Currently reading: Aston Martin’s AutoLink Rapide S previews a connected sports car future
Electric concept gets Letv’s latest internet technology and swaps buttons for a touchscreen

Aston Martin has revealed a Aston Martin Rapide S with a new internet-based infotainment system developed by Chinese technology giant Letv at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas.

The concept electric sports car uses Letv’s latest car infotainment system called Internet of the Vehicle (IOV), which links to Letv’s Cloud service, LeCloud, to provide remote monitoring and connection with other Letv-developed vehicles and products.

Physical changes to the car include a new 13.3in high-definition touchscreen that displays all of the car’s infotainment features. A second 12.2in screen sits in place of the car’s instrument panel, and digitally displays controls and gauges.

Letv has equipped the Rapide S with the latest version of its human-machine interaction (HMI) speech recognition technology. The technology is an evolved version of the company’s 2015 AutoLink system – which was launched in November of last year as its first automotive product.

Letv co-founder and Letv Super Car CEO Ding Lei said of the new car: “After a few months’ effort we finished the integration of an Aston Martin vehicle and Letv IOV system. We have successfully equipped this supercar brand with over 100 years of history with an internet brain".

The AutoLink Rapide S arrives just two weeks after Autocar revealed that Letv could commission Aston Martin to build an electric supercar. Both companies signed a memorandum of understanding on the 3rd December, which will see them co-develop electric vehicles and work together to improve manufacturing processes. Lei said the idea of Aston Martin building a car for Letv had "great potential."

Speaking to Autocar at CES, Aston Martin boss Andy Palmer said the Rapide S connected car was designed to help further the reputation of the Aston Martin brand in Asia, as well as showcasing future technologies. Although Palmer confirmed that some of the car's features would appear on future production models, he said development of the upcoming DB11 was already too far gone to receive them.

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Norma Smellons 7 January 2016

Seamlessly well integrated

In no way does this resemble a huge tablet shoehorned onto a neolithic dash.
wmb 7 January 2016

While I'm sure the technology

While I'm sure the technology is incredible, to your point, IMHO, Aston Martins own dash designs look more at home then tablet widgeted into the dash board look that this has. And just sitting still on the show floor and you can see the glare and reflections shining off the tablet face. Can you imagine driving the car at a rapid place, no pun intended, and attempting look at/use the interface by hand with the sun and other light bouncing all over it? The voice recognition feature is going to no doubt come in handy in those instances.