Thoughts On The Future of Autonomous Vehicles
The Shape of Things to Come
Part 2: 2030 Predictions
CyberVAN
Autonomous Tesla Transport
Design Concept by JAKE EHRLICH
Five years ago, Back in 2020, here on TeslaMagazine.org, I wrote an article titled "Thoughts On The Future of Autonomous Vehicles: The Shape of Things To Come", where I shared my outlook on where things would go over the next 10 years. This is an updated version of that story, which continues exploring down that same road. Several days ago I published a fascinating story named "When Will Tesla Launch CyberVAN/CyberSUV? A vehicle that can resurrect the Cyber Platform" and I must admit it completely freaked me out, in a remarkably positive way!!! This is a follow up story that takes things much further—arguably to the logical inevitable final perfect design state.
CyberVAN concept pictured above is identical in height, length, and
width to the current CyberTruck but has infinitely more cargo space
as there are is no steering wheel or forward facing front seats.
In my recent article on the Tesla CyberVAN, toward the end, I made a bold declarative statement saying within about 5 years from now, once autonomy is achieved, this memorable event will cause the vehicle form factor the world has lived with for the past 125 years to become largely obsolete. So much so, I believe 100 years from now, the seminal dividing line in automobile history will be referred to as the 2030 demarcation line between people driven vehicles/ and autonomous vehicles. This will have profound implications for our society in many ways.
Specifically, front facing, front row seats, and steering wheels will disappear. In other words, 5-10 years from today, I believe no traditional vehicles with steering wheels will be made any more in the same way the horse and buggy gave way to the automobile in the earlier decades of the twentieth century". It's a fact that by 1917: In one decade (1907–1917), automobiles replaced horses and buggies as the standard U.S. transport, with registrations surging from 140,300 to nearly 5 million cars and 400,000 trucks.
I decided to take the current Tesla CyberTruck design language, and modify it to turn it from a Cybertruck to a CyberVAN, but instead of doing it the way I did in my previous story, I decided to turn it into a form factor that provides the ultimate autonomous people mover, that is kind of like a modern limousine which looks kind of like a pod on wheels. Keep in mind, all my Tesla concept images in this story are identical in size to the current CyberTruck, in length, width, height, and wheelbase. The only thing that changes is the overall form factor, which gets transformed from a truck to a van.
The image above shows my CyberVAN Autonomous vehicle concept with the two sliding doors closed, and the image below shows it with its two door in the open position. This form factor could easily transport a family of four, anywhere, with tons of extra storage space in the front and rear of the vehicle as illustrated below.
CyberVAN concept pictured above with two powered sliding side doors in the open position.
The image below shows my CyberVAN with a high volume roof rack storage system that could hold a ton of items like suitcases, backpacks, sleeping bags, etc. Keep in mind this vehicle would be equipped with wireless charging, so a family could board this vehicle in Los Angeles in the evening, and it could drive them straight to the Grand Canyon, and while the family sleeps in the very comfortable and luxurious zero gravity air cooled and heated seats, could stop and wirelessly charge itself at Tesla Supercharging stations, so they could go to sleep in Los Angeles and wake up the next morning at their next destination, like San Francisco, or The Grand Canyon.
CyberVAN concept pictured above shown with optional roof storage rack system that can hold luggage, or a tent.
Not only could you have a tent on top of the CyberVAN, (not shown), but you could sleep on a full size mattress INSIDE the CyberVAN as seen below. Users can’t camp in the CyberTruck as the truck bed is too small, and most importantly, the truck bed is not heated or cooled like the cabin of every other Tesla. With the CyberVAN, not only would you have HVAC access to fresh, warm, or cool filtered air, but you could fit a much longer mattress in the back for sleeping. Not to mention, sleeping in a CyberVAN in public places would be much safer and quieter than sleeping in a tent on top of a CyberTruck. Also, the owners would not have to climb up a ladder to reach the tent on top of a CyberTruck.
CyberVAN shown with rear bed with passenger area up front
Optimized Space Utilization
The CyberTruck is limited to 5 passengers, but the CyberVAN could comfortably seat up to 10 adults. The rear seats in the CyberTruck are fixed and cannot recline at all, so for long rides, since they are fixed in a completely upright position, they can get uncomfortable. A CyberVAN could easily allow all seats to recline. There are potentially so many ways this vehicle could be used and configured to completely optimized space utilization. For instance the large roof could be used as an observation deck with foldable portable chairs for watching anything from a Space X launch, to a sunset, to a soccer game. I haven't shown the vehicle with a tent on top, but as you can imagine, it could easily fit a very large tent on top.
CyberVAN shown with modular roof rack being used as an observation deck
The next image below shows an alternative layout that could contain two extra sets of 3 seats each, in the front and back of the vehicle. This would allow my CyberVan concept to comfortably seat 10 people, and with the optional roof storage system pictured below, could hold and transport all their luggage. This vehicle could contain every modern convenience like a built in fridge, and starlink to provide super fast satellite internet. The vehicle could easily have a 1000 mile range, and charge very quickly. Once again, this vehicle is all about optimizing space utilization in the most modular ways possible.
CyberVAN autonomous concept pictured above can comfortably and easily
transport up to 10 adults, and notice roof rack storage can
hold their luggage for vacations and long road trips.
The next image below shows two Tesla Optimus Robots standing next to the CyberVAN, and the interesting thing is they could sit in the rear seat behind the mother and father pictured below when the vehicle is driving. In other words, a family 2-7 members could fit in the vehicle, and bring along two or three Optimus Robots on a long vacation or road trip, and it would even be possible to have 10 humans riding in the CyberVAN with two Optimus Robots stored away in the roof rack storage system. This would allow a large family to go on vacation, and bring their robots with them.
CyberVAN concept pictured above with Tesla Optimus Robots that can sit in
rear seats, or even stow away in cargo roof rack cargo storage system (not shown).
The image below Shows my CyberVAN concept which has RGB LED panels built in to the front and rear panels of the vehicles (not shown) as well as on the side doors in the middle as illustrated below. These contextually sensitive screens could display all kinds of things, including charge state as a percentage at a supercharger, as well as all kinds of other information, including a "HAZZARD" message, when the vehicle has it's hazard lights blinking. This would be potentially invaluable for Tesla CyberVAN vehicles that have opted into the Robotaxi network, which would make them infinitely easier to spot when customers are looking for them in a parking lot, or in line at an airport. These screens could be programmed to display just about anything.
CyberVAN concept has invisibly integrated RGB LED screens built into front, rear and
side panels that can brilliantly communicate contextual and feedback messages.
In my recently published article titled "When Will Tesla Launch CyberVAN/CyberSUV: A vehicle that can resurrect the Cyber Platform" I argued that a CyberVAN could easily hold 4 x 8 sheets of plywood with the rear tailgate closed, unlike a CyberTruck, as pictured below.
A CyberTruck ONLY has a 4 x 6 foot bed, which can hold sheets of plywood, but is far from ideal.
As an example, if it rains, that could damage the exposed plywood sheets.
This vehicle could have seats that fold down flat, like in a Tesla Model YL, that would easily allow it to transport 4 x 8 sheets of plywood or sheetrock. Not that it would be typically used for such, but could do so. As we see with my illustration below, a CyberVAN could hold infinitely more 4 x 8 plywood sheets, not only inside the vehicle, but also on top. This vehicle would also be the ultimate work vehicle for companies like Tesla's mobile service center technicians and work trucks.
Semitransparent Image shows CyberVAN with tremendous cargo capacity,
including large items like 4 x 8 sheets of plywood, lumber of sheetrock with tailgate closed safely.
Ultimate Delivery VAN
The design of my CyberVAN is so easily customizable due to its highly modular nature. For instance if you want to add more cargo space on top of the CyberVAN you could do see as seen below in the example that shows a USPS mail delivery truck, with two Tesla Optimus robots actually delivering the packages and mail. Just like the CyberTruck, the CyberVAN lends itself beautifully to being wrapped as we see with the example below.
The uses for a CyberVAN with Tesla Optimus robots is endless. This could be the ultimate food delivery system with warming ovens inside. Imaging you order food using DoorDash, and a half hour later a Tesla Optiumus robot rings your doorbell, and drops off your fresh cooked food. These vehicles could delver groceries, and just about anything else. Tesla could even start it's own package deliver service to complete with UPS and FEDEX if it wanted to.
Speaking of customizing the roof area, the CyberVAN concept below has a huge built-in long ramp which would allow bikes, or ATVs to be moved up and secured on the roof of the vehicle for transport as pictured below.
Modular Design Approach
One of the great takeaways from this design is that once you get rid of the steering wheel, and pedals, as well as the need for front facing front row seats, it opens up a tremendous amount more space utilization. Also, if Tesla can figure out out a way to put all the seats in the vehicle on rails where they can be easily moved back and forth by the user (as pictured above) it would open up a world of possibilities and options with enhanced modularity. Tesla could even OEM this vehicle to other companies, and let them customize the interior. Also, the construction of this vehicle would radically compliment the unbox feature, as all interior seating components could be added after the production process.
I am certain this is the future of vehicle transport that will become reality in the not so distant future, and if given the opportunity, I would LOVE to design these vehicles with Tesla, as I am certain I could do an amazing job!!!! Elon, if you read this, I am ready to perfectly design and bring this puppy to life!!!!
ONE MORE THANG
I was contemplating an intriguing concept. Years ago, I recall a Tesla enthusiast expressing his frustration. He reached out to Elon Musk, stating, “I’m a huge Tesla fan, but we have a large family of seven children, and there’s simply no way we can all fit in a Model X.” He expressed his hope that Tesla would soon introduce a larger SUV that could accommodate a significantly larger number of passengers. This thought sparked my curiosity. Imagine if my autonomous Tesla CyberVAN concept became a reality?
Two CyberVANs show driving and traveling in lockstep unison to
significantly increase range, and offer a second vehicle on long road trips.
Most American families typically own two vehicles. What if a family with seven children also had my CyberVAN vehicle? Not only could they all fit comfortably in a single vehicle, but if both parents each owned and drove a CyberVAN model, they could easily embark on long or short trips out for dinner by combining two of these vehicles. This arrangement would allow the younger children to drive alongside their parents in the lead vehicle, while the older children could sit in the rear vehicle.
Since these vehicles are fully autonomous, they could be programmed to drive in perfect lockstep synchronization, as illustrated above. This would significantly reduce energy consumption, as the rear vehicle would constantly benefit from the aerodynamic drag coefficient advantages including a lack of rolling resistance for the rear vehicle. On a long trip, the vehicles could take turns driving in front as the lead vehicle, and as a result could drive further on the same amount of electricity as just one vehicle could travel by itself.
When families embark on road trip vacations, it’s common for the mother to prefer a specific destination on any given day, while the father might have a different preference. With a CyberVAN vehicle like the one featured in this article, it would be incredibly convenient to accommodate both parents’ wishes, ensuring a harmonious blend of their preferences. Having a local vehicle at their disposal would allow each parent to enjoy their preferred destination.
Imagine if you wanted to optimize a CyberVAN as an ultimate commute vehicle. It could be optimized to be the ultimate home-office man-cave on wheels, that could even drop you off when you reach your destination, then go and park itself, and if for some reason it was not able to fine a good parking space, could just drive around while it waits to pick you up.
Years ago, I was at the Coffee Roastery on Chestnut Street in the San Francisco Marina. I was standing in line, and I heard somebody say "Hey Jake!" It turned out, it was a friend of mine who had recently gotten married and moved from Silicon Valley to Belvedere Island in Marin. He showed me his chauffeur-driven vehicle double-parked out front, disguised as a delivery vehicle, and it freaked me out. He had purchased a large Sprinter cargo van, with no side or rear windows, which looked like a big brown UPS delivery truck, and his driver was up front. He had set up a forward-facing office inside with a full-on desktop workstation, and he would drive back and forth from Marin to Palo Alto every day, in his office on wheels. The CyberVAN would be perfect for this, and it would drive itself.
Steampunk Design
Where did this design idea come from? It came from my imagination, meaning I saw it in my mind‘s eye, identically to the way it’s shown in this article.
That being said, I kept thinking to myself that the overall shape reminded me of the original hard-core Steampunk, Art-Deco trains from the 1930s as pictured above. Just to be clear, it is JUST A COINCIDENCE that my CyberVAN design looks like it was modeled after the Mercury train, but it was not.
After I designed my CyberVAN concept as you see it in this article, it got me thinking about how trains work and that’s what inspired me to come up with the idea of one CyberVAN, following another, as pictured above, so a family could bring two cars with them on a road trip vacation, instead of just one.
Once again, after designing the CyberVAN depicted in this article, my mind kept telling me it resembled something else. I realized it was similar to the VW Buses from the past (pictured below) and a modern bus or school bus. The reason I named my design CyberVAN is that it indeed resembles the shape of a VAN. However, I could also envision it being referred to as a CyberPOD, CyberTransport, CyberLimo, or CyberMiniBus.
Speaking of Busses: Where I live, it's common to see public double length articulated/accordion commuter busses driving around all day and night with just one or two passengers, if not empty, which are designed to be able to sit 98 people.
All over the West Coast, you see these accordion style double-length buses that can seat close to 100 passengers, driving around empty, or with 1 or 2 passengers, which is a complete waste of financial resources for municipalities. Replacing these with CyberVANs, would not only save significant financial resources, but would also take passengers door to door, instead of them having to walk to bus stops.
Purchasing and maintaining these busses with drivers and mechanics and fuel cost municipalities a fortune to purchase and maintain. As a matter of fact, these articulated buses cost approximately $1 Million each. A Commuter version of the CyberVAN could easily cost under $100K, thus a municipality, could buy 10 CyberVANs. Most importantly, the 10 CyberVANs could also transport 10 passengers each, thus offering the exact same capacity, but 10 times the flexibility.
It strikes me that any municipality would be way better off replacing those huge inefficient busses with CyberVan's. Not to mention, CyberVAN's could drive door to door instead of require people to have to travel to bus stops. Same thing with school busses, which still typically feature loud diesel engines, that are super loud and highly toxic. You get the idea...
This article is part of my series on the Future of Autonomous Vehicles, and since I have't updated my story from 5 years ago, I thought now would be a good time to do so.
Also, back in 2021 I published an article named "Tesla Cyber Vehicle Family, Design Concept by Jake Ehrlich", which was my first attempt at designing future Tesla vehicles.
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