AUTOMOTIVE
2019 marks the year I threw all of that to one side and allowed a
level 2 autonomous driving system to complete the vast majority
of the 200-mile journey to Paris.
By linking Adaptive Cruise Control and Lane Keep Assist, it
automatically adjusts its distance from the car in front, staying in
lane and following the flow of traffic independently. Was it nerve
wracking? Not one bit. It felt like real progress. It felt luxurious.
Having arrived in Paris the feeling of witnessing a pioneering
step forward remained. Les Invalids, the site home to
Napoleons sarcophagus lent itself as the historic background
for a very modern sport. The Formula E grid lined up with the
Techeetah-DS drivers Jean-Eric Vergne and Andre Lotterer
starting 14th and 8th respectively. DS Automobiles entered
the sport in season two partnering with Virgin Racing but
have since moved to the title sponsor Techeetah and with
their combined efforts propelled Vergne to win the 2018
championship. At the time of writing this, they are currently
first in the team championship, with Vergne looking to take his
second championship in a row – the first back to back winner.
The race was spectacular and chaotic with the first wet race in
5 years happening before our very eyes. Lotterer managed to
take full advantage moving up from 8th to 2nd.
For many, motorsport is simply a case of “boys and their toys”,
but this all has real world applications making huge waves in
our every day lives. The knowledge built up from Formula E has
allowed DS Automobiles to commit to all new vehicles being
exclusively electric. The statement is as bold as it is ambitious.
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The Art of Luxury
Issue 39 2019