Michigan autonomous ride sharing design has tech where and when you need it

NOVI, Mich. (FOX 2) - In the next decade or so, autonomous vehicles will be all over the roads of Michigan and the country. A southeast Michigan company is developing some tech that will be readily available when you need it.

Yanfeng Automotive Interiors has the North American headquarters based in Novi, where they've developed the Xim 20 - which will eventually be built into an electric, autonomous vehicle meant for ride sharing. Tyler Newkirk gave us a tour and showed how shy-tech is going to be readily available for things like your coffee cup.

"It senses as soon as it is needed it becomes a feature," Newkirk said, as Roop Raj set his coffee cup down. "It's becoming a cupholder. "

The front cabin looks like a coffee shop on wheels. It has a bamboo surface with the shy-tech, which really is high-tech, but it's hidden. It's only revealed when you need it - like when you need to charge your phone. 

When you call for an Uber or Lyft in the year 2030, maybe you'll be calling this. And you could be riding with a stranger - who is listening to their own music, without headphones. 

It's tech you've never heard of before that Yangeng says is coming soon.  

"The system understands where our eyes are, just tracking where our head will be and that approximates where our ears are and there's some special transducers overhead that are sending sound, through energy waves that only become sound at your actual ears," Newkirk said.

Don't worry about germs. It cleans itself using UV rays between riders. 

Execs say you'll start seeing these pop up in the next few years. By the 2030s it will be on the market and by 2040, they say you'll see them everywhere.  Jeff Stout with Yanfeng says this is a chance for automakers to provide even more for the riders.

"What is the role of the auto maker as they move toward mobility services? Do they provide the ride or do they only provide the car to a mobility service provider? And how do I leverage data to make that ride more affordable?" Stout said.