We’ve heard a lot recently about the coming wave of self-driving cars, with major tech companies such as Google, Tesla, and Uber all pouring millions into teaching computers how to take the wheel. It’s hotly debated when (or even if) we’ll actually get to a future with swarms of autonomous vehicles roaming the landscape, but there’s at least a lot of money betting on it.
What’s gotten less attention is how a self-driving future might change more niche pursuits, such as RVing. How might nomadic #vanlife look different when the vans drive themselves? What’s the future of getting off the grid when the grid is, well, everywhere?
Erwin Hymer Group
German motorhome manufacturer Hymer has some ideas about that. The company recently released a video of Concept Galileo, its take on the driverless recreational vehicle of the future. Imagineered as the glamper motorhome of the 2030s, it’s a boxy, silver slab, something like a futuristic toaster on wheels, with large wraparound windows for all the passengers busy not driving. They can while away the time watching the scenery go by, or play videogames on the integrated monitors.
Designed to be modular, the Galileo plugs into a chassis containing a battery pack and motor; the passenger cabin can be swapped out with different configurations, from a two-person luxury loft to a more family-friendly setup with bunk beds. Longer trips might include a larger battery to power the motor as well as onboard electronics; the self-driving computer might also be routed to charging stations along the way.
Erwin Hymer Group
Right now, the Galileo is just a vision—there’s no telling whether this computer rendering will ever exist in the real world. Still, it’s an intriguing glimpse of how we may camp a decade from now.
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