Our Prototypes column introduces new vehicle concepts and presents visuals from designers who illustrate the ideas. Some of them will be extensions of existing concepts, others will be new, some will be production ready, and others really far-fetched.
The concept
The Ecotranzit is an autonomous urban shipping robot that work in combination with shipping truck operators to deliver packages. Ecotranzit would be able to ride on existing streets, sidewalks or use bike paths. It could also be paired with the UPEX autonomous shipping truck to deliver packages directly to merchants.
The background
All across the world, there are thousands of courier services that deliver parcels by truck. They take up an unfair percentage of our roads, they are noisy, they block the street and they pollute our atmosphere. With the arrival of driverless technology and advanced robotics, we could envision more eco-friendly solutions to reduce the footprint of these trucks in our streets.
How it works
The Ecotranzit’s power would come from a hydrogen fuel cell or a battery pack that would provide 10,000 watts to its four wheels (4WD would be optional). The small fuel cell would be located under the floor, or the vehicle could run on propane.
This autonomous robot would feature a cargo space to store RFID tagged parcels. A rolling carpet would be embedded at the bottom of that space, it would serve to deliver the parcels at the same height as regular sidewalks.
The Ecotranzit would be designed to carry payloads up to 110kg. Pricing would be based on distance covered, weight transported and waiting time. Invoicing and tracking would be similar to what’s already in use.
What’s it used for
In the future, a shipping company’s driver would be able to deliver a series of packages simultaneously by using Ecotranzits. These vehicles would help unclog our streets, reduce noise and pollution and increase efficiency. It could also save time and money to everyone involved.
The designer
I would like to thank Martin Rico who created the images of the Ecotranzit concept. Rico lives near Buenos Aires. He studied Design at the University of Buenos Aires and now works as a Freelance Industrial Designer.
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