Rinspeed’s Weird Self-Driving Snap Explained Ahead Of CES Debut


Rinspeed has released new details about the Snap concept, ahead of its debut at CES Las Vegas.

Essentially a skateboard chassis which can house and assortment of different pods, the Snap is a fully-autonomous electric vehicle which has been equipped with WiFi and 5G connectivity as well as six projectors that can display information to pedestrians and passing motorists.

A variety of different pods are imagined for the Snap and each one would come with leather seats and LED interior lights that emit “ultraviolet light to render bacteria harmless.” The pods are also slated to have an iris scanner that can detect and identify occupants so their personal cloud content can be uploaded to the pod’s various infotainment systems.

The company says the pods could have a voice-controlled personal assistant that knows the preferences and habits of each passenger. The assistant could use this information to make suggestions such as a restaurant that would be suitable for every passenger in the pod.

The skateboard chassis measures 4,685 mm (184.4 inches) long and weighs approximately 1,700 kg (3,747 lbs). It is powered by a 12 kWh LiFePO4 battery which sends electricity to electric motors that have peak output of 68 hp (51 kW). This enables the Snap to accelerate from 0-100 km/h (0-62 mph) in 5.0 seconds before hitting at top speed in excess of 80 km/h (49 mph). The setup is also slated to give the Snap a range of up to 100 km (62 miles) on a single charge.

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