Electric car controlled by IPhone

SWISS COMPANY RINSPEED will be showing off its latest mad-as-a-balloon concept car at the Geneva Motor Show this year.

The company regularly comes up with bonkers twists on the traditional car, much like the Squba, which is part Lotus Elise, part submarine. Concept cars, which never go into full production, are a bit like haute couture fashion. Some of the madder ideas are adapted to make them more practical and will eventually end up in mainstream cars.

The next big thing in automotive design as far as Rinspeed is concerned will be adaptive space, which means the car's cockpit is capable of reconfiguring itself depending on how many people are travelling. The one-man car becomes a three seater at the touch of a button.

And it's no ordinary button. Most of the car's hardware, including its central locking and ignition systems, are controlled by an Iphone which sits in a special dock built into the dashboard.

No more hunting around for your car keys... you can just call them! µ