Adopting a remote lifestyle seems more realistic than ever, and this week, MINI proved yet another way to do it. On Tuesday, the BMW-owned automotive marque unveiled an experimental ‘Vision Urbanaut’ car that imagines the living room to be on the go.
The concept, modeled like a small camper van, bears a metallic green exterior, light-up wheels, and gradient windows.
The Urbanaut extends upon MINI’s core of the “Clever Use of Space” with a dashboard that can be lowered into a daybed and front seats that swivel around, so the driver can relax or interact with other passengers when not steering the wheel.
The car’s windscreen can be lifted to create a “street balcony,” and an archway at the trunk, called the ‘Loop’, can be converted into a ‘Cozy Corner’.
The Urbanaut doesn’t just come with one interior, but three different modes—coined as ‘Moments’—for various social settings. These comprise ‘Chill’, ‘Vibe’, and ‘Wanderlust’ modes. To activate any of these ‘Moments’, a MINI Token is to be slotted into the dashboard.
First up is ‘Chill’, which transforms the car into a chilling pod and triggers it to drive autonomously. With this mode, the rear seat extends into a sofa area, and a screen on the middle table transfigures into a lamp, allowing the driver to kick back or work on the go.
With company around, the driver can opt for a ‘Vibe’ configuration, which steers the focus to fellow passengers. The windscreen opens up to create a balcony area, and the interior takes on a club-like environment with graphics on the front, wheels, rear, and inside that beat in tandem with the music. The center screen also converts into a media control stand.
Interestingly, the only mode that enables driving by a human is the ‘Wanderlust’ Moment. With this setting, the central screen also beams travel details and imagery from 1950s and 1960s tourism posters.