Imagining the cop car of the future
As the Los Angeles Auto Show gets ready to open its doors next week they've given the public an advance look at their annual design challenge. This year's theme, chosen by the Design Los Angeles Board of Directors, tackles what kind of vehicle we might be seeing in our rear view mirrors in the future — namely the cop car.
The challenge was called Highway Patrol Vehicle 2025. It's a timely topic as the cars civilians are driving are advancing and self-driving cars are becoming a reality; the police vehicle needs to evolve with the times as well.
The Board of Directors gave designers from some of the world's biggest auto-makers the task of meeting the new transportation and societal conditions of 2025 while effectively "protecting and serving" the public of various regions. Other considerations include addressing emission concerns, population growth and the changing infrastructure.
The resulting collection of ideas imagines a future with police vehicles that look like four-wheel drive urban assault vehicles that are perhaps a click away from what we are used to now, to militaristic unmanned drone vehicles that work both on the ground and in the air. It goes without saying the police officers of the future will be processing lots of data so some vehicles portray complex heads-up displays.
All of the designs are the lawman's version of a fast and furious machine with the addition of a lot of drones to play with, and are an interesting look at the creative vision working at each of the auto companies that entered.
With the variety of ideas it may be hard for future police departments to settle on just one version of a vehicle that will help them stay a step ahead of the bad boys.
To learn more about each concept and the designers' vision visit the Los Angeles Auto Show Design Challenge
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The BMW Group DesignworksUSA team chose Los Angeles to create a 2025 scenario for the E-Patrol (Human-Drone Pursuit Vehicle). Their research predicted that LA would have more traffic, faster vehicles, and vehicles with alternative fuel sources. The design centered on a modular structure and drone technology enhancing teamwork and accessibility. The main structure can deploy three drones. In the case of a pursuit during heavy traffic areas, the officer sitting in the main structure can deploy the flying drone or one of the single wheel drones to chase the suspect and report back data to the main structure.
GM created a new electric vehicle system, the Volt Squad, to meet the challenge of highway systems brimming with cutting edge technologies. The Volt Squad is a three vehicle fleet, designed around the concept of OBSERVE, PURSUE and ENGAGE. Each vehicle has a clearly defined situational role delivering flexibility, presence and capability for the CHP. At the core of the vehicleâs is the VOLT advanced, electronic, propulsion system. This is the "Engage" model.
One of the "Observe" models.
The "Pursue" vehicle.
Honda R&D Japan's "CHiPs" 2025 Traffic Crawler offers key features the California Highway Patrol needs as they adjust to changes in the traffic environment in 2025 where, in addition to conventional traffic problems, vehicles freed from environmental constraints are getting bigger. 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. In response to the need for strict traffic enforcement, Honda designed a new patrol vehicle offering sporty mobility with toughness to respond in severe traffic situations.
By 2025, law enforcement officers will need to adapt to even more crowded roads with electronically monitored and controlled traffic, a much larger population, and changes in human behavior. As the most environmentally friendly SUV, the âMercedes-Benz Ener-G-Forceâ meets these requirements and helps police and crews around the world. In terms of design, the Ener-G-Force is based on the G-Class; the off-road icon that has been in production since the 1970s, and continues to shape the future as a structurally and technologically advanced SUV.
With the grand opening of Hawaii's new inter-island Paradise Highway, Subaru debuts the cutting-edge SHARC (Subaru Highway Automated Response Concept). SHARC highway patrol vehicles will provide an innovative, affordable, and environmentally conscious solution for 24-hour highway monitoring, protection, and rapid emergency response. Meeting Hawaii's strict UltraGreen carbon-neutral environmental regulations and reflecting a trend for reduced highway patrol budgets worldwide, zero-emission SHARC vehicles are powered by renewable energy and operate autonomously, eliminating the need for a large full-time highway patrol staff.
Honda Advanced Design has created the CHP Drone Squad, a vehicle-based-system for 2025 designed to work efficiently and seamlessly in the harsh environment of California highways without the need for new infrastructure. The Drone Squad is comprised of a 2 vehicle system. The Auto-Drone operates as a manned or un-manned mission control vehicle which deploys Moto-Drones and can do so on the move. Moto-Drones are un-manned motorcycles capable of being rigged for multiple response or rescue missions.
