Discover How Volkswagen's Pioneering Vision in 1989 Became the Technological Standard in Modern Vehicles, Revolutionizing the Automotive Industry

Discover How Volkswagen’s Pioneering Vision in 1989 Became the Technological Standard in Modern Vehicles, Revolutionizing the Automotive Industry

Written by Bruno Teles

Published on 17/10/2023 at 16:32

Volkswagen Futura (Imagem / Reprodução: Volkswagen)

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Volkswagen Futura: The Concept Car From 1989 That Anticipated The Technology Revolution Of Today’s Vehicles

Even in 1989, when the internet was practically unknown and cell phones were “bricks,” Volkswagen was already taking its big steps towards the future. The German automaker presented its concept car, the #VWFutura, officially named “IRVW IV Futura,” at the International Motor Show (IAA).

This “unique box” design was not just to grab attention. The Futura was equipped with a digital computer that found the best route for the driver, displayed on an LCD screen with customizable programming. This may sound basic today, but at that time, it was revolutionary.

Discover how Volkswagen's pioneering vision in 1989 became the technological standard in modern vehicles, revolutionizing the automotive sector — **Volkswagen Futura (Image / Reproduction: Volkswagen)**

Advanced Functions: From TV To Modern Cars

The Futura didn’t just stay at exhibitions. The car was a true TV star in Germany, appearing on the popular entertainment show “Wetten, dass..?” The hosts were amazed when the car parked itself on stage. Thomas Gottschalk, the show’s host, and Dr. Carl H. Hahn, then head of Volkswagen, applauded and congratulated the entire engineering team.

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From Futura To The Future

When we look at the Futura today, it is clear how ahead of its time Volkswagen was. The “gullwing” doors were not just for show; they ensured an outdoor pleasure and could even be removed if necessary. And the automatic distance controller? It was already there, even in 1989!

So, the next time you get into a modern Volkswagen, remember that many of its “futuristic” features were inspired by a visionary concept from over three decades ago.

Discover How Volkswagen’s Pioneering Vision in 1989 Became the Technological Standard in Modern Vehicles, Revolutionizing the Automotive Industry

Volkswagen Futura: The Concept Car From 1989 That Anticipated The Technology Revolution Of Today’s Vehicles

Advanced Functions: From TV To Modern Cars

From Futura To The Future

A British company has installed in the middle of the ocean the world’s first floating platform that generates electricity 24 hours a day from the temperature difference between the surface and the depths of the Atlantic, without relying on wind or sun.

Great Atlantic Sargassum Belt has ceased to be a climatic phenomenon and has become a biological system that feeds on itself, with 8,000 kilometers in length, 37 million tons of algae, and scientists confirm that it is now permanent.

A giant printer called the “Ferrari” of concrete has landed in Latin America and can already build a 120-square-meter house in just 48 hours, making the traditional construction site look like something from the last century.

China is building an artificial island in the middle of the sea, covering 20 km², to construct the largest offshore airport in the world, the Dalian Jinzhouwan. This $4.3 billion project is anchored on more than 3,000 pillars embedded in the rock beneath the ocean and is scheduled to open in 2035.

A robot named Walter does the work of five bricklayers per hour and can save the construction industry, where the average age of professionals is 46 years and almost no one wants to learn the trade anymore, in the United Kingdom.

Engineers had to pour concrete mixed with tons of ice throughout entire nights in the Dubai desert to erect the Burj Khalifa; any carelessness could clog the pipes half a mile high.

The James Webb telescope spotted a planet 700 light-years from Earth with mornings full of sand clouds and nights with clear skies, the temperature difference between the two hemispheres reaches an impressive 170 degrees.

What is the ideal distance between one pillar and another? The measurement used in houses with up to 2 floors can avoid huge beams, low ceilings, and extra construction costs.

Researchers from the National Institute of Anthropology of Mexico mapped an entire site called El Jefeciño along the route of the Maya Train, with 80 stone buildings, a C-shaped plaza, and 250 acres inhabited between 250 and 900 A.D.

The American Navy fired a high-energy laser from the deck of an aircraft carrier for the first time in history to shoot down a drone in the Mediterranean, an event that is a game-changer for naval air defense.

Factory that exported to more than 50 countries will be demolished in Santa Catarina, former Cecrisa pavilions make way for a R$ 200 million innovation park, ending the industrial era that put Criciúma on the world ceramics map.

Plastering without secrets: bricklayer reveals the plaster mix that uses 5 parts sand to 1 part cement and shows how to achieve a good consistency without needing an additive.

Discover How Volkswagen’s Pioneering Vision in 1989 Became the Technological Standard in Modern Vehicles, Revolutionizing the Automotive Industry

Volkswagen Futura: The Concept Car From 1989 That Anticipated The Technology Revolution Of Today’s Vehicles

Advanced Functions: From TV To Modern Cars

From Futura To The Future

A British company has installed in the middle of the ocean the world’s first floating platform that generates electricity 24 hours a day from the temperature difference between the surface and the depths of the Atlantic, without relying on wind or sun.

Great Atlantic Sargassum Belt has ceased to be a climatic phenomenon and has become a biological system that feeds on itself, with 8,000 kilometers in length, 37 million tons of algae, and scientists confirm that it is now permanent.

A giant printer called the “Ferrari” of concrete has landed in Latin America and can already build a 120-square-meter house in just 48 hours, making the traditional construction site look like something from the last century.

China is building an artificial island in the middle of the sea, covering 20 km², to construct the largest offshore airport in the world, the Dalian Jinzhouwan. This $4.3 billion project is anchored on more than 3,000 pillars embedded in the rock beneath the ocean and is scheduled to open in 2035.

A robot named Walter does the work of five bricklayers per hour and can save the construction industry, where the average age of professionals is 46 years and almost no one wants to learn the trade anymore, in the United Kingdom.

Engineers had to pour concrete mixed with tons of ice throughout entire nights in the Dubai desert to erect the Burj Khalifa; any carelessness could clog the pipes half a mile high.

The James Webb telescope spotted a planet 700 light-years from Earth with mornings full of sand clouds and nights with clear skies, the temperature difference between the two hemispheres reaches an impressive 170 degrees.

How GMC decided to create a cheaper “mini Hummer” after the failure of giant electric vehicles and revealed radical SUVs that promise to take on the Bronco and Wrangler with a brutal look, futuristic technology, and off-road capability in the USA.

Chile inaugurates the first electric highway for the trucks that drive its economy, installs high-power chargers over 400 km, and aims to reduce diesel dependency in a logistical shift to Puerto Montt by 2030.

New Brazilian Fiat Fastback with a hybrid flex engine of up to 180 hp and a range of over 1,000 km will give rise to the new “affordable” Chrysler SUV in the US, in a project aiming to increase the brand’s sales to 225,000 cars by 2030.

Honda’s pickup the size of the Ram Rampage will feature a new hybrid V6 engine, a new generation with a refreshed design, more power, and improved acceleration after a production pause until 2028 to compete with the Toyota Tacoma, the leader with 274,000 annual sales.

Jetour accelerates in Brazil, surpasses 1,000 cars sold in just 3 months, and bets on plug-in hybrid SUVs to enter the competition strongly against BYD and GWM.

What is the ideal distance between one pillar and another? The measurement used in houses with up to 2 floors can avoid huge beams, low ceilings, and extra construction costs.

Researchers from the National Institute of Anthropology of Mexico mapped an entire site called El Jefeciño along the route of the Maya Train, with 80 stone buildings, a C-shaped plaza, and 250 acres inhabited between 250 and 900 A.D.

The American Navy fired a high-energy laser from the deck of an aircraft carrier for the first time in history to shoot down a drone in the Mediterranean, an event that is a game-changer for naval air defense.

Factory that exported to more than 50 countries will be demolished in Santa Catarina, former Cecrisa pavilions make way for a R$ 200 million innovation park, ending the industrial era that put Criciúma on the world ceramics map.

Plastering without secrets: bricklayer reveals the plaster mix that uses 5 parts sand to 1 part cement and shows how to achieve a good consistency without needing an additive.