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CES 2023: Italdesign presents autonomous multifunction pod

Italdesign is celebrating its 55th anniversary by unveiling the Climb-E concept at the Las Vegas show. The highly modular pod is designed not only to autonomously transport passengers but also to deliver all kinds of services to the doorstep and even integrate into next-generation buildings.

The Climb-E is more than just an autonomous vehicle - it can also be used as an office or medical practice. | Photo: Italdesign
The Climb-E is more than just an autonomous vehicle - it can also be used as an office or medical practice. | Photo: Italdesign
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Thomas Kanzler

For the anniversary of the renowned design studio, Italdesign is giving itself a gift. The Climb-E concept combines design, architecture, and technology in an innovative mobility concept. For the development of the Climb-E, the Italian designers collaborated with the elevator company Schindler on vertical mobility. The Politecnico di Torino was responsible for the architectural integration and Easyrain took care of the safety ecosystem in the study.

Cabin on chassis – or "suspended"

The cabin can be used in many ways as a modular element. The cabin structure of the Climb-E can be placed on a fully electric platform, the so-called "Skid". Additionally, it can be suspended from various types of carriers for longer journeys. The lower part of the body is made of composite material, while the upper part features large glass areas that can be completely closed for privacy.

Box can climb buildings

Swivel doors with sensors and integrated LED screens allow access to the interior, making it usable for wheelchair users or people with mobility impairments. On the roof of the concept is a four-point attachment system. A lifting system developed by Schindler enables the Climb-E to move vertically and "climb" buildings.

In the standard configuration, the vehicle can carry four passengers, with the interior that can be transformed into different rooms. Among the numerous possibilities, according to Italdesign, the Climb-E offers "medical assistance services, telemedicine analyses, dental care, catering, cooking services, home massages, the sale of various products, veterinary and pet care services," bringing everything directly to the doorstep or workplace. Owners can thus use the Climb-E at home as an extension of their living room or bedroom, or at the workplace as an additional meeting room or private discussion area.

Sofas, Tables, and Infotainment

The interior features configurable sofas, tables, practical storage compartments, and semi-transparent screens on the windows that display multimedia content and can be personalized according to the user's profile. All vehicle functions, such as infotainment, dimmable ambient lighting, and climate control, can be operated via touchscreens or voice control. If passengers need privacy, they can choose the dimming function, which eliminates the transparency of all glass surfaces. For the upholstery, Italdesign chose eco-leather, recycled polyester, and Alcantara.

Not Intended as a Private Vehicle

The removable, electric, and autonomous vehicle (platform) is not intended for private use but for shared use and can be housed in underground containers or unused urban spaces. It offers four-wheel steering and all-wheel drive and integrates the electric motors, the lithium-ion battery pack, the lighting units, the safety systems, as well as ground projection devices and a 43-inch screen on each side for communication with pedestrians and other road users. According to Italdesign, the Climb-E has a range of 322 km in horizontal travel and can be charged to 80 percent with inductive chargers in 15 minutes.

System Against Hydroplaning

The Easyrain safety ecosystem is designed to detect and restore a possible loss of traction on wet roads. The cloud-based software Digital Aquaplaning Information (DAI) detects a dangerous situation. Then the Aquaplaning Intelligent Solution (AIS) system sprays a controlled jet of water through four injectors before the front wheels touch the wet surface, thus preventing hydroplaning. In the future, the system is expected to be further expanded to prevent loss of traction on snow and ice.

Unfortunately Only a Design Study

While the integration of Climb-E is currently limited to "civil and residential buildings of the next generation and the future," Italdesign is working on extending it to the "current and historical architectural heritage." It should be noted that Climb-E is a pure design study within the framework of research for "innovative mobility solutions," but this does not exclude that some of its features could be used in future production vehicles.

What Does This Mean?

The Climb-E is a mobility study for the day after tomorrow. Assistance services and health aids that come to your home, or office and meeting rooms "on demand," many ideas are truly innovative.

Translated automatically from German.
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