Mercedes-Benz Vans presents an autonomous and electrically powered vehicle that has a modular design. The vehicle can be fitted with different interchangeable bodywork, which can be used to make the vehicle suitable for transporting people or just goods. The concept in question is called Vision URBANETIC.
Vision URBANETIC is intended to be a fleet of autonomous vehicles that can transport people or goods completely autonomously. This fleet is controlled with the help of an intelligent and self-learning IT infrastructure, which performs a variety of analyses in real-time. For instance, the infrastructure maps the demand and supply of transport resources in urban areas, so that the supply of Vision URBANETIC vehicles can be adjusted accordingly.
'People mover' or truck
Depending on supply and demand, the Vision URBANETIC vehicles are configured as 'people movers' or trucks. Regardless of its configuration, the Vision URBANETIC has a total length of 5.14 metres. The vehicles are fully autonomous and drive independently to the location where they are needed. If the vehicles are fitted with the passenger module, the vehicle can accommodate up to 12 passengers; the module contains eight seats and four standing places. The passenger module includes a 360-degree display attached to the ceiling, which provides information about the route.
A cargo module is also available. This module is 3.70 metres long and can accommodate ten EPAL pallets. The loading floor is variable and can be split into two levels. It is also possible to equip the vehicle with a fully automated cargo system, which allows packages to be delivered fully autonomously without the need for a human to load or unload the vehicle. Besides the passenger and cargo module, other body styles are also available, aimed at various applications and sectors.
Deployable 24/7
The vehicles are aimed at business use. Because the vehicles are fully autonomous, operating costs are relatively low, according to Mercedes-Benz, although it is not clear exactly what these costs are. In addition, companies can use the vehicles 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, with use only needing to be interrupted for maintenance and battery charging.
Vision URBANETIC thus offers a solution to several challenges. For instance, Vision URBANETIC can make local public transport profitable again, something that is currently not the case in many cases due to driver costs. In addition, Mercedes-Benz sees the concept as a solution to the shortage of drivers worldwide. In August, for instance, VERN chairman Klaas de Waardt warned in the AD newspaper about the growing shortage of truck drivers.
Silent operation
The electric drive train also makes the Vision URBANETIC interesting for companies. This makes the vehicle suitable for cities and areas where environmental requirements apply, for example. The electric motor is also virtually silent, allowing goods to be delivered in the evening or at night without disturbing local residents.
Another striking feature of the concept vehicle is the large screen mounted on the front of the vehicle. This screen gives pedestrians signals to let them know they have been spotted by the vehicle. There are also hundreds of small light units on the side, which are deployed to create a kind of shadow of people in close proximity to the vehicle. This display, too, is intended to let bystanders know that the vehicle has seen them.
This system is somewhat similar to Mitsubishi Electric's Safe and Secure Lighting system. This system projects signals on the road and on built-in screens to alert road users and pedestrians for movements a vehicle or its passengers are about to make. Ford has also tested such a system, using a light bar to communicate the vehicle's intentions. https://www.maakindustrie.nl/en/nieuws/lichtsignalen-maken-intenties-van-au...
Author: Wouter Hoeffnagel
Source: Mercedes-Benz (pictured)
