Pininfarina, the Italian design house that has penned an all-star roster of gorgeous sports cars, has teamed up with Benteler-owned Holon to create an autonomous, toaster-shaped electric shuttle. The city-friendly people-mover is named Mover and made its debut at CES 2023.
Holon developed the Mover for ride-hailing and ride-sharing applications, though it notes that its van can also carry passengers around at airports, on campuses, and in national parks. None of these applications require high speeds or a long range, so the Mover is limited to approximately 37 mph and capable of driving for up to 180 miles on a single charge. Technical information hasn’t been released yet.
Mobileye’s Drive suite of Level 4 autonomous technology powers the Mover. The system includes redundant sensors, an “innovative mapping technology,” and “a formal model for driving policy,” according to Holon. And, to Pininfarina’s credit the Mover arguably looks more interesting than the average self-driving shuttle. It’s characterized by an asymmetrical design that Nissan Cube fans will undoubtedly like, round headlights, and cool-looking wheels. We haven’t seen the Mover’s interior but we’re told there’s enough space for 15 passengers.
While self-driving rectangular minivans are par for the course at CES, Holon stresses that it has big plans for its shuttle. It joined forces with Hamburger Hochbahn, the company that runs most of the public transportation system in Hamburg, Germany, to deploy the Mover on the city’s roads as part of a pilot program, though details such as when the first vehicles will hit the streets haven’t been announced. Beep, an autonomous shuttle firm that operates in several states, will handle the Mover’s American roll-out, though here again details are vague.
Holon plans to start manufacturing the Mover in an unspecified location within the United States in 2025, and it says that factories in Europe, Asia, and/or the Middle East will also build the van for overseas markets at some point in the future. The company also points out that the Mover’s platform is flexible enough to underpin other types of autonomous electric vehicles, including some configured to deliver goods.
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Source: www.autoblog.com