The Swift Pod Is a Well-Appointed Hotel Room That Drives You to Your Destination

Autonomous driving technologies have progressed considerably in recent years, but as the auto industry as a whole stands right now, it's only halfway to making AVs – fully autonomous vehicles, the kind we see in movies that require no human intervention and pose no risk to anyone. Legal and ethical obstacles will still have to be overcome once the tech matures, but that's another discussion for another time.

Because of this recent progress in tech, designers are already fleshing out the countless, seemingly endless benefits of AVs, including that of replacing other means of transport we currently have. Their conclusion is that AVs bring an added bonus of convenience, comfort, and even luxury to the present-day experience.

Remember when Jeremy Clarkson took a break from farming to share his thoughts on the future of autonomous vehicles in light of new provisions being made to UK traffic codes and regulations? In 2022, the famous gearhead said that he would rather drive himself instead of hopping into an autonomous vehicle that was essentially "programmed to kill" him and that if we wanted cars we could sleep in, we already had them. They're called trains, Clarkson said.

Designer Peter Stulz and his studio xoio either heard Clarkson and would like a (belated) reply, or they're planning for a future in which night trains are no longer a reality. Night trains are already losing ground in most territories because of their low cost-efficiency, so a replacement would fill in a gap. So why not use AVs to do it?

Stulz proposes something like the Swift Pod, named this way after the Swift bird that does almost everything while flying. Indeed, described as a "superb flier," the Swift rarely touches solid ground and will do everything, from sleeping, feeding, and even mating, on the wing.

Stulz's Pod would be able to do that, too. Well, not the Pod itself, but the two passengers inside.

The Swift Pod looks like an oversized futuristic bike from the side, but it's actually a three-wheeler with a triangle-shaped body. Stulz believes it's ideal in terms of maximizing interior volume while still retaining a relatively small footprint in the streets.

It would be a fully autonomous vehicle, presumably with an all-electric powertrain, given the dropped, flat floor that further maximizes interior space. Considering it's designed as a sort of luxurious self-driving hotel room, any space optimization possible is welcome.

Inside, the Pod can be anything the two passengers need it to be, be it a mobile office, a relaxation lounge, or a bedroom. It features two single beds on two sides of the triangle and a couple of seats facing each other on the third side. It also comes with fold-down work tables, a small nook for drinks and snacks, and storage options under the beds and under the seats.

Because this is an imagined means of transport for a possible future, the Pod gets even better. This AV is part of a commercial fleet and can be ordered as you would a taxi from the app, so it drives itself to your doorstep at the appointed hour and welcomes you in. Drinks and snacks would be complimentary.

Traveling speed would be calculated based on your set arrival time, and the nighttime or extended journey could be customized to include breaks at certain locations. This kind of information would be detailed to the passengers en route on in-built displays, which might also suggest other entertainment options in real-time.

The Pod offers standing height but, from what we can make from the renders, while specced with considerable glazing, no views to the outside world. This could be in keeping with the idea that it's a night train replacement, so you'd be expected to sleep most of the time. Or maybe you won't be interested in passing views when you could do so much of other stuff inside. We mean work or binge-watch your favorite TV show, get your mind out of the gutter.

Jokes aside, the Swift Pod is a nice dream but still miles away from becoming real. Stulz is aware of that, but he still wants to explore a future that draws on the former success story of night trains while making the most of autonomous driving tech.

For him, that future is one in which "you are able to travel [far] overnight at eco-friendly speeds, especially when traffic would be low," in a minimalist but luxurious pod that would double as your hotel room. This is so nicely done that we have a feeling even Clarkson would give it a try, if not downright approve.