Meet the smallest and latest member of Renault’s EZ
family of autonomous concept cars. It’s called the EZ-Pod and it’s a
small robo-vehicle with electric propulsion designed to transport people and
goods over short distances. When we say small, we actually mean tiny because
the EZ-Pod is built on a Twizy chassis and takes up only 3 square meters of space.
Choosing the Twizy chassis meant that engineers and
designers were faced with the challenge of creating a compact design that
eliminated the driver’s cockpit and incorporated the autonomous technology.
They did that by taking inspiration from the EZ-Go
concept car’s design and the modular platform of the EZ-Pro study. The tall and
narrow shape has been dictated by the need to achieve a small parking footprint
and a spacious interior. That was done thanks to a battery size that “has been
pared back to the absolute minimum for short urban journeys.” Renault does not
reveal the vehicle’s driving range, though.
While the EZ-Pod is designed to offer first and last
mile transportation of people, it can also be converted into a goods delivery
version. The passenger version features a big opening on the side for quick and
easy access. You’ll notice that there’s no glass to cover the opening, just
like on the Twizy.
The interior is also inspired by the Twizy electric
vehicle as it has the same seats but in a face-to-face arrangement. Renault
says the plain and colored interior is designed to be durable and easy to
clean. It features materials like structured plastics and processed linen for
the floor mat. The cabin also includes two screens that provide information
about the trip and a lighting system that plays “welcome” and “goodbye”
ambiances and gives status updates on the EZ-Pod.
On the outside, the small autonomous pod is fitted
with one camera and one Lidar on the front to scan the scene ahead, plus short
and long-range radars located behind the car’s shiny black front and rear trim.
The EZ-Pod is also equipped with two antennas and a GPS in the roof for
real-time position tracking and connectivity.
Renault says there are many possible applications
for the EZ-Pod, including using it as a shuttle for pre-defined routes or as a
transport solution within pedestrian areas like airports, car parks and
shopping centers. The self-driving pod could also be used to drop off people
with limited mobility at the entrance of buildings and houses or as a
follower-pod for a “follow me”-type delivery application.
