seymourpowell’s autonomous electric hydrofoil boat offers ride-sharing around coastal cities

autonomous electric hydrofoil boat ‘orb’ for ride-sharing

Seymourpowell – the masterminds behind the driverless, ride-sharing EV and ‘beauty bubble’ – has introduced ORB, a fleet of autonomous electric hydrofoil boats that operate as ride-sharing water vehicles in coastal cities such as Venice, Hong Kong, and Miami. The Omni Robotic Boat (ORB) plans to utilize the canals and waterways around these cities for its concept of urban water transport, offering ride-sharing from harbor to harbor, coast to coast. So far, Seymourpowell has London, Miami, New York, Sydney, Hong Kong, and Venice in mind for the design of their concept autonomous electric hydrofoil boats.

all images courtesy of Seymourpowell

Seymourpowell plants panoramic windows for its concept boat

Water-based mobility may be frequent or a daily occurrence in a city like Venice, but having these water vehicles as autonomous electric hydrofoil boats might still be a foreign concept. Sensor and camera technologies are essential for the Omni Robotic Boat (ORB) to work, and Seymourpowell has yet to dive into them. In the meantime, the design agency has already envisioned the interior of the boats.

A 180-degree view is a priority for all the passengers, so large panoramic windows are put into place. In this way, each passenger can enjoy the view in front of them. Around seven to eight passengers can hop on the ride-sharing water vehicle, and the circular seating arrangement faces the windows directly. Since the autonomous electric hydrofoil boat’s name is ORB, the exterior structure is spherical, allowing for a spacious ceiling and width, so the passengers can stand and walk around.

ORB is a fleet of autonomous electric hydrofoil boats that operate as ride-sharing water vehicles

Airplane seats for autonomous electric hydrofoil boats

Seats similar to those used in planes emerge in the concept autonomous electric hydrofoil boats. On the armrests, there are ports. Passengers can plug in smart devices and charge them up here. They may be able to use wireless charging as well. Below the panoramic windows, passengers can see the stops and destinations of ORB. They can also check the estimated time of arrival to ensure they’re updated on the duration of the ride.

Since the water vehicle is used for ride-sharing, the names of the passengers are saved. They’re also projected onto the screen display in front of them as a way of greeting and seat placement. This may hint that Seymourpowell might also create a dedicated app to book rides on ORB. When the ride is over, the boats dock in the dedicated port of destination, waiting for the next passengers for transport. As of publishing this story, ORB is still a concept autonomous electric hydrofoil boat for ride-sharing.

inside Seymourpowell’s ORB, an autonomous electric hydrofoil boat for ride-sharing