Byton Is The EV Startup That Sells 'Smart Devices', Not Cars

It seems like we've reached the point where calling what is very obviously a car, 'a car', isn't fashionable anymore, so Chinese startup Byton is here to sell you a 'smart device'
Byton Is The EV Startup That Sells 'Smart Devices', Not Cars

It’s happened (already): a car company has described its new electric vehicle as a ‘smart device’ instead of, oh, we don’t know, ‘a car.’

This pointless gentrification of the automobile is also deeply ironic given its origins among the upper classes. Chinese startup Byton is the culprit. Led by former BMW i Division chief Carsten Breitfield, Byton already owns facilities in Nanjing, Munich and Santa Clara, California, despite never having sold a vehicle or even launched to the public yet.

Byton Is The EV Startup That Sells 'Smart Devices', Not Cars

Ah, but of course, these aren’t mere vehicles. They’re smart devices. Cold, soulless white goods that can somehow miraculously make your life better. In the teaser images that have emerged, we can see a massive widescreen display dominating the dashboard and another, tablet-style screen in the middle of the steering wheel. Because of course there is. What could be safer?

Byton’s car will recognise your face, know your voice (until you get a cold) and understand hand gestures. It will have 5G connectivity and, you guessed it, it will be able to drive itself.

Byton Is The EV Startup That Sells 'Smart Devices', Not Cars

The plans indicate a target range of over 300 miles per charge. Charging speed has been cryptically – and slightly misleadingly – described as giving you ‘a week’s worth of power in the time it takes you to enjoy a cup of coffee.’

What if you’re a fast drinker? A particularly slow drinker? How many miles is a week’s worth? Is the mystery average mileage Byton has used for these sums actually representative? Deliberate vagueness does a car company no favours. We hope for better from it when the brand launches at CES next week.

Source: Auto Express

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Comments

Jakob

Deliberate vagueness does a car company no favours.

But it’s not a car company! It’s a smart device company!

01/03/2018 - 09:32 |
58 | 1
Debayan Sinha

In reply to by Jakob

22 hours too late.

01/04/2018 - 08:26 |
2 | 2
The Stig's Macedonian cousin

I mean, FFS what’s wrong with ‘car’?

01/03/2018 - 09:32 |
25 | 1

Marketing meeting minutes: Cars are so 2015. Smart devices are new and hip.

04/24/2018 - 07:38 |
1 | 0
Joseph Le Corre

So does that mean this is a smart device as well. I mean it is a hybrid.

01/03/2018 - 09:35 |
8 | 0

More like a “semi-smart device” because a “smart device” is a EV.

01/03/2018 - 09:51 |
3 | 0
Anonymous

I’m sorry but, to me this EV isn’t what I’d call a smart device. This IS a smart device however:

01/03/2018 - 09:44 |
8 | 1
Anonymous

In reply to by Anonymous (not verified)

Agreed.

01/03/2018 - 12:31 |
0 | 0
Anonymous

In reply to by Anonymous (not verified)

Wdym? That’s just a picture of a car.

01/08/2018 - 22:06 |
0 | 0
Sir Wafel (WhyBeAre of CT) (Multipla Squad) (propane)

Wait a sec… can you put an airbag behind a screen like this? I’m confused

01/03/2018 - 09:45 |
18 | 0
UltimaSanctus

Wow! Another EV startup that wont end up being anything!
Honestly, electric cars really dont bother me but the amount of these startups is just annoying after a while

01/03/2018 - 10:02 |
14 | 0

Exactly. The only viable startups are low-volume and high price.

01/03/2018 - 21:26 |
0 | 0
Uldis Tas Pats

They must be fans of nintendo with that steering wheel, they basically combined these two bad boys

01/03/2018 - 10:18 |
34 | 0
Miru

Oh boy, can’t wait for it to crash cough cough Faraday cough

01/03/2018 - 11:03 |
3 | 0
5:19.55

This is dangerous. Computers get hackes, phones too. I don’t want to ever relie on a computerized car, that is supposed to learn my habits and so on.

01/03/2018 - 11:28 |
5 | 1
V-Tech and EcoBoost kicked in yo

In reply to by 5:19.55

Then don’t drive pretty much any modern car lol. Pretty much all modern cars have built in sat nav and extensive electronic controls. Best you stick with a 1995 Toyota Hilux.

01/03/2018 - 16:51 |
1 | 1
Rekord 86

Well… I already have a smart device so let’s move on and look for a car

01/03/2018 - 11:28 |
1 | 0