The automotive sector can look forward to a world premiere on March 1, 2005 when the Swiss car designer and solution specialist Rinspeed and Bayer MaterialScience, one of the largest producers of plastic in the world, will be presenting their ideas and visions for the next generation of cars.

Lateral thinking, looking at things from a new angle, thinking out of the box and feeding the senses are major elements of the development work that has gone into the Rinspeed Senso. Its name reflects what it actually does - the Senso senses the driver and adjusts to him/her. This, claim the designers, is especially important as the risk of an accident is significantly reduced if the person behind the wheel is relaxed and wide awake.

This project involves a sophisticated system of sensors developed by the Universities of Zurich and Innsbruck. Smart Surface Technology, a new 3D-formable electroluminescent film from Bayer MaterialScience and the Swiss electronics specialist Lumitec, uses biometric data and other information to create an appropriate level of light for the driver, thereby having a positive effect on him/her.

Senso, which runs on CO2-reducing natural gas, puts the central focus on the driver as an individual and appeals to the emotions thanks to its unusual design. It also features an innovative outer skin coating.

"Senso is sure to polarize opinions," says a spokesman for Rinspeed. "And that is precisely what it is designed to do."