Muji and Sensible 4 have teamed up to develop Gacha, the first autonomous robotbus designed for all weather conditions.
If you're relying on an driverless vehicle to keep you and your loved ones safe during all your travels, it's probably a good idea to consider one that can withstand everything from a blistering hot day in the desert to a winter snowstorm.
Muji and Sensible 4 revealed their solution on Wednesday: Gacha, the autonomous shuttle that can function in all kinds of weather conditions.
Gacha will make its public debut this coming March in Helsinki. A couple of months later, the robotbus will be driving passengers through three Finnish cities, about a year before the first production fleet is available in 2020.
The companies project that the vehicles will be used as transportation services by 2021.
While Sensible 4 brings Gacha the smart software to function in heavy rain, fog, or snow, Muji engineered the weatherproof vehicle; the collaboration produced a friendly-looking vehicle without a designated front or back. The exterior features an LED communication band around the perimeter that incorporates the headlights into the design.
The interior seating resembles the curved shape of the exterior. 10 seats are organised around the border of the inside with space for six to stand in the centre.
The maximum speed of the shuttle is 40km/h, and the range is over 100 km with quick charging, including wireless charging.
Watch for the reveal in Finland in March 2019.
Test-driving will begin across three cities in the first half of 2019. – AFP Relaxnews
