Akio Toyoda, President of Toyota Motor Corporation today revealed a rather left of field take on the increasingly sexy topic of autonomous driving. The vision is called e-Palette and basically is a mobile shop that comes to you. The concept vehicle looks like a futuristic caravan, or as Toyota puts it “Multi-purpose moving space”.
The vision or concept, call it what you will, is advanced enough when it comes to planning, to have many big partners involved. Amazon, DiDI, Uber, Pizza Hut and Mazda have been named here at the CES news conference. The e-Palette Alliance will leverage Toyota’s Global Mobility Services Platform to aid further development of advanced mobility services for business applications.
The vehicle itself will obviously be fully autonomous and battery-electric with a kind of “plug and play” interface for partner companies to install their own driving systems and methods of getting around.
It can be pimped out with purpose-built interiors that will differ depending on use. Parcel delivery will of course require a completely different set up to that of Pizza Hut. It will be made available in three sizes and just looking at it you can tell the cube shape will be very spacious and versatile.
Expect to see the new version of Mr Whippy at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics!
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Chris was EFTM’s Motoring Editor for many years, driving everything from your entry level hatch to the latest Luxury cars through to the Rolls Royce.
He has been in the media for 20 years, produced three Olympic games broadcasts, attending Beijing 2008 & London 2012.
Strangely he owns a Toyota Camry Hybrid, he defiantly rejects the knockers.
Chris is married to Gillian and resides in Sydney’s North West. They have Sam the English Springer Spaniel and Felix the Burmese cat to keep them company, and recently welcomed baby Henry to the family.
He has now left EFTM, and writes freelance and runs his own Facebook Page “Bowen’s Garage”
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