Autonomous shuttle designers target a ‘friendly’ feel

This year’s CES in Las Vegas was full of movers and shakers from the automotive and tech worlds, but it was also full of actual movers – people movers that is. From design houses to ride-hailing services, there were plenty of new shuttles and pods as the industry looks ahead to a world of autonomous mobility.

Some were basic, urban transport solutions to get you from A to B, others were more luxurious with interactive screens and then there were the pods that aren’t pods at all, but multi-use capsules that can be integrated into your home.

So in no particular order, here’s our look at the shuttles of the CES, many of which really want to be your friend.

Holon Mover

The Benteler Group has decided to move into autonomous movers and created a new brand, Holon. It then brought in Pininfarina to design its first people mover, aptly named, Mover. It looks welcoming with its own personality and is designed to carry as many as 15 passengers at speeds of up to 37mph (60km/h).

“The vehicle design combines two character traits – friendly and inviting as well as technologically advanced and clear,” said Pininfarina CEO, Silvio Pietro Angori. “Every detail of the vehicle is designed to make passengers feel more comfortable and safer than in any other mode of transportation.”

The Mover will use Mobileye’s Level 4 technology and is aimed at public transport, campus shuttles and ride-hailing services, with Florida-based start-up Beep set to begin trials with the vehicle in the US.

Hyundai Mobis M.Vision To

Hyundai Mobis used CES to relaunch as a mobility services company and gave us the M.Vision To and M.Vision Hi shuttles that follow the 2GO cargo version shown in 2022. Unlike the Holon and Zeekr (below), both look like stereotypical asymmetrical pod designs, more clinical and techie than friendly.

They have lots of glass, basic interior seating and plenty of exterior lighting and messaging. The use of mixed reality projectors in the corner pillars is interesting and in the slightly more premium Hi version, occupants will be able to watch movies projected onto the glass and make use of gaze-assisted remote control tech, so the shuttle really will be watching you.

ZF Shuttle

ZF launched the next generation of its shuttle, moving things from segregated lanes to Level 4 autonomous driving. It’s a nice design, with curves rather than angles and a sense of familiarity to other elements of automotive design. The side profile features plenty of glass to provide ample visibility for the up to 22 passengers, 15 of which will be seated on rather bus-like seats. It’s all about style on the outside, but seemingly practicality on the inside.

ZF’s senior vice president of sales for automotive driving systems, Werner Engl, wouldn’t say who designed the new shuttle, telling CDN only that it was “designed via collaborative work with a design agency.” He did say there was a close relationship between design and engineering but one of the main objectives throughout was to be empathetic to the end users.

“We consistently questioned whether we, as public transport users, would be keen to board the shuttle when it approaches a stop,” he said. “First impressions matter. That’s why one of our assessment criteria for selecting a design or comparing different design alternatives, was ‘friendliness’.”

There’s that friendly thing again and while that seems less apparent in the interior, Engl says the aim was to create an interior atmosphere with bright colours, large window surfaces and a spacious appearance. Another area ZF focused on was hiding the exterior sensors, something Engl says was the main challenge and one which he says they managed to achieve.

Zeekr Sea-M X Waymo

Geely Design revealed its Zeekr SEA-M autonomous ride-hailing vehicle in 2022 and at CES we got to chat with Ron Polonski, part of the design team for its first customer, Waymo, who talked us through the new model. When it goes into production in 2024 it will replace the Chrysler Pacifica and Jaguar I-Pace in Waymo’s fleet.

It’s a real collaboration, with Geely responsible for the design and most of the engineering. Waymo of course has integrated all its sensors and been involved in discussions around most of the elements that are key to its business, like the ease of use. Geely brand LEVC – which makes the modern London taxi cab – provided input on the rider experience, with Polonski saying that there was some serious thought when it comes to the space inside. That includes seats for five which can be controlled using an app, materials that are easily cleaned and room for luggage in the main cabin or in the boot.

There’s easy access through the wide-opening electronic sliding doors that feature an integrated B-pillar and it all feels familiar and welcoming. That’s exactly what the design team set out to achieve said Polonski, a vehicle that is friendly in its design and the way it communicates. There’s still lots of work to do and he was nervous to provide too much detail, but said elements like the information screens, ambient lighting and exterior messaging are all still in development.

Italdesign Climb-E

We’ve left the Climb-E until last because it is probably the most fascinating of all the shuttles. It’s the next step after the Pop.Up concepts of 2017 and rather than simply being a pod, a shuttle or a robotaxi, it features a capsule that attaches to an autonomous skateboard platform. The capsule itself can be integrated into your home or office, but when you want to go somewhere, it relies on technology from Schindler, the company that makes elevators and moving walkways, to transfer your capsule onto a battery-electric ‘skid’ that is summoned before being transported to your destination.

It’s really clever, ensuring you don’t even have to leave your ‘room’ to get to where you want to go. And because the idea is that it can be integrated into your home, the symmetrical design is neutral but appealing, looking a bit like a large cable car on the outside. Inside though things are very different, with the option to design it to match your home decor. Alternatively you can use a public shuttle, which could be anything from a coffee bar to a wellness suite or even a karaoke pod, the Italdesign team seem to have limitless imagination. If they ever remake The Fifth Element, this is surely what will appear on the side of Bruce Willis’ apartment.