A team of researchers at the MIT's media lab with backing from General Motor corp. are developing the prototype of a lightweight electric vehicle that can be cheaply mass-produced. The car can be rented by commuters under a shared-use business model and folded and stacked like grocery carts at subway stations or other parking sites.
Implications - These cars are called City Cars and will use power more efficiently than regular cars. A Media Lab research assistant Ryan Chin explains that the goal is to remove "as much hardware from the car as possible.†He claims that this new type of car will be like a "big mobile computer with wheels on it."
What Makes This Trend Stand Out
- Lightweight Electric Vehicles
- Opportunity for developing lightweight electric vehicles that are more energy efficient and can be mass-produced.
- Shared-use Business Models
- Opportunity for implementing shared-use business models for car rentals to maximize convenience and cost-effectiveness for commuters.
- Foldable and Stackable Designs
- Opportunity for creating foldable and stackable car designs that optimize parking space and mobility in urban environments.
Sectors Adopting This
- Automotive
- Opportunity for the automotive industry to innovate in producing lightweight electric vehicles and develop shared-use business models.
- Urban Transportation
- Opportunity for the urban transportation industry to embrace foldable and stackable car designs to improve parking efficiency and mobility.
- Technology
- Opportunity for the technology industry to fuel the development of lightweight electric vehicles with advanced features and optimize shared-use platforms.
