It’s even drivable.
Mini launched the Vision Urbanaut concept last November. Although it was only a pixel-based product, the British brand made the minivan a tangible product. With its bulbously smooth body and short overhangs the real-life version is exactly like the concept. It’s even possible to drive it.
Mini’s vision for the future of mobility is this concept. It shows how autonomous driving will be a common feature in vehicles, but not an exclusive one. This concept illustrates how the interior of a car could change dramatically as we use them in new ways. One area Mini The car will allow for more personalization. The concept included three customization modes, called “Mini Moments”, that allow for different interior configurations. These include changing the scent, music, and lighting.
Mini goes beyond the concept of lighting and music customization to allow the interior to be customized according to one’s needs. A travel mode, for example, has four seats and two rotatable forward seats. A deep and wide bench seat at the rear of the cabin looks more at home in a small study than in a minivan. The transforming dash can be lowered to create additional seating that takes advantage of the pop-open windows. The steering wheel is hidden under the dash, while the pedals slide into the slots on the floor.
Mini believes that the Vision Concept could be used to share mobility. This is possible with next-generation autonomous driving systems. But that future is still far off. The future of cars and the way we use them will be transformed by technology. Although the Mini Vision Urbanaut may sound far-fetched, an all-electric autonomous people-mover could change the way we think about moving around.