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Podcasts Take Two
The Wheel Thing: Electric VW van listens to your voice, BWM's i8 Spyder responds to your moves
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Jan 7, 2016
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The Wheel Thing: Electric VW van listens to your voice, BWM's i8 Spyder responds to your moves
VW's Budd-e concept van listens and responds to voices, while BMW's i8 Spyder responds to movement. The latest car news from CES.
VW's Budd-e concept promises a range of more than 200 miles, and features a unique voice recognition system.
VW's Budd-e concept promises a range of more than 200 miles, and features a unique voice recognition system.
(
Volkswagen of America
)

VW's Budd-e concept van listens and responds to voices, while BMW's i8 Spyder responds to movement. The latest car news from CES.

After being caught cheating in a massive diesel emission scandal, Volkswagen seems to be trying to say, "hey, sorry, but look at this." It rolled out an all-electric concept van at this weeks Consumer Electronics Show, and by most accounts, it's a fitting act of contrition.

The Budd-e promises well over 200 miles of range from its electric drive train, but the real fun starts inside. Seat swivel, there's lots of video screen, and the car has a voice recognition system that can identify passengers, and, for instance, turn up the AC when your kid in the back seat complains of being hot.

Not to be outdone, BMW showed a topless version of its i8 Spyder. Sleek and lean, it too has some interesting stuff on the inside, including a complete lack of control knobs or buttons. In BMW's future world, all that will be handled with hand gestures.