With its autonomous, fully networked vision EQ Fortwo electric vehicle, Smart is providing a glimpse at the mobility of tomorrow. The 2,699-millimetre-long, 1,720-millimetre-wide and 1,535-millimetre-high concept car belongs to the new EQ product brand. “The Smart Vision EQ Fortwo ... is the most radical car sharing concept car of all: fully autonomous, with maximum communication capabilities, friendly, comprehensively personalisable and, of course, electric”, says Smart CEO Annette Winkler.
Since 2008, the Daimler Group has been gathering valuable experience in the car sharing sector with its car2go service. One key finding was included when developing the concept car: car sharing is especially attractive when it is spontaneous and flexible, and when the car does not have to be picked up from and returned to fixed stations. The Smart Vision EQ fortwo is the ideal vehicle for this purpose, because users need not search for the next free car – the car finds them and collects its passengers directly from the desired location.
The Smart Vision EQ Fortwo previews autonomous car sharing
This autonomous two-seater is simply ordered using a smartphone. The Smart Vision EQ Fortwo can communicate using various modules, such as its front-mounted 44 inch display, to inform users whether it is occupied and to indicate for whom it is intended. Its electric drive is powered by a 30 kWh lithium-ion battery. The autonomous smart will automatically drive to a charging station whenever necessary.
There is no longer any steering wheel or pedals inside the autonomous vehicle. A dashboard is also a thing of the past; passengers can instead entertain themselves with the 24-inch digital screen during the journey. The Smart Vision EQ Fortwo will be exhibited at IAA 2017 in Frankfurt.