Imagine an urban future where no cars are ever parked blocking the curb, but instead are ‘parked’ by being perched atop large pole where they would act as streetlamps at night. Is this a brilliant idea, or what? We’re big fans of designer Ross Lovegrove, and were blown away when we discovered his new project, Car on a Stick. It isn’t just the solar power roof or the smart design that got our attention, but rather the sheer imagination of using parked vehicles to provide illumination to the city at night.
Lovegrove’s idea calls for a four passenger vehicle, which is basically a large transparent bubble in which the four passengers sit in a circular fashion. There is no driver, as the vehicles are controlled by satellite and GPS navigation. As for fuel, the vehicles are powered by solar panels installed in the roof, and one presumes, four independent electric motors, one on each wheel. The brilliant part, or the one which definitely caught our eye (as if the sci-fi inspired bubble cars weren’t enough) was his proposal to stick each vehicle at night on top of a pole in order to both save space at the ground level, and to illuminate it!
Ross Lovegrove always brings an interesting and fresh outlook to his projects, and his “car on a stick” is no exception. As always, it isn’t just the brilliant design that we admire, it is the combination of imagination and sensibility that always attracts us to his projects.
+ Ross Lovegrove: His Vision @ CNN
Via Dezeen
Neet idea. However, cars are an important part of American dating culture, not sure how well the fishbowl-styled cars fit this picture. Tinted window versions maybe?
I agree with Daniel. Neat idea but I don’t know how practical it would be. Automobiles are as personal as your ipod or your t-shirt and I don’t think many poeple will be giving that part up just so other people can see to walk around on the sidewalk at night.
Also what happens when everyone in your area is off driving at night and you’re stuck in the dark while other people 4 blocks down are blinded by all the light?
Talk about top heavy!
What a dumb idea. The only way to tell the front from the back or sides is to see it moving, that’s not safe. Where is the propulsion? Where is the stick? How is it balanced safely above the sidewalks? What will happen in a city full of these fishbowls?
Impractical and poorly thought out.
The idea of having mobile power stations that could be plugged in when parked, so they can donate their excess energy to community power systems like street lights, is a great one. I think the stick idea would probably be too unworkable, if not a little dangerous with cars hovering over pedestrian’s heads, but no need to throw the baby away with the bath water.
This concept could even protect your property – i would really like to have my car suspended out of reach from vandals and car thieves.
don’t be so quick to judge!! has anyone actually looked into the fine print on this? these could TOTALLY work…
1.ipods: ipods are all identical…it’s the data that makes them personal…people love them for their use value, not their unique personality…in the same way, i can see a future where cars are like free bicycles or zipcars: they just work and get you where you’re going…
2.safety: these will probably be factor 10 cars, made from super lightweight material, so popping them up on a pole will be no big deal… and since they’re GPS controlled, you don’t NEED to know which direction is forward…
ultimately, this would require a civic-run zipcar system, where every citizen has free access to these machines…
maybe in the new norman foster masdar city?