This digital concept from MINI is called the Vision Urbanaut. The idea behind this electric vehicle concept is a living room on wheels. The Vision Urbanaut features only one sliding door using a “slide and swivel” mechanism to make the door more compact. Inside, there is a four-seat interior. The front seats can rotate to face the rear passengers. When the van is parked, the driver’s seat can be turned into a daybed by lowering the dashboard. The front windshield opens outward and flips up to create what MINI calls a “street balcony” effect. Passengers travel in comfort on a bench seat with an illuminated loop referred to as a “Cosy Corner” and features a small table with an indoor plant for that at-home feeling.
Looking at the digital concept, one notices the lack of toggles and switches, and that’s because the Vision Urbanaut is designed to leave stress at the door. According to MINI, there is a “MINI Token” that features three modes: Chill, Wanderlust, and Vibe. They are designed to turn the vehicle into a mobile retreat and relax passengers during a journey. For example, chill mode invites passengers to take a breath and pause. The exterior shows a future version of hideaway headlights that are visible only when on. The wheels illuminate and can change colors. The Urbanaut van is an interesting design that gives no thought to things like handling or zero to 60 times, but not everyone cares about such things. Some want to get from point A to point B without road rage.