Could These Floating Pods Be The Future Of Transportation?

The car as we know it is set to change dramatically in the coming decades thanks to electric powertrains, autonomous driving and ride-hailing, ride-sharing services and other connected technologies.

In an effort to spawn the imaginations of budding automotive designers, Renault and the London-based Central Saint Martins art school held a competition for MA Industrial Design students to imagine the car of the future.

In total, 15 students created detailed designs of how they expect the car of the future to look. After deliberations between two of Renault’s senior design team, Anthony Lo and François Leboine, and three industry designers, Yuchen Cai was announced as the winner for her vision dubbed ‘The Float’.

The Float has been dreamed up as a way to connect new mobility with people and consists of a spherical pod. Instead of wheels, the pod uses magnetic levitation technology and has been made with transparent glass across the exterior to give it a futuristic vibe.

Another interesting thing about Cai’s design is that pods accommodate either one or two people and multiple pods can be attached together via a magnetic belt running around the exterior. Inside, the pods have swivel seats and large sliding doors, allowing for easy ingress and egress.

As part of her prize for winning, Cai spent two weeks at Renault’s design studios in Paris to fine tune her idea.