Smart device that goes where cars can't

A Ford systems engineer based in Cologne, Germany Kilian Vas developed an innovative personal transportation system named Carr-E that is designed to fit neatly into boot space usually occupied by a car’s spare wheel. With this, he is among the finalists in a Ford challenge to create future ‘last mile’ mobility solutions for urban areas.

The Carr-E can transport people or objects up to 120kg, has a range of 22kms and a top speed of 18km/h.

‘We really need to re-invent the wheel, to find new approaches to mobility,’ Vas said. ‘When developing the Carr-E, I was inspired by Ford’s expansion into both an auto and a mobility company, but I’m also aware of how rapidly cities are growing and how getting around urban areas will become progressively more complicated. I really wanted to create a device that makes commuting easier and more fun,’ he added.

Vas collaborated with this colleague Daniel Hari and his manager Dr. Uwe Wagner, and worked with designers from Ford of Europe and prototyping specialists from RWTH Aachen University to create the Carr-E.

The Carr-E can also be used to transport heavy objects. Users simply place the object on the device and it will follow an electronic transmitter they keep in their possession.

The Carr-E was among 633 proposals for personal mobility solutions created by Ford employees as part of the company’s Last Mile Mobility Challenge to develop electric personal assistant devices that help to make transportation better in areas where vehicles are not permitted or practical, and which help people to get to their final destination from their car.