The completely new mobility concept for on-demand, efficient, comfortable and sustainable mobility uses an autonomous driving platform that can be fitted as required with a cargo module for goods transportation or with a people-mover module.
Mercedes-Benz Vans has presented its Vision Urbanetic, a revolutionary mobility concept that goes way beyond existing ideas on autonomous vehicles. Vision Urbanetic eliminates the separation between people moving and goods transport. It enables on-demand, sustainable and efficient movement of people and goods, and applies an innovative approach to fulfil the needs of cities, businesses from diverse sectors as well as city dwellers and travellers. The concept reduces traffic flow, relieves inner-city infrastructures and contributes to an improved quality of urban life.
As part of a holistic system solution, Vision Urbanetic addresses future urban challenges and offers innovative solutions. The visionary concept is based on a self-driving, electrically powered chassis that can be replaced by different switchable bodies that can accommodate people or goods.
As a ride-sharing vehicle, Vision Urbanetic can accommodate up to 12 passengers, while the cargo module can carry up to 10 Euro-pallets. A load space 3.70 metres long fits into a total vehicle length of 5.14 metres. The concept also incorporates an IT infrastructure that analyses in real time the supply and demand within a defined area. The result is a self-driving fleet, with routes planned flexibly and efficiently on the basis of current transportation needs. All of this makesVision Urbanetic a groundbreaking concept for future urban mobility.
Thanks to full networking, the evaluation of local information – such as concerts and events – and intelligent control, the system not only analyses current needs, it can also learn from them. It is thus able to anticipate and react to future needs. This can optimise processes, help shorten waiting and delivery times, and avoid traffic jams.
For instance, the overall system can use the data captured by the vehicle control centre – which collates and analyses needs – to identify a crowd of people gathering in a certain area. It can send vehicles there to quickly and efficiently satisfy the increased demand. The system can react flexibly and is not based on rigid routes or fixed timetables.
