Business Frankfurt Motor Show Autoficial intelligence
商业 法兰克福车展 人工机动智能
Where does the car end and the phone begin?
传统汽车与智能手机交汇于何方？
SHARON can park herself. At a signal from a smartphone, a system of tiny computers activates her engine, gearbox and steering—and she reverses smoothly into a parking space. Sensors stop her from bumping into other cars or people. Pilotless cars, such as the Volkswagen Sharan (nicknamed Sharon), are no distant dream. Many people at this week's Frankfurt Motor Show were asking not only how the cars of the future will be powered, but who or what will drive them.
SHARON汽车可以进行无人自动停车：先是由智能手机象其发送停车信号，后通过一个小型电脑系统驱动汽车的发动机、变速器和方向盘，然后便顺畅的自动驶进了泊位，而车辆的传感器则避免其撞上行人或其他车辆。无人驾驶汽车已不再只是遥远的梦想，一如大众的一款车：Sharan（昵称Sharon）。在这周的法兰克福车展上，很多人已不只是询问将来汽车将以何为能源，还得问问谁来驾驶。
"Where does the car end and the phone begin?" asked Chris Anderson, the editor of Wired magazine, at a brain-storming session organised by Audi, a carmaker. A future car will be more like a computer on wheels, networked with the surrounding infrastructure and other vehicles. Even if it comes with a steering wheel, the "driver" will have the Knight-Rider-esque option of being piloted while he video-conferences, answers e-mails or looks on a screen at an annotated view of the world whizzing by.
"传统汽车与智能手机将交汇于何处？"克里斯?安德森作为《连线》杂志的编辑，在参加汽车制造商奥迪公司举行的一场会议中的头脑风暴中如此发问。未来的汽车，其实更像一种带轮子的计算机，可以与周围的公共设施和交通工具紧密相连。就算方向盘依然健在，"司机"也可以选择一项有如"霹雳游侠"里的智能跑车KITT一样的模式，保证汽车正常驾驶的同时，他可以进行电话会议，回电邮，或者盯着挡风玻璃上对飞掠而过的世界的注释。
The threat to the taxi drivers parked outside the show is obvious. But Frankfurt's cabbies are a sceptical bunch. Driverless taxis? Not in my lifetime, says one. "It's science fiction," scoffs another.
而对于正泊车于展馆以外的出租车司机来说，威胁不言而喻。但法兰克福的的哥们对此集体持怀疑态度。有的说："无人驾驶的出租车？我这辈子是看不到的。" 有人揶揄道："这是科幻小说里的吧。"
In tough times, many carmakers are innovating like fury. Some are recasting themselves as "mobility service providers". This means hawking car-related software and other add-ons. For example, for those who prefer to hire or share cars—as young city-slickers increasingly do—there is software to make them feel at home in any vehicle, by instantly switching the radio and other settings to their tastes. Some carmakers are also tempting buyers with more mundane services, such as priority parking or cheap deals on fuel (whether petrol, hydrogen or electricity). Or, to help them let off steam, they might offer an annual spin with that gas-guzzling sports-utility vehicle of their dreams.
现在市场不景气，汽车制造商们纷纷钻研创新如痴如狂。有些把自己重新定位为"移动服务提供者"，也就是说贩卖车用软件及附加产品，例如，有些人愿意租车或者几人共用一辆汽车——特别是越来越多的年轻小市民们喜好如此，有一种软件可以根据不同人的品味迅速切换收音机频道或者其他设备的设定，令他们不管在哪辆车里都觉得像在家里一样舒服。有些汽车制造商还提供了更加实用的服务以吸引消费者，比如提供停车优先权或者提供低价的燃料（不论是汽油，氢能源还是电）。再或者，有些汽车制造商可能还会一年组织一次急速试驾活动，提供油耗巨大的越野车（SUV），让消费者们过把瘾。
Even in changing times, there is still plenty of the old passion for a flash motor. Thus the covetous sighs that greeted the new Ferrari 458 Spider (pictured), which was unveiled on September 13th. Alongside it was Ferrari's first four-wheel drive, four-seater. "Different Ferraris for different Ferraristi!" exclaimed Luca di Montezemolo, Ferrari's boss. Even Volkswagen's new single-seater electric commuter, with its narrow body and wide wheel-base, looks rather like a 1950s racing-car.
就算时光流逝，人们对飞驰的汽车的热情一如既往不曾减退。发烧友们惊叹着迎接9月13日新上市的法拉利458型硬顶敞篷跑车，它的旁边则是法拉利的第一款四驱四座跑车。"不同的法拉利，献给不同的你！"法拉利的老板卢卡?蒂?蒙特泽摩路说道。而大众公司新推出的电力单座通勤车则拥有狭窄的车身和较宽的轮胎，看起来非常像20世纪50年代的赛车。