Driving Force

Looking for a new car? Maybe you’d like to look at this latest model. It doesn’t have any pedals. There’s no engine compartment. It doesn’t require any gas. And there’s no traditional steering wheel.

Sound like something out of Star Trek? It’s not. It’s a new vehicle called the Hy-wire that will be introduced by General Motors at the Paris Auto Show in September. It’s the first car powered by a hydrogen fuel cell and ‘by-wire’ technology. And you steer it using something called an “X-drive”. The new fangled video-game-like controller allows the driver to access brakes or steer the vehicle electronically, instead of mechanically. And you don’t have to let your feet do the driving. All the traditional controls are done by either hand, letting you accelerate by twisting the handgrips, or stopping by squeezing the brake actuator on the same device. And it can be accessed from anywhere in the vehicle.

“The most dramatic view of this car may be from the driver's seat,” enthuses G.M. designer Ed Welburn. "Imagine having no engine, instrument panel or foot pedals in front of you - an open, yet secure cockpit with a floor to ceiling view. It's like being in my living room looking out my picture window.” G.M. hopes to have a working vehicle for sale within the next decade.

Other Highlights



The front and rear panels are made of transparent glass, and the lack of a hood provides a better view of the road.
The seat backs are open.
There’s no post between the front and rear doors, giving both drivers and passengers more leg room.