Parking problems would become a thing of the past if the Soleil concept car were to ever hit the streets. Soleil was designed by Engin Cesmeci and Emre Gurel for the 2012 Michelin Design Challenge. The vehicle seats two in a front-to-back configuration and is designed for European cities with cramped streets and limited parking.
Cesmeci and Gurel identified Paris specifically as a city that could benefit from the Soleil concept car. The car is compact, with two Soleils able to occupy one lane at the same time. The best thing about this design is that it can fold up at the touch of a button. When folded, the car resembles a giant piece of luggage and can be carried around with ease. A car that can be folded in half is a little too ambitious for today's tech. Still, it's nice to dream about a day when the hunt for a prime parking spot is a thing of the past.
Carry-On Automobiles
The Soleil Concept Car Makes Hunting for a Parking Space a Thing of the Past
Trend Themes
1. Compact Foldable Cars - The concept of compact and foldable cars presents an opportunity for disruptive innovation in urban transportation by solving parking problems in crowded cities.
2. Front-to-back Seating Configuration - The trend of front-to-back seating configuration in vehicles creates a space-efficient solution for crowded urban environments, enabling more cars to fit in limited road space.
3. Urban Mobility Solutions - The growing need for urban mobility solutions in cities with cramped streets and limited parking opens up avenues for disruptive innovation in the transportation industry.
Industry Implications
1. Automotive Industry - The automotive industry has the opportunity to explore and develop advanced compact and foldable car designs to address parking challenges and improve urban mobility.
2. Urban Transportation Industry - The urban transportation industry can leverage front-to-back seating configurations and other innovative designs to enhance efficiency and solve parking problems in crowded cities.
3. Smart Cities Industry - The smart cities industry can incorporate urban mobility solutions, such as compact and foldable cars, to optimize transportation systems and improve the overall quality of life in urban areas.