Carmakers show off vehicles with latest tech at Chicago Auto Show

Global Business

Carmakers show off vehicles with latest tech at Chicago Auto Show

North America’s largest auto show gets underway in Chicago this weekend.

A number of new cars are expected to be unveiled at the event.

CGTN’s Dan Williams reports on some of the hottest vehicles and coolest concepts on display.

There was a ‘Concept and Technology garage’ an area that looks to showcase some of the latest developments in the auto industry.

One of the more eye-catching demonstrations features the new Dodge Charger Pursuit. A police car comes equipped with an officer protection package that alerts the driver to movement behind the vehicle.

David Callery is the program manager for Chrysler’s Police & Emergency Response Vehicles program.

“Sadly at times, police are under attack. Police are getting ambushed in their cars. So we at Dodge came up with the officer protection package. If someone is approaching from the rear, first of all the officer is going to hear an audible in the car, two, the windows will roll up and the doors will lock. Additionally, on the outside of the vehicle, the outboard tail lamps will flash and the rear lamps will come on,” Callery said.

Dodge’s new Charger Pursuit vehicle comes with added safety features for officers.

The auto show aims to give visitors a much more hands-on experience, allowing people the chance to test out the latest cars.

And there are also some more unusual looking vehicles on display.

The modified Nissan Kicks car can transform into a full DJ party vehicle. Eric Shrimp works for Vehicle Effects, a company that developed the concept car with Nissan.

The Nissan Kicks DJ car caught the eye at the ‘Concept & Technology garage”

“I wanted to take some of the pro audio and incorporate it and really make a sound machine that can tour sporting events, to concerts it brings people in. People love them at the car shows. It gets a lot of attention and people look at the car in a different way,” Shrimp said.

But if you’re more of a tailgate party kind of person, then the Toyota Tundra could be more to your liking.

It is equipped with a fully automated mobile pizza factory and is powered by a Hydrogen Fuel Cell electric powertrain. It also produces zero emissions. Marty Schwerter works for Toyota Racing and helped design the vehicle.

This Toyota truck comes with its own fully automated pizza factory

In a pizza-loving city like Chicago, this truck could become the most popular attraction here.