Mobility as a Service (MaaS) vehicle concepts using sustainable steel haven been launched at the Zemo anniversary event last week by Steel E-Motive.
The firm has developed fully autonomous ride-sharing vehicle concepts that combine the best possible crash protection while being convenient, accessible and affordable, it said.
Acknowledging the importance of both safety and comfort, the vehicles also enable high occupancy rates of three or more people per vehicle to reduce emissions – by up to 86%.
Steel E-Motive uses 64 Advanced High-Strength Steel (AHSS), and features structural innovations which make it the world’s first autonomous vehicle engineered to meet global high-speed crash requirements, it claims.
Its battery pack structure is 37% lighter than average, with sustainability benefits during production, with emissions reduced through a design that minimises material thickness and maximises material utilisation. Developers WorldAutoSteel and Ricardo said it was making its portfolio of materials and methods available to automotive manufacturers to assist in producing a new generation of vehicles. Vehicle manufacturers will be able to readily incorporate the concept into existing processes with production possible by 2030.
Cees ten Broek, Director at WorldAutoSteel, said: “The secret is steel.
“Steel’s strength, durability and repairability makes it vital to the next generation ride sharing and ride hailing vehicles, which will need to have twice the useful life of current passenger vehicles.”
Image from WorldAutoSteel
