The iPhone ignition is part of the car's fancy Harman/Kardon infotainment system, which looks a lot like Windows Media Center (watch it all here). Rinspeed doesn't say what happens if your iPhone is low on battery or freezes in the middle of a long road trip. Sync with the wrong computer, however, and it's a safe assumption your car keys are gone.

A phone-operated car is about as necessary as heated Japanese toilet seats, but it's another leap in ignition technology (and one small step for Apple). Standard keyless ignition systems, which combine a push-button electronic start with a radio frequency-enabled fob, enable drivers to quickly unlock and start the engine as if they were stealing an idling car. All manufacturers include a traditional key in case the computer brains fail, but as a dream car maker, Rinspeed is probably less concerned about real-world troubles.

Everything else about the iChange - eco-friendly this, carbon-neutral that - is expected from a futuristic electric car. Rinspeed, however, deserves huge credit. The tiny company, which started retrofitting cars with sunroofs in the 1970s and became legendary for tuning Porsches, has made it a tradition to shock the world each year with concepts like the iChange. Look for it next month at the Geneva Auto Show.

All photos copyright Rinspeed