Mob-i Micromobility Concept May Be the Reason Why Future Societies Lead Lazy Lives

One such solution comes from the mind of Harshul Verma, a transportation design student out of Kanpur, India. There isn’t much known about Mr. Verma, but judging by the projects posted on his Behance page, his love of anything that moves is clear.

As for the project before you, the TVS Mob-i, as it’s been dubbed, is the sort of mobility vehicle I see myself riding around on in the year 2040. Why? The design alone screams futuristic, but wait ‘til you really know the Mob-i.

First off, the idea behind the Mob-i is to act as a last-mile solution between points in transit and to minimize ICE vehicle use. To do so, the concept is designed with multiple modes of operation, one where the passenger is to stand, and another where he or she is seated.

This last ability offers the Mob-i the ability to meet the needs of a much larger client base or market. Sure, everyone that’s young and healthy can ride the device in a standing position, but for the elderly or disabled, that’s hardly the case. For that latter reason, Harshul devised the Mob-i to be ridden in a seated position. But, hey, even us younger folk get tired and need to sit down after already having sat down for eight hours at the office.

Now, whether you feel like riding the device sitting or standing, much of a difference you won’t find between modules as the only feature that shifts in position are the Mob-i’s armrests. If you ride the vehicle sitting down, the armrests will sit at an angle parallel to the ground to reduce the strain of the lower back.

If ridden standing, you will ride facing the opposite direction in comparison to sitting, but the armrests are now extended skyward and act as supports to hold onto for stability. However, you won’t be holding onto two metal armrests, but rather controls or joysticks that maneuver the device around whether seated or standing.

Like most urban mobility vehicles that are projected for use in a future society, the Mob-i is designed as an EV. Each wheel features a 1,000-watt hubless motor that’s sure to give any elderly a nice kick of adrenaline, but the batteries that are meant to supply these motors stand hidden in plain sight. Yes, at the base of Mob-i, the footpads you see are nothing more than two battery packs meant to fuel this trinket.

Here’s where things get a bit personal. In order to make the Mob-i different than what we have witnessed so far, Harshul decided to add a holographic projector to the mix. What for? Well, for things like planning routes, reading power levels, and even displaying information from your own personal account, helping you keep track of spending and other aspects of daily living. From this hologram, you’re also able to choose the sort of ride mode you wish because, guess what, this thing is also thought up to be autonomous.

Speaking of personal, what the Mob-i can also achieve is a shape that fits its user exactly according to their body structure. This feature is achieved through the application of a programmable nano-skin that covers the surface of the armrests; it doesn’t matter your body size, the Mob-i will fit you.

If there’s one trend that I’m seeing for our future cities, it’s that everything is going to be as autonomous as possible, possibly leading humanity towards one lazy society, unless we all learn to exercise on a daily basis, nothing difficult, just a brisk, 30-minute, 100% eco-friendly walk. But then again, I’d be out of a job if that was the norm.