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All-New Buick Smart Pod Concept Debuts In China

Last week, General Motors announced the imminent unveiling of the all-new Buick Smart Pod Concept with a preview of the concept vehicle’s groundbreaking interior – which showcases the brand’s vision for future mobility. Now, the automaker fully revealed the Smart Pod Concept at the 2021 Guangzhou International Motor Show.

The all-new Buick Smart Pod Concept is a fully autonomous electric vehicle with a revolutionary design, with which GM designers present new personal transportation options for the next era of smart mobility. As such, the Smart Pod Concept reinvents the traditional format of vehicles both outside and inside, specially developed to transform users’ travel experience.

“The Smart Pod is a bold design concept that looks at the full potential of advanced technologies in electrification, automated driving and digitalized connectivity, delivered in a warm, tactile and luxurious manner,” said GM China and GM International Vice President of Design, Stuart Norris, in an official press release. “Its revolutionary cabin allows users to maximize their productivity while experiencing a world-class level of comfort, safety and connectivity,” he added.

Although it made its world debut in China, the all-new Buick Smart Pod Concept was created entirely by GM’s Advanced Design Studio in the United States as Buick’s first fully autonomous vehicle on the Ultium EV platform and Global B electric architecture (also known as Vehicle Intelligence Platform). Its revolutionary design stands out for the unique proportions created to maximize space and comfort in the next-generation cabin.

On an aesthetic level, the Buick Smart Pod Concept uses a boxy shape similar to that of a minivan, but with shapes and design lines more typical of a space capsule. Its futuristic bodywork combines metal panels with a very well concealed and generous glass area, including large sliding doors and state-of-the-art LED lighting panels at each end that replace traditional headlights.

The interior of the 2021 Buick Smart Pod Concept presents a premium modern environment, featuring a distinctive reclining seating arrangement that allows up to four people to be transported and a revolutionary frontal environment without any physical command. It has a massive 50-inch retractable LED screen that introduces the next-generation virtual cockpit system with AI and maximum connectivity with the outside world.

The all-new Buick Smart Pod Concept will be shown to the press and the general public from November 19th to the 28th at the Guangzhou International Motor Show. As such, the concept car is not a preview of an upcoming production model from Buick, but rather represents the Tri-Shield brand’s vision of future fully autonomous mobility.

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Deivis is an engineer with a passion for cars and the global auto business. He is constantly investigating about GM's future products.

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Comments

  1. And ?

    Reply
    1. @MK: Please don’t be offended by this, but I feel like English maybe isn’t your first language so, I’m having a little trouble understanding what you’re trying to say here but let me take a crack at it.
      My take is that this is 100% a design study for the future of the brand that also showcases its Cruise tech for the Chinese market without introducing the Cruise brand.

      Reply
      1. sorry Mr. perfection … you are right, you confirm my desire since long to do… end of road
        to stop give my opinion … north americans think like germans thei’r the best and do not tolerate other humans and non humans in planet… this is since 50 years seen around… Regards

        Desire all the people who loves GM and cars Good Luck in their future, goodbye… to my own

        Reply
  2. a cool looking Cruise Origin, I guess we get the boring one, unless they make the Cadillac version they showed at CES

    Reply
  3. This concept could become a reality in China but of course, we won’t see it here, the design overall looks good.

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    1. A lot of American consumers don’t support EVs so they definitely would support a production version of this. It makes sense why Buick would never bring it over here.

      Reply
  4. HIDEOUS,I hope BUICK keep it in China

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  5. SO !!!!!

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  6. This looks so stupid…

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    1. Not even close to looking stupid. This is going to be a large part of future transportation, and I happen to think that it looks pretty damn good.

      Reply
  7. Whether we like it or not, this is where the future of transportation is going. It’s going to happen a lot sooner than you think, and I’m glad gm is doing it with Buick.

    Reply
  8. Ugly just another 4 letter word

    Reply
  9. The bench seat looks really uncomfortable!

    Reply

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