The Week in Mobility News — 07 August
#Vanlife
For most people in the UK, camping conjures images of cagoules and soggy sandwiches. Elsewhere in the world the freedoms afforded by mobile living and exploring are much more romantically regarded. Van life — a movement attracting almost 8 million posts on instagram, is described as
“More than just vehicle dwelling. It embodies a shift in the way people are thinking, a movement that is sweeping across the mindset of our generation. Van Life is a sub-culture of nomadic individuals whom are embracing minimalism on a journey to reassess what is truly important for a happy and balanced life”
Aside from attracting an enormous community, van life offers interesting opportunities and insight into how internal space can be maximised using modular, compact and simplistic design that offers multiple functions flexibly.
To date Mercedes Sprinter, Ford Transit and VW T5 and T6 have been the primary candidates for larger conversions. However many more players are responding to the van life culture with a diverse set of new offerings. Cabana.life describes itself as a “hotel that travels with you — combining free-floating car share and the best of boutique hotel amenities”. It’s on demand service can be booked and delivered via an app with remote check-in. Meanwhile Kibbo is combining “co-living and van-life”.
Both New Defender and Ford Bronco offer after-market “Cargo Management Systems” (read high-spec camping kit for the trunk) and various roof top tents. However perhaps my favourite, is the work from Egoe Nest Box which creates modular boxes able to turn any vehicle with a boot into a camping appropriate home.
Whilst a life on the road is not for everyone and won’t substitute for the suburbs any time soon; it does perhaps reflect a broader movement of living simpler, flexible lives with fewer possessions. As companies re-evaluate high rental cost of offices and shift towards remote working, it affords many a chance to re-think their connection with space and their environment.
Artist Andrea Zittel explores this theme in a 7 minute video about an experimental wagon encampment as part of her Investigative Living series.
The robots have eyes
In 2013, Ogilvy painted images of local babies on shop shutters in Woolwich in a bid to reduce anti-social behaviour on the highstreet at night. It was thought that babies faces would sub-consciously cause greater feelings of care and in doing so prevent crime in the area. With the paintings costing half that of a policeman’s salary, it was a no brainer experiment that achieved overwhelming success.
In 2020 we are still considering the influence of anthropomorphisation for reducing anti-social interactions — although this time between robots and people. The aim of anthropomorphising robots is to artificially instill social presence or behaviours in the robots that trick humans into thinking the robots have some kind of internal state. Last year the videos of the team at Boston Dynamics kicking the robot dog felt uncomfortable in a way that I’m sure kicking an ATM wouldn’t. Equally there is a fine balance to strike between instilling empathy and causing unease resulting from tip-toeing into the uncanny valley.
When Supermarket Giant introduced Marty the robot into their stores, it was the store manager’s decision to add some craft shop googly eyes to make shoppers feel more comfortable. Certainly feelings of “cuteness” have helped uncertainty from colleagues who fear their job could be vulnerable to automation.
This week it was announced that Softbank’s “adorable” Pepper Robot has been enlisted to help enforce face mask wearing to prevent the spread of covid-19. Mask wearing has faced much resistance and it will be interesting to see how much respect the cartoon faced bot will garner.
As autonomous vehicles and manufacturing robotics continue to gain momentum, the unconscious interactions aided by an appropriate level of anthropomorphising, will be vital to aid societal trust and acceptance of their introduction.
Elsewhere in the transportation world
- California’s Labour Commissioner alleges Uber and Lyft are committing wage theft by misclassifying drivers as independent contractors
- Jaguar Land Rover teaches driverless cars how to reduce motion sickness
- Virgin Galactic reveal Seymour Powell designed interior for its Spaceship Two Craft
- Nissan electric vehicles can pay for parking with their stored electricity
- Unagi reveals new e-scooter rental model
- Anti-satellite weapons could make U.S vulnerable to attacks in space
In other news:
Explore this infographic in which every dot is a historical event
