Each year (for nine years now) the LA Auto Show has put on a Design Challenge, where a theme is chosen and major automotive design studios show their skills. This year, the Design Challenge was to create a concept "Highway Patrol Vehicle 2025", a police vehicle that would be "the ultimate 2025 law enforcement patrol vehicle that supports the needs of dynamic urban environments". Subaru (of course) came out on top with the win, creating the SHARC (Subaru Highway Automated Response Concept), a motorcycle-type vehicle pictured on the right.
Subaru was up against some tough competition, including the GM Volt Squad, Honda Drone Squad, BMW E-Patrol Human-Drone Pursuit Vehicle and the Mercedes-Benz Ener-G-Force.
"In the future the SHARC will provide protection and rapid emergency response solutions for Hawaii's highway patrol. Hawaii will present unique challenges because of its strict environmental regulations... Subaru developed the “cutting-edge” SHARC to be environmentally conscious and also affordable. Because of reduced highway patrol budgets worldwide, Subaru developed the SHARC to be green and carbon-neutral and is powered by renewable energy and operates autonomously. This will reduce the need for a large full-time highway patrol staff. While it sounds “far-out,” this is what caught the attention of the judges and won the design challenge for the Subaru design team," according to Torque News.
Awesome job, Subaru! Maybe someday the streets will be patrolled by Subaru-driving police officers. I'd say it makes sense - most definitely in Vermont. Happy and safe driving fans!
All info and image 1 via Torque News
Image 2 via wordlessTech
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