming years. IHS Global Insight forecasts an increase from nearly 9,500 this year to more than 58,000 in 2011.

New offerings included BMW's Vision EfficientDynamics, a plug-in diesel-electric hybrid, and the Opel Ampere.

Toyota had new models on show including the first plug-in version of Toyota's Prius hybrid, which can have its batteries charged at a household outlet.

Renault displayed several electric concept cars and Mercedes offered up the F-Cell, which sports a fuel cell and an electric motor.

Technology analyst at ADAC (Allgemeiner Deutscher Automobil-Club, the German Automobile Club), Manfred Gross, said electric cars are still limited because the technology is expensive.

He added electric vehicles may be comparable to the standard combustion engine in ten years time.

The 63rd Frankfurt Auto Show is scheduled to open to the public on September 17.

LEAD IN:

200mph electric supercars and cars that park themselves with just a swish of their owner's wrist are just some of the latest hi-tech motors at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas.

The auto industry is increasingly using the technology show to demonstrate its latest gadgets and advances.

STORY-LINE:

This futuristic looking electric supercar can reach speeds of up to 200mph according to its maker Faraday.

The single-seater Faraday FFZero1 features all of the latest hi-tech gadgetry expected in a car making its debut at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas.

Page Beermann, Exterior Design Chief of Faraday Future says: "This car is a technology test bed for us. We're exploring things like aerodynamics, chassis development, materials, as well as the design language."

For example, a smartphone can be embedded in the steering wheel to give the driver real-time data and can even be used to tune and alter the way the car is set-up.

The FFZero1 is the brainchild of California-based car maker Faraday Future and is strictly a concept for now... and even if it ever does go into production then you're unlikely to ever see one on the road.

"I envisage this as much more of like a track enthusiast's car. You know, someone that would probably not even drive it on the road," says Beermann.

The modular chassis design can be converted to make it longer or shorter - so various configurations can enable more battery packs to be added for greater range.

Although the FFZero1 might be a concept, Faraday is planning to build its first production cars within two years and is already being tipped as a rival for local electric car makers Tesla.

If 200mph supercars are a bit too much for your needs, then Chevrolet's new Bolt might make a more practical electric alternative.

The 2017 production model was also unveiled at CES - which is fast becoming an important platform for car makers to reinforce their technological credentials.

The Bolt is designed as an affordable long-range electric vehicle and the successor to Chevrolet's Volt. Chevrolet claims the Bolt has a range of more than 200 miles.

Josh Tavel, the Vehicle Chief Engineer for Chevrolet Bolt EV, says: "With every step we've made at Chevrolet - from the Volt EV to the Spark EV to the second gen Volt and now the Bolt EV - we've really built a good heritage and we keep increasing that pedigree. We know what the customers want, more importantly we know how the customers use the vehicles and everything that we've learnt is going into these vehicles."

The Bolt was first introduced as a concept a year ago and production could begin by the end of 2016.

The car could come with an app that will make car sharing easier and also include advanced GPS route mapping which can predict precise range based on driving habits, weather conditions and the number of hills on the planned route.

But is range anxiety and the worry about being an early adopter of a relatively new technology still putting off motorists from going electric in 2016.

"There'll always be some people that still have fear, right? Until it's a completely mainstream product perhaps that won't happen. My biggest thing is going to be about getting the people in the vehicles, letting them experience all the good things that electrification brings to a vehicle, it's a completely different driving experience," says Tavel.

Outside the show hall BMW is demonstrating its self-parking cars.

Ok, so cars parking themselves is nothing new - but this BMW i3 has been fitted with gesture control. Its driver swipes his wrist and the smart watch he is wearing communicates with the car... the car rolls slowly into life and parks itself.

Philipp Reinisch from the BMW Group says: "With gesture control parking, it's possible to move your car using a gesture. You activate the car first by shaking your arm like this and then you're doing like a tennis forehand and sending the car into the free parking space."

Volkswagen's old Microbus is getting a major update and could be in a garage near you in around three years.

The company unveiled a futuristic battery-powered concept of the bus called the BUDD-e. VW expects it to be able to go 373 miles (600 kilometres) on a single charge, far longer than electric vehicles today, due to a more efficient battery technology.

Herbert Diess, Chairman of the board of management at Volkswagen says: "It's much more, it's high technology, it's a long-range electric car, it's fully-connected, it's a very emotional car and it will be state of the art by the end of this decade."

The Budd-e has internet connections to smart home devices and can be charged to 80 percent of its battery capacity in about 15 minutes, VW claims.

It also has gesture recognition technology to control the infotainment screen, and the doors can be controlled by voice commands.

VW didn't say in its releases if the new Microbus will actually go into production, but said that the BUDD-e "demonstrates what electric mobility could be like by the year 2019."

"The car will be an integral part of the internet, probably the most important part in the internet. The car will be always online, fully connected, we will have automotive cloud which will make the car really safe to drive, very convenient," says Diess.

VW says it's likely that the Budd-e will become a production model.

While some auto makers like General Motors will be looking to boost current car sales, companies like Rinspeed will be looking years - perhaps decades - into the future.

The Swiss car makers unveiled a self-driving concept car called 'Etos'.

A total of eight HD exterior cameras visually monitor the vehicle's surroundings, establishing 180-degree panoramic views, virtual exterior mirrors and no blind spots.

Inside, there's a retracting steering wheel which creates added space when in auto-pilot mode, allowing drivers to explore two curved 21.5-inch Ultra HD widescreen monitors or simply read a book.

Frank Rinderknecht, CEO of Rinspeed says: "In my opinion, whether you drive a sports car or a sedan, once you're traffic you're stuck and then you want to do something else, you want to maybe work, you want to entertain yourself, you want to read and that means that you need space and the steering wheel for those activities are just simply in the way."

The Etos comes complete with an on-board DJI drone to snap road selfies during journeys... or even more unusual missions.

"The drone is for us a sign of connectivity, it's also a twinkle of the eye. Let's assume it's valentines day, you forgot to order roses for your wife, you order them online, the drones goes and picks them up and even delivers them," says Rinderknecht.

It may seem like science fiction for some, but Rinspeed's Etos concept vehicle may inspire cars of the future.

The Consumer Electronics Show (CES) runs 6-9 January in Las Vegas and over 3,600 exhibitors are showing off their latest consumer tech products and services.

LEAD IN:

200mph electric supercars and cars that park themselves with just a swish of their owner's wrist are just some of the latest hi-tech motors at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas.

The auto industry is increasingly using the technology show to demonstrate its latest gadgets and advances.

STORY-LINE:

This futuristic looking electric supercar can reach speeds of up to 200mph according to its maker Faraday.

The single-seater Faraday FFZero1 features all of the latest hi-tech gadgetry expected in a car making its debut at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas.

Page Beermann, Exterior Design Chief of Faraday Future says: "This car is a technology test bed for us. We're exploring things like aerodynamics, chassis development, materials, as well as the design language."

For example, a smartphone can be embedded in the steering wheel to give the driver real-time data and can even be used to tune and alter the way the car is set-up.

The FFZero1 is the brainchild of California-based car maker Faraday Future and is strictly a concept for now... and even if it ever does go into production then you're unlikely to ever see one on the road.

"I envisage this as much more of like a track enthusiast's car. You know, someone that would probably not even drive it on the road," says Beermann.

The modular chassis design can be converted to make it longer or shorter - so various configurations can enable more battery packs to be added for greater range.

Although the FFZero1 might be a concept, Faraday is planning to build its first production cars within two years and is already being tipped as a rival for local electric car makers Tesla.

If 200mph supercars are a bit too much for your needs, then Chevrolet's new Bolt might make a more practical electric alternative.

The 2017 production model was also unveiled at CES - which is fast becoming an important platform for car makers to reinforce their technological credentials.

The Bolt is designed as an affordable long-range electric vehicle and the successor to Chevrolet's Volt. Chevrolet claims the Bolt has a range of more than 200 miles.

Josh Tavel, the Vehicle Chief Engineer for Chevrolet Bolt EV, says: "With every step we've made at Chevrolet - from the Volt EV to the Spark EV to the second gen Volt and now the Bolt EV - we've really built a good heritage and we keep increasing that pedigree. We know what the customers want, more importantly we know how the customers use the vehicles and everything that we've learnt is going into these vehicles."

The Bolt was first introduced as a concept a year ago and production could begin by the end of 2016.

The car could come with an app that will make car sharing easier and also include advanced GPS route mapping which can predict precise range based on driving habits, weather conditions and the number of hills on the planned route.

But is range anxiety and the worry about being an early adopter of a relatively new technology still putting off motorists from going electric in 2016.

"There'll always be some people that still have fear, right? Until it's a completely mainstream product perhaps that won't happen. My biggest thing is going to be about getting the people in the vehicles, letting them experience all the good things that electrification brings to a vehicle, it's a completely different driving experience," says Tavel.

Outside the show hall BMW is demonstrating its self-parking cars.

Ok, so cars parking themselves is nothing new - but this BMW i3 has been fitted with gesture control. Its driver swipes his wrist and the smart watch he is wearing communicates with the car... the car rolls slowly into life and parks itself.

Philipp Reinisch from the BMW Group says: "With gesture control parking, it's possible to move your car using a gesture. You activate the car first by shaking your arm like this and then you're doing like a tennis forehand and sending the car into the free parking space."

Volkswagen's old Microbus is getting a major update and could be in a garage near you in around three years.

The company unveiled a futuristic battery-powered concept of the bus called the BUDD-e. VW expects it to be able to go 373 miles (600 kilometres) on a single charge, far longer than electric vehicles today, due to a more efficient battery technology.

Herbert Diess, Chairman of the board of management at Volkswagen says: "It's much more, it's high technology, it's a long-range electric car, it's fully-connected, it's a very emotional car and it will be state of the art by the end of this decade."

The Budd-e has internet connections to smart home devices and can be charged to 80 percent of its battery capacity in about 15 minutes, VW claims.

It also has gesture recognition technology to control the infotainment screen, and the doors can be controlled by voice commands.

VW didn't say in its releases if the new Microbus will actually go into production, but said that the BUDD-e "demonstrates what electric mobility could be like by the year 2019."

"The car will be an integral part of the internet, probably the most important part in the internet. The car will be always online, fully connected, we will have automotive cloud which will make the car really safe to drive, very convenient," says Diess.

VW says it's likely that the Budd-e will become a production model.

While some auto makers like General Motors will be looking to boost current car sales, companies like Rinspeed will be looking years - perhaps decades - into the future.

The Swiss car makers unveiled a self-driving concept car called 'Etos'.

A total of eight HD exterior cameras visually monitor the vehicle's surroundings, establishing 180-degree panoramic views, virtual exterior mirrors and no blind spots.

Inside, there's a retracting steering wheel which creates added space when in auto-pilot mode, allowing drivers to explore two curved 21.5-inch Ultra HD widescreen monitors or simply read a book.

Frank Rinderknecht, CEO of Rinspeed says: "In my opinion, whether you drive a sports car or a sedan, once you're traffic you're stuck and then you want to do something else, you want to maybe work, you want to entertain yourself, you want to read and that means that you need space and the steering wheel for those activities are just simply in the way."

The Etos comes complete with an on-board DJI drone to snap road selfies during journeys... or even more unusual missions.

"The drone is for us a sign of connectivity, it's also a twinkle of the eye. Let's assume it's valentines day, you forgot to order roses for your wife, you order them online, the drones goes and picks them up and even delivers them," says Rinderknecht.

It may seem like science fiction for some, but Rinspeed's Etos concept vehicle may inspire cars of the future.

The Consumer Electronics Show (CES) runs 6-9 January in Las Vegas and over 3,600 exhibitors are showing off their latest consumer tech products and services.

AP TELEVISION

Las Vegas, US - 4 January 2015

1. Mid of Faraday FFZERO1 electric concept car

Las Vegas, US - 6 January 2015

2. Various of Faraday FFZERO1 electric concept car on display at the Consumer Electronic Show (CES)

3. SOUNDBITE: (English) Page Beermann, Exterior Design Chief, Faraday Future:

"This car is a technology test bed for us. We're exploring things like aerodynamics, chassis development, materials, as well as the design language."

4. Various of Faraday FFZERO1 electric concept car on display

5. SOUNDBITE: (English) Page Beermann, Exterior Design Chief, Faraday Future:

"I envisage this as much more of like a track enthusiast's car. You know, someone that would probably not even drive it on the road."

6. Mid of Josh Tavel, Vehicle Chief Engineer for Chevrolet Bolt EV, driving new Chevrolet Bolt EV

7. Wide of new Chevrolet Bolt EV coming to a stop

8. Various of new Chevrolet Bolt EV

9. SOUNDBITE: (English) Josh Tavel, Vehicle Chief Engineer for Chevrolet Bolt EV:

"With every step we've made at Chevrolet - from the Volt EV to the Spark EV to the second gen Volt and now the Bolt EV - we've really built a good heritage and we keep increasing that pedigree. We know what the customers want, more importantly we know how the customers use the vehicles and everything that we've learnt is going into these vehicles."

10. Various of new Chevrolet Bolt EV

11. SOUNDBITE: (English) Josh Tavel, Vehicle Chief Engineer for Chevrolet Bolt EV:

"There'll always be some people that still have fear, right? Until it's a completely mainstream product perhaps that won't happen. My biggest thing is going to be about getting the people in the vehicles, letting them experience all the good things that electrification brings to a vehicle, it's a completely different driving experience."

12. Mid of BMW employee preparing to park car using gesture control technology

13. Close of BMW employee's hands demonstrating gesture-controlled parking technology with smart watch

14. Various of BMW i3 self-parking

15. SOUNDBITE: (English) Philipp Reinisch, BMW Group:

"With gesture control parking, it's possible to move your car using a gesture. You activate the car first by shaking your arm like this and then you're doing like a tennis forehand and sending the car into the free parking space."

16. Tilt up as BMW i3 drives away

17. Pull out of sign reading (English): "Think New." at Volkswagen CES booth

18. Various of Volkswagen BUDD-e concept bus on display

19. Setup shot of Herbert Diess, Chairman of the board of management, Volkswagen, talking to media

20. Cutaway of video camera screen

21. SOUNDBITE: (English) Herbert Diess, Chairman of the board of management, Volkswagen:

"It's much more, it's high technology, it's a long-range electric car, it's fully-connected, it's a very emotional car and it will be state of the art by the end of this decade."

22. Various of Volkswagen employee demonstrating BUDD-e gesture control technology

23. SOUNDBITE: (English) Herbert Diess, Chairman of the board of management, Volkswagen:

"The car will be an integral part of the internet, probably the most important part in the internet. The car will be always online, fully connected, we will have automotive cloud which will make the car really safe to drive, very convenient."

24. Wide high shot of CES show floor

25. High shot of CES attendees on show floor

25. Various of Toyota FCV Plus on display

26. Various of Rinspeed 'Etos' concept car on display

27. Various of Rinspeed employee demonstrating retractable steering wheel for autonomous driving

28. SOUNDBITE: (English) Frank Rinderknecht, CEO of Rinspeed:

"In my opinion, whether you drive a sports car or a sedan, once you're traffic you're stuck and then you want to do something else, you want to maybe work, you want to entertain yourself, you want to read and that means that you need space and the steering wheel for those activities are just simply in the way."

29. Various of drone sat on Rinspeed 'Etos' rear

30. SOUNDBITE: (English) Frank Rinderknecht, CEO of Rinspeed:

"The drone is for us a sign of connectivity, it's also a twinkle of the eye. Let's assume it's valentines day, you forgot to order roses for your wife, you order them online, the drones goes and picks them up and even delivers them."

31. Tilt down to Rinspeed 'Etos' concept car on display

LEAD-IN:

200mph electric supercars and cars that park themselves with just a swish of their owner's wrist are just some of the latest hi-tech motors at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas.

The auto industry is increasingly using the technology show to demonstrate its latest gadgets and advances.

STORY-LINE:

This futuristic looking electric supercar can reach speeds of up to 200mph according to its maker Faraday.

The single-seater Faraday FFZero1 features all of the latest hi-tech gadgetry expected in a car making its debut at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas.

Page Beermann, Exterior Design Chief of Faraday Future says: "This car is a technology test bed for us. We're exploring things like aerodynamics, chassis development, materials, as well as the design language."

For example, a smartphone can be embedded in the steering wheel to give the driver real-time data and can even be used to tune and alter the way the car is set-up.

The FFZero1 is the brainchild of California-based car maker Faraday Future and is strictly a concept for now... and even if it ever does go into production then you're unlikely to ever see one on the road.

"I envisage this as much more of like a track enthusiast's car. You know, someone that would probably not even drive it on the road," says Beermann.

The modular chassis design can be converted to make it longer or shorter - so various configurations can enable more battery packs to be added for greater range.

Although the FFZero1 might be a concept, Faraday is planning to build its first production cars within two years and is already being tipped as a rival for local electric car makers Tesla.

If 200mph supercars are a bit too much for your needs, then Chevrolet's new Bolt might make a more practical electric alternative.

The 2017 production model was also unveiled at CES - which is fast becoming an important platform for car makers to reinforce their technological credentials.

The Bolt is designed as an affordable long-range electric vehicle and the successor to Chevrolet's Volt. Chevrolet claims the Bolt has a range of more than 200 miles.

Josh Tavel, the Vehicle Chief Engineer for Chevrolet Bolt EV, says: "With every step we've made at Chevrolet - from the Volt EV to the Spark EV to the second gen Volt and now the Bolt EV - we've really built a good heritage and we keep increasing that pedigree. We know what the customers want, more importantly we know how the customers use the vehicles and everything that we've learnt is going into these vehicles."

The Bolt was first introduced as a concept a year ago and production could begin by the end of 2016.

The car could come with an app that will make car sharing easier and also include advanced GPS route mapping which can predict precise range based on driving habits, weather conditions and the number of hills on the planned route.

But is range anxiety and the worry about being an early adopter of a relatively new technology still putting off motorists from going electric in 2016.

"There'll always be some people that still have fear, right? Until it's a completely mainstream product perhaps that won't happen. My biggest thing is going to be about getting the people in the vehicles, letting them experience all the good things that electrification brings to a vehicle, it's a completely different driving experience," says Tavel.

Outside the show hall BMW is demonstrating its self-parking cars.

Ok, so cars parking themselves is nothing new - but this BMW i3 has been fitted with gesture control. Its driver swipes his wrist and the smart watch he is wearing communicates with the car... the car rolls slowly into life and parks itself.

Philipp Reinisch from the BMW Group says: "With gesture control parking, it's possible to move your car using a gesture. You activate the car first by shaking your arm like this and then you're doing like a tennis forehand and sending the car into the free parking space."

Volkswagen's old Microbus is getting a major update and could be in a garage near you in around three years.

The company unveiled a futuristic battery-powered concept of the bus called the BUDD-e. VW expects it to be able to go 373 miles (600 kilometres) on a single charge, far longer than electric vehicles today, due to a more efficient battery technology.

Herbert Diess, Chairman of the board of management at Volkswagen says: "It's much more, it's high technology, it's a long-range electric car, it's fully-connected, it's a very emotional car and it will be state of the art by the end of this decade."

The Budd-e has internet connections to smart home devices and can be charged to 80 percent of its battery capacity in about 15 minutes, VW claims.

It also has gesture recognition technology to control the infotainment screen, and the doors can be controlled by voice commands.

VW didn't say in its releases if the new Microbus will actually go into production, but said that the BUDD-e "demonstrates what electric mobility could be like by the year 2019."

"The car will be an integral part of the internet, probably the most important part in the internet. The car will be always online, fully connected, we will have automotive cloud which will make the car really safe to drive, very convenient," says Diess.

VW says it's likely that the Budd-e will become a production model.

While some auto makers like General Motors will be looking to boost current car sales, companies like Rinspeed will be looking years - perhaps decades - into the future.

The Swiss car makers unveiled a self-driving concept car called 'Etos'.

A total of eight HD exterior cameras visually monitor the vehicle's surroundings, establishing 180-degree panoramic views, virtual exterior mirrors and no blind spots.

Inside, there's a retracting steering wheel which creates added space when in auto-pilot mode, allowing drivers to explore two curved 21.5-inch Ultra HD widescreen monitors or simply read a book.

Frank Rinderknecht, CEO of Rinspeed says: "In my opinion, whether you drive a sports car or a sedan, once you're traffic you're stuck and then you want to do something else, you want to maybe work, you want to entertain yourself, you want to read and that means that you need space and the steering wheel for those activities are just simply in the way."

The Etos comes complete with an on-board DJI drone to snap road selfies during journeys... or even more unusual missions.

"The drone is for us a sign of connectivity, it's also a twinkle of the eye. Let's assume it's valentines day, you forgot to order roses for your wife, you order them online, the drones goes and picks them up and even delivers them," says Rinderknecht.

It may seem like science fiction for some, but Rinspeed's Etos concept vehicle may inspire cars of the future.

The Consumer Electronics Show (CES) runs 6-9 January in Las Vegas and over 3,600 exhibitors are showing off their latest consumer tech products and services.

LEAD-IN:

200mph electric supercars and cars that park themselves with just a swish of their owner's wrist are just some of the latest hi-tech motors at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas.

The auto industry is increasingly using the technology show to demonstrate its latest gadgets and advances.

STORY-LINE:

This futuristic looking electric supercar can reach speeds of up to 200mph according to its maker Faraday.

The single-seater Faraday FFZero1 features all of the latest hi-tech gadgetry expected in a car making its debut at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas.

Page Beermann, Exterior Design Chief of Faraday Future says: "This car is a technology test bed for us. We're exploring things like aerodynamics, chassis development, materials, as well as the design language."

For example, a smartphone can be embedded in the steering wheel to give the driver real-time data and can even be used to tune and alter the way the car is set-up.

The FFZero1 is the brainchild of California-based car maker Faraday Future and is strictly a concept for now... and even if it ever does go into production then you're unlikely to ever see one on the road.

"I envisage this as much more of like a track enthusiast's car. You know, someone that would probably not even drive it on the road," says Beermann.

The modular chassis design can be converted to make it longer or shorter - so various configurations can enable more battery packs to be added for greater range.

Although the FFZero1 might be a concept, Faraday is planning to build its first production cars within two years and is already being tipped as a rival for local electric car makers Tesla.

If 200mph supercars are a bit too much for your needs, then Chevrolet's new Bolt might make a more practical electric alternative.

The 2017 production model was also unveiled at CES - which is fast becoming an important platform for car makers to reinforce their technological credentials.

The Bolt is designed as an affordable long-range electric vehicle and the successor to Chevrolet's Volt. Chevrolet claims the Bolt has a range of more than 200 miles.

Josh Tavel, the Vehicle Chief Engineer for Chevrolet Bolt EV, says: "With every step we've made at Chevrolet - from the Volt EV to the Spark EV to the second gen Volt and now the Bolt EV - we've really built a good heritage and we keep increasing that pedigree. We know what the customers want, more importantly we know how the customers use the vehicles and everything that we've learnt is going into these vehicles."

The Bolt was first introduced as a concept a year ago and production could begin by the end of 2016.

The car could come with an app that will make car sharing easier and also include advanced GPS route mapping which can predict precise range based on driving habits, weather conditions and the number of hills on the planned route.

But is range anxiety and the worry about being an early adopter of a relatively new technology still putting off motorists from going electric in 2016.

"There'll always be some people that still have fear, right? Until it's a completely mainstream product perhaps that won't happen. My biggest thing is going to be about getting the people in the vehicles, letting them experience all the good things that electrification brings to a vehicle, it's a completely different driving experience," says Tavel.

Outside the show hall BMW is demonstrating its self-parking cars.

Ok, so cars parking themselves is nothing new - but this BMW i3 has been fitted with gesture control. Its driver swipes his wrist and the smart watch he is wearing communicates with the car... the car rolls slowly into life and parks itself.

Philipp Reinisch from the BMW Group says: "With gesture control parking, it's possible to move your car using a gesture. You activate the car first by shaking your arm like this and then you're doing like a tennis forehand and sending the car into the free parking space."

Volkswagen's old Microbus is getting a major update and could be in a garage near you in around three years.

The company unveiled a futuristic battery-powered concept of the bus called the BUDD-e. VW expects it to be able to go 373 miles (600 kilometres) on a single charge, far longer than electric vehicles today, due to a more efficient battery technology.

Herbert Diess, Chairman of the board of management at Volkswagen says: "It's much more, it's high technology, it's a long-range electric car, it's fully-connected, it's a very emotional car and it will be state of the art by the end of this decade."

The Budd-e has internet connections to smart home devices and can be charged to 80 percent of its battery capacity in about 15 minutes, VW claims.

It also has gesture recognition technology to control the infotainment screen, and the doors can be controlled by voice commands.

VW didn't say in its releases if the new Microbus will actually go into production, but said that the BUDD-e "demonstrates what electric mobility could be like by the year 2019."

"The car will be an integral part of the internet, probably the most important part in the internet. The car will be always online, fully connected, we will have automotive cloud which will make the car really safe to drive, very convenient," says Diess.

VW says it's likely that the Budd-e will become a production model.

While some auto makers like General Motors will be looking to boost current car sales, companies like Rinspeed will be looking years - perhaps decades - into the future.

The Swiss car makers unveiled a self-driving concept car called 'Etos'.

A total of eight HD exterior cameras visually monitor the vehicle's surroundings, establishing 180-degree panoramic views, virtual exterior mirrors and no blind spots.

Inside, there's a retracting steering wheel which creates added space when in auto-pilot mode, allowing drivers to explore two curved 21.5-inch Ultra HD widescreen monitors or simply read a book.

Frank Rinderknecht, CEO of Rinspeed says: "In my opinion, whether you drive a sports car or a sedan, once you're traffic you're stuck and then you want to do something else, you want to maybe work, you want to entertain yourself, you want to read and that means that you need space and the steering wheel for those activities are just simply in the way."

The Etos comes complete with an on-board DJI drone to snap road selfies during journeys... or even more unusual missions.

"The drone is for us a sign of connectivity, it's also a twinkle of the eye. Let's assume it's valentines day, you forgot to order roses for your wife, you order them online, the drones goes and picks them up and even delivers them," says Rinderknecht.

It may seem like science fiction for some, but Rinspeed's Etos concept vehicle may inspire cars of the future.

The Consumer Electronics Show (CES) runs 6-9 January in Las Vegas and over 3,600 exhibitors are showing off their latest consumer tech products and services.

Las Vegas, US - 4 January 2015

1. Mid of Faraday FFZERO1 electric concept car

Las Vegas, US - 6 January 2015

2. Various of Faraday FFZERO1 electric concept car on display at the Consumer Electronic Show (CES)

3. SOUNDBITE: (English) Page Beermann, Exterior Design Chief, Faraday Future:

"This car is a technology test bed for us. We're exploring things like aerodynamics, chassis development, materials, as well as the design language."

4. Various of Faraday FFZERO1 electric concept car on display

5. SOUNDBITE: (English) Page Beermann, Exterior Design Chief, Faraday Future:

"I envisage this as much more of like a track enthusiast's car. You know, someone that would probably not even drive it on the road."

6. Mid of Josh Tavel, Vehicle Chief Engineer for Chevrolet Bolt EV, driving new Chevrolet Bolt EV

7. Wide of new Chevrolet Bolt EV coming to a stop

8. Various of new Chevrolet Bolt EV

9. SOUNDBITE: (English) Josh Tavel, Vehicle Chief Engineer for Chevrolet Bolt EV:

"With every step we've made at Chevrolet - from the Volt EV to the Spark EV to the second gen Volt and now the Bolt EV - we've really built a good heritage and we keep increasing that pedigree. We know what the customers want, more importantly we know how the customers use the vehicles and everything that we've learnt is going into these vehicles."

10. Various of new Chevrolet Bolt EV

11. SOUNDBITE: (English) Josh Tavel, Vehicle Chief Engineer for Chevrolet Bolt EV:

"There'll always be some people that still have fear, right? Until it's a completely mainstream product perhaps that won't happen. My biggest thing is going to be about getting the people in the vehicles, letting them experience all the good things that electrification brings to a vehicle, it's a completely different driving experience."

12. Mid of BMW employee preparing to park car using gesture control technology

13. Close of BMW employee's hands demonstrating gesture-controlled parking technology with smart watch

14. Various of BMW i3 self-parking

15. SOUNDBITE: (English) Philipp Reinisch, BMW Group:

"With gesture control parking, it's possible to move your car using a gesture. You activate the car first by shaking your arm like this and then you're doing like a tennis forehand and sending the car into the free parking space."

16. Tilt up as BMW i3 drives away

17. Pull out of sign reading (English): "Think New." at Volkswagen CES booth

18. Various of Volkswagen BUDD-e concept bus on display

19. Setup shot of Herbert Diess, Chairman of the board of management, Volkswagen, talking to media

20. Cutaway of video camera screen

21. SOUNDBITE: (English) Herbert Diess, Chairman of the board of management, Volkswagen:

"It's much more, it's high technology, it's a long-range electric car, it's fully-connected, it's a very emotional car and it will be state of the art by the end of this decade."

22. Various of Volkswagen employee demonstrating BUDD-e gesture control technology

23. SOUNDBITE: (English) Herbert Diess, Chairman of the board of management, Volkswagen:

"The car will be an integral part of the internet, probably the most important part in the internet. The car will be always online, fully connected, we will have automotive cloud which will make the car really safe to drive, very convenient."

24. Wide high shot of CES show floor

25. High shot of CES attendees on show floor

25. Various of Toyota FCV Plus on display

26. Various of Rinspeed 'Etos' concept car on display

27. Various of Rinspeed employee demonstrating retractable steering wheel for autonomous driving

28. SOUNDBITE: (English) Frank Rinderknecht, CEO of Rinspeed:

"In my opinion, whether you drive a sports car or a sedan, once you're traffic you're stuck and then you want to do something else, you want to maybe work, you want to entertain yourself, you want to read and that means that you need space and the steering wheel for those activities are just simply in the way."

29. Various of drone sat on Rinspeed 'Etos' rear

30. SOUNDBITE: (English) Frank Rinderknecht, CEO of Rinspeed:

"The drone is for us a sign of connectivity, it's also a twinkle of the eye. Let's assume it's valentines day, you forgot to order roses for your wife, you order them online, the drones goes and picks them up and even delivers them."

31. Tilt down to Rinspeed 'Etos' concept car on display