Djetset is on the right track !
The project of "La Voiture Electronique" was first shown at the 1968 Paris Motorshow. It was as far as I know the very first attempt to build an electric vehicle without any mechanical connection between controls and engines.
Two motor-wheels, a stick with sensors that can accelerate, brake or steer it by pushing or pulling it in all four directions. In fact, to steer it you'll just command difference of speed between the two motor-wheels, quite like a tank. The brains behind were Mr. Jean & Jacques Jarret.
This version was shown in 1970, it was named the Stil.
A big company "CEEDEVE" (Compagnie Europeenne d'Etudes et de Developpement de Vehicules Electroniques) was created with big investors like Alsthom or even Daimler AG, but the idea wasn't properly developed. The only 'serial' version, the Porquerolles was built in tiny numbers, but wasn't half as clever in spite of looking quite the same. The stick command the front wheel with linkage, the engines transmitted their power by chains...
In fact, the Jarret brothers very soon stepped out of the company who created it.
Still, the Porquerolles was I think one of the very rare vehicle sold to public without any steering wheel, handlebars nor pedals...
A friend of mine had the chance to find six prototypes of the true Voiture Electronique in a broker shop of Normandie, some 8 years ago !!
