In a recent update on Twitter, Elon Musk revealed that the next-generation Tesla Roadster would feature an “Augmented Mode” that is designed to enhance drivers’ abilities when operating the all-electric supercar.
Musk’s update came as a response to popular tech YouTuber and Tesla enthusiast Marques Brownlee, who inquired if the next-generation Roadster will have Autopilot. Musk aptly responded, confirming the intelligent driver-assist feature and teasing one of the all-electric supercar’s unique capabilities.
Definitely. Will also have Augmented Mode that will massively enhance human driving ability. Like a flying metal suit, but in car form …
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) June 8, 2018
While Musk’s mention of Augmented Mode and flying metal suits immediately drew references and comparisons to Marvel’s Iron Man and Tony Stark, Tesla has actually been laying the groundwork for integrating AR tech into its electric cars for years. Back in late 2016, Tesla hired Andrew Kim, a senior designer for Microsoft’s HoloLens project, as a Lead Designer at the company’s Design Studio in Hawthorne, CA.
Looking at Kim’s LinkedIn profile today, his description for his work at Tesla stated that apart from “leading experiences” in Model S, X, 3, Semi, Roadster, and Y, he is also working on “confidential future products and experiences” — a phrase that seems like a dead-ringer for the feature recently announced by Musk.
The next-gen Tesla Roadster is nothing short of a beast. The all-electric supercar’s base variant, for one, already breaks several records, with a 0-60 mph time of 1.9 seconds, a quarter-mile time of 8.9 seconds, 10,000 Nm of torque, a range of 620 miles thanks to a 200 kWh battery, and a top speed of more than 250 mph. During Tesla’s 2018 Annual Shareholder Meeting, Musk announced that a SpaceX option would be available for the next-gen Roadster, which would push the capabilities of the electric car even further.
Considering the raw power of the upcoming all-electric supercar, there will only be very few drivers who could properly operate the next-gen Roadster to its full potential. Pushing a car with a top speed of more than 250 mph and a 0-60 mph time of 1.9 seconds at its base trim, after all, requires skill and reflexes that the average driver simply does not have, or at least was not trained to hone.
The minimalistic dashboard of the next-gen Roadster provide a commanding view of the road. [Credit: Tesla]
The all-electric supercar has a reasonable starting price of $200,000. Thus, there is a good chance that some next-gen Roadsters will be bought by car enthusiasts who are not equipped to handle such a powerful vehicle. This makes Elon Musk’s recently-announced Augmented Mode that is designed to “enhance human driving ability” an invaluable feature.
Augmented features are actually a perfect match to the all-electric supercar’s interior design. As could be seen in the prototype unveiled last November and the company’s quarterly all-hands promo video, the next-generation Roadster’s dashboard is almost just as, if not more minimalistic, than the Model 3. If any, the next-gen Roadster’s sparse dashboard provides ample space for Tesla to incorporate AR technology.
Tesla is steadily increasing its marketing efforts for the next-generation Roadster. During the Tesla’s 2018 Annual Shareholder Meeting, a stunning white variant of the all-electric supercar was unveiled. Last month, Elon Musk also announced that test drives for the vehicle would begin sometime near the end of next year.
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