評論
打印
Business Frankfurt Motor Show Autoficial intelligence
商業 法蘭克福車展 自動的智慧
Where does the car end and the phone begin?
哪里是手動的終結，自動的開始？
SHARON can park herself.
SHARON能自己停車。
At a signal from a smartphone, a system of tiny computers activates her engine, gearbox and steering—and she reverses smoothly into a parking space. Sensors stop her from bumping into other cars or people.
從智能手機發出信號，一個微型電腦的系統會啟動她的引擎，變速器和轉向系統——她便能安安穩穩地倒到停車位。
Pilotless cars, such as the Volkswagen Sharan (nicknamed Sharon), are no distant dream.
傳感系統能阻止她撞到別的車或行人。像大眾Sharan（綽號Sharon）這類無人駕駛汽車，已經不是遙不可及的夢。
Many people at this week's Frankfurt Motor Show were asking not only how the cars of the future will be powered, but who or what will drive them.
在這周的Frankfurt Motor展覽會上，許多顧客并不僅僅詢問未來汽車的動力如何，也開始關心由什么來操縱它們。
"Where does the car end and the phone begin?" asked Chris Anderson, the editor of Wired magazine, at a brain-storming session organised by Audi, a carmaker.
在一個由汽車制造商Audi組織的研討會上，"哪里是人工的終結，智能的開始？"Wired雜志的主編Chris Anderson問道。
A future car will be more like a computer on wheels, networked with the surrounding infrastructure and other vehicles.
未來的汽車更像是一臺帶輪子的電腦，與周圍的建筑物和車輛聯網。
Even if it comes with a steering wheel, the "driver" will have the Knight-Rider-esque option of being piloted while he video-conferences, answers e-mails or looks on a screen at an annotated view of the world whizzing by.
就算有方向盤，汽車在呼嘯而過的同時，"駕駛者"可以啟動守護騎士這一選項來導航，從而方便駕駛者視頻會議，回復郵件或者以透視的視角來看地圖。
The threat to the taxi drivers parked outside the show is obvious.
但是對停在Frankfurt展覽會外面等活的出租車司機們來說，這是不靠譜的。
But Frankfurt's cabbies are a sceptical bunch.
未來汽車對他們的威脅是顯而易見的。
Driverless taxis? Not in my lifetime, says one.
無人駕駛的出租？我這輩子是看不到了，一個司機師傅說到。
"It's science fiction," scoffs another.
"科幻小說吧，"另一個諷刺道。
In tough times, many carmakers are innovating like fury.
在汽車行業不景氣的時候，不少汽車制造商都在瘋狂地創新。
Some are recasting themselves as "mobility service providers".
一些廠商把自己打造為"移動服務供應商"。
This means hawking car-related software and other add-ons.
這意味著以汽車相關軟件和附加裝置為賣點。
For example, for those who prefer to hire or share cars—as young city-slickers increasingly do—there is software to make them feel at home in any vehicle, by instantly switching the radio and other settings to their tastes.
舉個例子，隨著愛趕時髦的年輕人越來越愿意以租車或者合用方式駕車——因為可以通過迅速地調換電臺和其他的設置滿足自己的口味，應用軟件能讓他們在任何車輛里隨心所欲。
Some carmakers are also tempting buyers with more mundane services, such as priority parking or cheap deals on fuel (whether petrol, hydrogen or electricity).
一些汽車制造商也用更多的普通服務來吸引買家，比如提供優先停車位和便宜的燃料方案（不管是汽油，氫還是電力）。
Or, to help them let off steam, they might offer an annual spin with that gas-guzzling sports-utility vehicle of their dreams.
要么，為了給顧客緩解壓力，廠商每年舉辦短途游，車型都是買家夢寐以求的大排量SUV。
Even in changing times, there is still plenty of passion for a flash motor.
即使在人們觀念在發生變化的今天，人們依舊對名車抱有極大熱情。
Hence the covetous sighs that greeted the new Ferrari 458 Spider (pictured), which was unveiled on September 13th.
于是在9月13日，伴隨著人們的渴望和歡呼聲，人們迎來了新款法拉利458Spider（如圖所示）。
Alongside it was Ferrari's first four-wheel drive four-seater.
同時這也是法拉利首款四輪驅動的四座跑車。
"Different Ferraris for different Ferraristi!" exclaimed Luca di Montezemolo, Ferrari's boss.
"與眾不同的法拉利給與與眾不同的法拉利人"法拉利的總裁Luca di Montezemolo宣稱。
Even Volkswagen's new single-seater electric commuter, with its narrow body and wide wheelbase, looks rather like a 1950s racing-car.
就連大眾的新款單座通勤概念車，窄窄的車身和寬寬的軸距，怎么看怎么像19世紀50年代的賽車。
