GM Hy-wire Hydrogen Concept

General Motors is among the last automakers we'd expect to attempt to reinvent the automobile. Despite recent positive stirrings, GM is widely perceived as a nearsighted industrial giant stumbling along in a swamp of spiraling market-share loss and engineering complacency. Imagine our surprise at piloting this experimental fuel-cell vehicle that turns the automotive status quo on its ear.

Fueled with plentiful, non-polluting hydrogen, the handsomely wedgy Hy-wire offers a vision of driving virtually untethered by emissions concerns. It's controlled by an aircraft-style electronic hand yoke sending digital acceleration, braking, and guidance signals that allow the driver to throttle, stop, and steer with no mechanical linkages. Although hydrogen distribution and high fuel-cell costs still have to be addressed, the 100-mph (claimed) Hy-wire is quiet, smooth-riding, and lively on the road. Minor issues are a lack of steering precision, due to software-program faults, and some almost-acceptable air-pump noise. Also a mystery is how the company would address frontal-crash issues in this 195-inch-long vehicle with a glass nose.

Our test drive included long straights on which the fiberglass-bodied five-seater proved stable at highway velocities. We also wove the car through traffic cones without benefit of a steering shaft, brake or gas pedals, or a gearshift lever. The seats were comfortable and outward visibility was excellent for our too-short 15 minutes of course work. Still obviously needing tweaks were the gear lag in the steering yoke itself, the high effort required to squeeze the handbrake, and a wonky program that pulled out steering angle as speeds increased.

The Hy-wire is a technology-packed futurecar if ever there were one. It won't be produced in anything like its current form. But it does put several high-tech systems on the road for some behind-the-wheel--er, joystick--evaluation.