Apex unveils electric sports car concept with ar race instructor and lidar

UK-based Apex has unveiled an electric sports car concept in which a virtual racing instructor can provide tips via augmented reality. There is also a lidar on the roof, making level 3 of autonomous driving possible.

Augmented reality will play a role in the AP-0 in the form of a virtual racing instructor who has to give the driver directions on race tracks via a holographic display, in order to improve lap times. How this virtual assistant will work exactly is still unknown.

The electric car will also have a lidar on the roof. This is remarkable in that respect, because usually only specialized prototypes of self-driving cars have such sensors on board to map the immediate environment via laser pulses and to be able to recognize objects and subjects. According to Apex, it leads to level 3 autonomy, which basically means semi-autonomous driving, where the hands can be removed from the steering wheel. According to the manufacturer, the entire system, including automatic emergency brakes and other assistance systems, is advanced enough on paper for level 4.

The electrically powered sports car contains a battery with a capacity of 90 kWh, which should give the 1200 kg car a range of about 515 km. The car will receive support for fast charging with 350 kW, which would allow the battery to be charged from 0 to 80 percent in less than fifteen minutes. Furthermore, the car has a power of 650 hp and the sprint from 0 to 100 km/h must be completed in 2.3 seconds.