Snap on target

Regular readers of this column will recall that I visited ZF, in Friedrichshafen, Germany, last month in order to attend the company’s Technology Day. We saw lots of amazing stuff – but this really takes the cake, doesn’t it?

This is the Rinspeed Snap mobility concept. It is made up of a “skateboard” in the form of the Intelligent Dynamic Driving Chassis from ZF. This is a platform specially developed by ZF for autonomous electric vehicles. Depending on the application, you simply click a body to the skateboard … and off you go! It is powered by a 50-kW electric motor and it turns on a tickey, making it just perfect for city traffic.

Naturally it doesn’t require a driver. However, it can come with an optional “personal assistant” in the form of an autonomous, intelligent robot to accompany the occupants. The robot (which never wants a wage increase, nor takes off sick) is happy to help with running errands, carrying purchases, or handling other tedious tasks.

We like.