Muji designs self-driving buses fit for all weather conditions
01/11/2018.
Muji
metalocus, ÁNGEL TORNE
metalocus, ÁNGEL TORNE
Japanese brand Muji, known for their minimalist home furnishings and micro-apartment designs, teamed Sensible 4, a Finnish startup working on weatherproof technology for autonomous vehicles.
Muji designs self-driving buses
Rendering interior view. Muji designs self-driving buses
Muji designs self-driving buses
The two companies have collaborated and have revealed designs on a sleek new shuttle bus—the Gacha—uniquely designed to fit all weather conditions, set to hit the roads in three Finnish cities by 2020.
According to MUJI and Sensible 4, it is the first autonomous bus in the world that is suited to all types of weather. Sensible 4 tested its technology in arctic conditions, including navigation and obstacle detection that can function seamlessly in heavy rain, fog, and snow–all of which are common to Finland’s climate and weather.
According to MUJI and Sensible 4, it is the first autonomous bus in the world that is suited to all types of weather. Sensible 4 tested its technology in arctic conditions, including navigation and obstacle detection that can function seamlessly in heavy rain, fog, and snow–all of which are common to Finland’s climate and weather.
The company is even headed to the Arctic Laplands to put the Gacha through rigorous testing. “We are developing these vehicles so that they can become part of daily transportation service chain,” says Harri Santamala, CEO of Sensible 4. “Autonomous vehicles can’t become mainstream until their technology has been insured to work in all climates.”
The self-driving shuttle bus designed by MUJI and Sensible 4, comes with a two-color exterior and a soft cuboidal form, sporting displays on the top of the windscreen as well as around the waist of the bus, displaying instructions to pedestrians on the outside. With no driver on the inside, the entire bus’s floor plan is made for 10 seated commuters and 6 standing passengers, as the bus travels from point A to B. The Gacha comes with a maximum speed of 40km/h, and even a range of a 100 kilometers on a single charge. It’s powered by a 4 wheel drive electric powertrain and a battery that can be wirelessly fast-charged.
The Gacha is all set to be unveiled to the public in March 2019 at an event in Helsinki if the tests.
