As automakers across the globe invest a large sum of money on electric mobility, we often hear that in future, the personal ownership might be a thing of the past. That’s because we keep seeing electric-autonomous concepts with little to no controls whatsoever. One such was the Volkswagen I.D. Vizzion.
While the Vizzion looks like a family sedan, Renault’s EZ-GO concept is more for a shared urban mobility and last-mile connectivity. The “robo-vehicle” as Renault like to call it, has cocoon-like styling to maximize the field of vision of the autonomous system’s sensors, and allow natural light through the panoramic glass roof. Once connected to its station, the EZ-GO offers a wide flat floor flush with the boarding ramp, making it easy to get on-board.
As we can see in the pictures here, the interiors are mostly seats, and will probably have a wi-fi and mobile charging feature for occupants. There is also a widescreen display to let the occupants know the current location, traffic information and so on.
The EZ-GO has level 4 autonomous driving capability which means the vehicle is able to manage its distance from the vehicle in front, stay in lane, change lanes and turn all by itself at a junction. It can also move into a safe position in cases of exceptional incidents in its vicinity, either by itself or through its connectivity with a monitoring center. As for the safety, the speed is limited to 50 km/h / 30 mph, and its wide front opening is away from the road for passengers when getting in and out.
There is also 4CONTROL, Renault’s four-wheel steering technology. Judging by its looks, the vehicle has in-wheel electric motors at all four corners powered by a flat battery pack under the floor.
The vehicle is available on demand, via a mobile app as well as through permanent stations throughout the city.
“Ride-hailing and shared mobility services represent an important opportunity for Renault, especially in cities. Many have aging – or very young – populations, and people looking for new mobility solutions,” said Thierry Bolloré, Chief Operating Officer. “We’ve started exploring new mobility services already, and combined with our expertise in individual cars and light commercial vehicles, we believe Groupe Renault will be well-positioned to serve this potential market with electric, connected, autonomous mobility services in both consumer and business-to-business scenarios. EZ-GO is helping us further explore what the future could look like.”
“We designed Renault EZ-GO to be an iconic symbol for cities. This electric, autonomous concept explores the positive potential impact of shared mobility for all,” said Laurens van den Acker, Senior Vice President Corporate Design. “Visually appealing and integrated in the urban environment, it offers an unprecedented 360 degree “open window” on the city and a convivial space for people to relax and enjoy the ride.”
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