In the future you'll be able to relax in first-class comfort on your way to work while your car negotiates rush-hour traffic – at least according to Volvo.
The Swedish car maker unveiled its 360c Concept car on Wednesday, revealing a spaceship-like design both inside and out.
The fully autonomous electric vehicle is meant as a place to not just travel, but also sleep, relax, play and work.
A video of the concept car in action shows a dashboard offering the driver three options: Drive, create and relax.
Selecting the 'relax' option, the steering wheel regresses into its column and his chair automatically slides backwards and reclines.
Volvo says the three modes are designed to make "all time spent in the car as meaningful as possible." While the 'drive' mode is fairly self-explanatory, the 'create mode' is meant to capitalise on the benefits of the vehicle's self-driving capabilities.
"The variety of configurations of the seat, table and screens create the perfect environment to read, work on that next big project or enjoy media and other online content whilst driving is delegated to the car," Volvo's Future of Driving website explains.
Current laws in the UK and the US require a driver to keep their hands in contact with the steering wheel, regardless of whether it is capable of driving autonomously.
As can be expected with a technology like this, there has been a lot of interest in who is held accountable in the event of an accident – the driver, the manufacturer, or the software's developer.
Perhaps in an effort to push for more lenient legislation in the sector, Volvo has taken the unusual step of saying it will take responsibility for its vehicles' self-driving capabilities.
"Volvo will accept full liability for our cars when driven in autonomous mode," said Volvo CEO Hakan Samuelsson. "We are one of the first car makers in the world to make such a promise."
The 360c is currently just a concept, so unfortunately it might be a while before this actually becomes a reality.
