A company called Next has announced a car concept that could possibly become the future of mass transportation. It is called Next version 3.0, a modular electric car design that does not look like a car at all, but instead a big box on wheels.
The Next car is projected to hit the road in five years and integrates several popular technologies such as smartphones. The idea is more akin to the Uber model, as passengers could summon a vehicle called the Next module using a dedicated app. What is particularly awesome is that each module could link with others on the road. For instance, a passenger - in order to reach his or her destination - could be asked to switch modules along the way. A module can attach to another while in motion. Watch how it works in the video demonstration below.
Each module is built as a transparent box, with a physical footprint of a Smart car but a 2.5-ton build of a mid-sized sedan, Fast Co. Design noted. Indeed, it resembles a tiny room where passengers could stand due to the large headroom. A module could accommodate up to six passengers, Gizmag reported. The design philosophy is that the future car will be addressing the requirement for mobile office and on-demand transport.
Indeed, the Next system anticipates offering services to passengers aside from simple transportation. For example, if a passenger wants to eat along the way or use a bathroom, the app would then link him or her to switch modules to access those services.
The Next modular car, which is a brainchild of inventor Tommasso Gecchelin, does not have any prototype yet, but it is said to run on batteries, according to Popular Science.
