With rising fuel prices, more road cameras than ever before and the inexplicable popularity of the G-Wiz, it's easy to get depressed about the future of motoring.

But if it looks anything like this - the Deus Ex Machina from Pasadena designer Jake Loniak - we'll be happy.

A concept exploring the future of motorbiking, the Deus Ex is described as 'an electric, single passenger, vertically parking and wearable motorcycle'.

Or a Segway with a whole heap of cool, if you prefer.

The Deus Ex essentially bolts around the driver, with a skeleton of seven 'vertebrae' keeping him or her locked in.

As it accelerates, the Deus Ex leans forward on the road, extending the driver into a more conventional riding pose through the use of 36 'pneumatic muscles' and two 'linear actuators'.

We don't know what these are, but they sound complicated.

Loniak, a former US Marine, reckons that the Deus Ex could hit 60mph in just three seconds and manage to top speed of around 75mph.

Powered by ultra capacitors and nano-phosphate batteries, it'll run for an hour and charge in just 15 minutes.

All very impressive, but we'd prefer not to imagine what happens if you crash.

Ah, we forgot. In the future, there shall be no crashes. Or war. Or corned beef.