Three French companies – Citroen, Accor and JCDecaux – have joined forces to create a revolutionary mobility concept called The Urban Collëctif.
This innovative concept combines a so-called skateboard platform dubbed the Citroen Skate, with three different Pods that can be fitted on top, each offering a unique way to explore cities.
Their aim is to decongest cities as well as offer more flexible, clean and safe modes of travel since the Covid-19 pandemic.
Said to improve traffic fluidity by at least 35%, and with a top speed of 25km/h, the fleet of autonomous and fully electric skateboards that underpins the Pods, would travel around urban centres almost continuously in dedicated lanes. Available 24/7, city-dwellers can then book their Citroen Skate and Pod via an app.
Its wheels, developed by Goodyear, give the robot complete 360° freedom of movement, meaning it can travel in any direction just like a computer mouse.
Sofitel En Voyage Pod
The first Pod that can be overlaid on top of the skates is named Sofitel En Voyage and carries two to three passengers.
Used for transfers, shopping trips or a city experience, this Pod will bring “exceptional comfort, chic services and breath-taking views”.
Reflecting French elegance, it features automatic glazed sliding doors, a luggage compartment, a bar, sound system, induction chargers and configurable mood lighting.
There is also a touchscreen tablet for those looking to arrange a restaurant or theatre reservation for example.
Pullman Power Fitness Pod
This Pod enables users to exercise while commuting with a rower on one side and a bike on the other.
It is characterised by an unusual glass bubble incorporating dichroic patterns in the form of blinds to protect the occupants' privacy, while maintaining a view of the outside. An LED strip provides a customisable lighting system with three colour modes that can be adjusted depending on your choice of exercise.
The fitness cardio session is run by a digital coach who appears on a holographic screen.
JCDecaux City Provider Pod
A third on-demand Pod is accessible to all and carries up to five people.
There are two welcoming spaces facing each other, sheltered under a planted roof, as well as an open area, which is protected from the weather by an awning.
Inside, there are two interactive screens where you can plan journeys, obtain tourist information, and access proposed activities, which the Pod can visit on request.
Vincent Cobée, chief executive of Citroën Global, said: “At Citroën, we examine medium and long-term trends to anticipate consumer expectations and needs. We believe that this new concept can redefine the framework of urban mobility: shared, electric, and autonomous. With the solution we are presenting in partnership with Accor and JCDecaux, we are inventing autonomous mobility for all.”
Thinking ahead, this urban mobility concept relies on an open-source approach, which means any third party could develop a Pod compatible with the Citroen Skate platform.
Whatever the needs of a city, these Pods could take on a variety of uses, from passenger transport and services, to consumer goods offers.
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