Forget driverless cars, these self-driving pods could change how we travel

NEXT self-driving pods
YouTube/ Tommaso Gecchelin

Two Italian researchers are working on creating an entirely new mode of autonomous public transportation slated for release in 2020.

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Tommaso Gecchelina and Emmanuele Spera are working to develop Next, which are self-driving pods that can connect while in motion.

Different modes of driverless public transportation are beginning to pop up in various corners of the world, but what sets Next apart from others is that they can act as a train, bus, or personal vehicle. This is because the pods can travel on their own, like a personal self-driving vehicle, or can connect, according to the Next website.

When the pods connect, passengers can walk through them the same way they would walk to different compartments on a train.

The self-driving pods are also electric. They have six seats and can fit an additional four people who wish to stand.

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Here's how they work: somebody seeking a lift downloads an app to call a Next, placing in details like where they're going and how many people will be in the pod. The self-driving pod will pick them up at their disclosed location.

The pod will then connect with other pods currently on the road to get passengers to their destination faster.

Here's a breakdown of how the system works:

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First, a person calls a Next pod on their app the same way they would an Uber.

 Also like Uber, it'll automatically charge your credit card for the trip when it's complete.

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The pods will then connect with other ones currently on the road.

 Each pod comes with foldable doors so passengers can walk to different pods easily.

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The Next app will tell passengers to switch to different pods so they can reach their final destination.

"The smart routing system of Next will autonomously drive the vehicles and join together modules, in order to redistribute passengers and optimize occupancy ratecutting energy consumption and traffic footprint," the website says about the system.

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The pods can then split apart to go to different destinations.

 Better not fall asleep and accidentally miss your pod transfer.

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Passengers can also call for service modules on their app, like coffee, alcoholic beverages, and even a toilet.

Next pod
YouTube/ Tommaso Gecchelin

Though it's very unclear how calling for a toilet would work.

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Check out this demo of Next in action.

 

Italy Self-Driving Car Electric Vehicles
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