Transport-focussed industrial design studio Of My Imagination has unveiled a proposal for a multi-person scooter that could travel along cycle lanes to help reduce overcrowding within cities.
The vehicle called Hop was the outcome of a self-initiated project by Of My Imagination (OMI) that aims to offer an alternative to existing urban transportation.
Responding to the issue of overcrowding on public transport, the designers created what they called a "multi-person scooter platform" that can fit several people in the same footprint as a single bicycle.
"Many city commuters are familiar with standing on overcrowded buses and trains," said OMI, "but multi-person micro-mobility concepts have yet to design around the space efficiency of standing within a vehicle footprint."
Hop is designed to provide what is known as "last-mile travel", connecting train stations and other transport hubs with commuters' final destinations.
The autonomous vehicles would travel along set routes in city cycle lanes, with dedicated stops providing places for commuters to hop on or off.
Having users stand rather than sit allows twice as many passengers to be contained within the same space, helping to reduce the number of vehicles travelling on congested city streets.
According to OMI, Hop is a third of the width of a typical four-person car and the same width and length as a typical bicycle.
Driverless technology guiding the vehicle means there is more space for passengers and their luggage.
"Powered by advanced electric scooter technology and autonomous driving, Hop eliminates the need for a bulky driver's area, creating a streamlined, user-focused vehicle," the studio added.
Hop's construction is informed by bicycles, with tubular frames used to create a robust and cost-effective structure that is familiar within the urban landscape.
The tubular bars provide various options for holding on in transit so users of different heights can be accommodated. The interior also features a perch bench at the rear and two baskets for bags.
A dedicated app would provide users with information about which routes to take, as well as offering a QR code scan-to-enter feature so the vehicle's entrance bars only open for booked passengers.
The app would allow users to book a private vehicle for themselves or their group, or they could choose to share a ride with others.
London-based OMI specialises in solutions for the future of transport. The studio was founded in 2022 by Daniel Window and Isabella Trani, who have backgrounds in transportation and user-centred design.
OMI's clients include Space Perspective, for whom the studio designed a capsule that can transport passengers into space using a giant helium-filled balloon.
Other scooter-related designs include an electric scooter that folds down to the size of a cabin bag and a collection of lamps, chairs and vases made from electric scooters fished out of the canals of Malmö, Sweden.
The images are courtesy of Of My Imagination.
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