VW shuttles for charging, medical care or shops
At the Hanover IAA, VW Commercial Vehicles will present four concepts to illustrate the way autonomous electric transporters can become the basis for new business ideas, technically based on their modular electric drive system (MEB).
The Health Care POD, the Retail POD, the Barista-Bar POD and the Energy POD will be shown in Hannover. VW is firstly putting more focus on the business idea, while the PODs appearance is secondary – Perhaps they will look like the autonomous electric shuttle Sedric.
Whether in urban or rural areas, at festivals or sporting events Volkswagen POD ideas are primarily focussed on flexibility. The vehicles should be able to be equipped with mobile medical practices, shops, charging stations for electric cars, or lounge-like restaurants and cafés. VW intends to expand the “Mobility as a Service” business model with its brands to include “Business as a Service”. Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles is using its expertise in the modularization of vehicles to create a new platform for the expansion of mobile spaces (Modular Expansion Platform / MAP). In addition, IT know-how for the automation of business processes (service mobile operating platform / MBP) and route optimisation between service provider and end customer (service booking platform / SBP) will be integrated into the expanded business model of “Business as a Service”.
At the Hanover Fair, various PODs will be used to illustrate how business ideas for the future could emerge on this basis. Volkswagen will not operate these PODs itself but will offer the hardware and software for these vehicles. All PODs – in Hanover up to 4.8 m long, 2.15 m high and 1.85 m wide – can be entered and tested by visitors at the trade fair.
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