Tuesday, March 26, 2024

Pal: A smart, electric scooter can learn where you want to go

In collaboration with Chinese electric car maker Nio, a UK-based design agency Layer designed and developed a smart scooter called “Pal”.

This smart, electric scooter can learn where you want to go. Using artificial intelligence and machine-learning technology, it learns your preferred routes. And as it learned the route, the smart scooter then autonomously take you to your destination. The Pal scooter utilizes Nio’s intelligent AI system called Nomi for learning the common route.

According to Dezeen, ‘this stylish, single-rider transport aims to alleviate the growing issue of congestion in cities by offering flexible and convenient last-mile travel.’

Link it to the AI Nomi system using smartwatch or phone
Link it to the AI Nomi system using smartwatch or phone

The electric scooter is linked to the AI Nomi system using an app on the user’s smartwatch or phone. This simply makes it able to respond to the voice commands and questions you ask. You can ask it to take you to the work, what the best route is, or how much battery is left in the vehicle.

In addition, a small, barely perceptible display is given on the top that displays the speed and remaining charge.

Detachable battery
Detachable battery

With the four separate motors on each wheel hubs, the scooter has a modular, electric battery that powers it. The battery fits in a holder given on the scooter’s steering column and can be recharged in the trunk of any Nio vehicle or at the user’s home. If a single charge is not enough, the battery can be swapped out for another.

Attach different accessories
Attach different accessories

Moreover, the Pal’s steering column allows you to attach different accessories like bags, baskets, and even a shopping cart. The electric scooter possesses pressure-sensitive suspension for “lean steering”, which allows you to lean forward to increase or decrease the speed and to turn left or right.

The scooters’ steering column and chassis are made using graphene-coated carbon fiber that makes it strong as well as lightweight. And therefore the vehicle is easy to transport and more efficient when it comes to energy usage.

Pal comes with fold-able design
Pal comes with a foldable design

At Layer, we believe that the future is autonomous and sustainable, and it is important to create products that offer more convenience without inconveniencing the planet,” said Layer founder Benjamin Hubert. “Pal is a near-future concept for a nimble ‘last-mile’ electric vehicle that addresses the growing congestion and population density of our cities and offers a possible solution to these challenges.

In addition, its foldable design fits easily even in the trunk of a small car. You can easily take it with you wherever you go.