Alongside transport designer Italdesign and aeroplane manufacturer Airbus, Audi has helped create the Pop.Up. Next transport concept.
Using a modular design that can be used on the road and in the air, the automated vehicle is said to be a potential solution to help reduce congestion in crowded cities in the future.
With no physical controls, the autonomous pod is controlled by speech and facial recognition, eye-tracking and touch functions – with the main feature of the two-seat unit being a 49-inch touchscreen that spans the front view of the vehicle.
With Airbus and Italdesign bringing their expertise to the model, Audi is employing its know-how in battery technology and vehicle automation.
Dr Bernd Martens, Audi board member for procurement and president of Italdesign, said: “Creativity is needed where new mobility concepts for cities and people’s diverse needs are concerned. Italdesign is an incubator for innovative technologies and radical prototyping. Pop.Up Next is an ambitious vision that could permanently change our urban life in the future.”
Save money on a new Audi todayJörg Astalosch, CEO of Italdesign, added: “Various players will define the rules of urban mobility in the future. We are proud to collaborate with Airbus, the leading company in the aerospace industry, to investigate solutions for future mobility.”
The Pop.Up Next follows on from the original Pop.Up, which debuted at the 2017 Geneva Motor Show.