In just a few years, entirely new forms will populate our automotive landscape. Self-driving vehicle company Cruise has partnered with Honda and GM to create the Origin, a driverless taxi that will launch in Japan.
Designed for space efficiency, the interior is all passenger space. The layout is like a train cabin, seating six in two rows facing each other.
While the vehicle looks deceptively large in photos, it's just 15 feet long, making it more than a foot shorter than a Honda Accord.
It's tough to tell, but the vehicle actually is designed with a front and a rear (I assume to avoid having to double up on headlights/taillights). You can see the subtlest of angle changes on the front and rear fenders.
"Purpose built for a driverless ridehail service, [the Cruise Origin] will come pick up the customers at a specified location and drive them to the destination, entirely through self-driving. Customers will use a dedicated app on their smart phones to complete the entire process from hailing to payment."
"This driverless ridehail service will offer an entirely new kind of mobility experience in Japan and target a wide range of customers, including business people, families, visitors and more."
The service is expected to roll out in 2026, starting with Tokyo.
Create a Core77 Account
Already have an account? Sign In
By creating a Core77 account you confirm that you accept the Terms of Use
Please enter your email and we will send an email to reset your password.
Comments
Seems nice and collegial, but I always wonder about the crash safety of seating sideways in a vehicle.