What's all this about?
It's a funky new in-car control system debuted by Volkswagen at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas.
And what is so funky about it?
Two massive touchscreens, one of 12.8 inches and the other of eight inches, replace all the switchgear in the dash of a Volkswagen Golf with fancy touchscreen software; Volkswagen calls this R Touch. But that's not all...
Go on, then, enlighten me - what else can it do?
Using hand gestures - and we're not talking about rude ones here, thanks - you can control various in-car functions without so much as even touching those giant screens. So, put your hand up to the roof and the car will flash the sunroof controls onto the 12.8-inch screen. Wave your hand back and forth, and the sunroof will open or close accordingly. Of course, you can control other items, such as seat adjustment, in a similar, non-contact way. Although it does beggar the question of what would happen if a wasp was in the Golf with you and you were flailing your arms around trying to shoo it out of the car...
How does R Touch achieve this black magic?
There's a 3D camera mounted in the headlining and a load of sensors that pick up the proximity of human limbs being waved madly about the cabin. It's all really rather clever.
Can I order this on my new Polo?
Not yet, although expect to see it on showroom Volkswagens before 2020.
Matt Robinson - 7 Jan 2015