Renault EZ-Go Self Driving Robotaxi

Forget for a moment that the Renault EZ-Go concept wouldn’t look out of place in Bladerunner, the bigger news here is that this latest zero-emission vision isn’t a car of the future to covet – it’s a robotaxi.

The EZ-Go is an autonomous shuttle for up to six passengers to wherever they wish to go within an urban setting, leaving them free from the hassle of needing to even own and maintain the car, let alone the menial chore of finding somewhere to park it.

Combine this with the accepted wisdom that fewer younger people are showing much enthusiasm for either owning cars or even learning how to drive one, and the principle of a robotaxi begins to make sense. Theoretically, the autonomous tech allows the EZ-Go to travel much close to vehicles it's following, helping to reduce the congestion burden that blights many cities.

EZ-Go journeys can be booked by individuals or groups using either apps or at dedicated stations where the cars will also be charged-up, wirelessly to further reduce the hassle for humans. Renault suggests these stations will blend into their surrounding environments; in reality, they look like posh bus stops, but that’s no bad thing.

Making them safer for passengers to use – and reducing the complexity of adding side doors for left- and right-hand drive markets – access to the EZ-Go is via an upward-hinged canopy at the front, tall enough to enable people to walk in before taking their seats. Passengers are sat in a U-shape to stimulate conversation, no doubt, although with onboard Wi-Fi everyone will be glued to their smart devices anyway.

Once inside it’s all very convivial, and not just because of the seating arrangement. Like modern architecture, the EZ-Go is very glassy in all directions enabling great views out when exploring a city. This is complemented by a large screen at the front in which tourist attractions can be promoted to passengers, as well as indicating who is getting off at which stop.

Naturally, it’s also easy to see in, so bear that in mind if you’re planning on a late-night supermarket shop in your pajamas and slippers.