It looks like a minibus, but more than that is MINI’s latest study. The Urbanaut is a multifunctional robot car, living space and shelter in one.
More and more people are concerned with the question of what to do with ourselves while our car drives itself. The MINI Vision Urbanaut does not provide a clear answer, but rather raises new questions.
The creators took three modes — or as they call them, three moments — from everyday life: chill, wanderlust, and vibe, and arranged the car’s responsibilities around them.
The first moment is about calm, a kind of self-time that we can spend relaxing or working - the point is to be undisturbed. The second puts the driving experience first, meaning the owner will have the opportunity to take control of the car. And the vibe is a moment of community life - either personally or virtually. The three modes have different cabin designs: the driver's environment becomes a reading corner, the instrument panel is lowered to serve as a sofa, and the windshield can be opened to let in fresh air and sounds. A nook illuminated by a string of lights at the back awaits the passenger who wants to relax. There is an open space in the middle with variable seats, a table with a pot of flowers on it.
The cockpit just mentioned preserves the centrally located, circular display typical of the MINI, but in this case it is not the dashboard, but the middle of the car, as we can get information about events from here while traveling. There is also a mood control interface on the desktop, from which lights, colors, scents and music can be combined as we please. The electric MINI Vision Urbanaut makes the most of the available space. Conventional components such as headlights, a grille, or wheels are becoming an interactive communication tool with an ever-changing look. Column C is actually a gallery where travel-related experiences can be displayed.
(Source: vezess.hu / photo: pexels.com)