Watch: Goodbye Parking Problems? Remote-Controlled Cars Land In Malta As Part Of Futuristic Concept
Three-wheeled cars that can be both controlled remotely by a third party as well as driven in-person could be hitting Malta’s roads in the near future.
These futuristic-looking vehicles are the brainchild of Trilvee, a London-based firm run by Maltese entrepreneur Michael Mangion, who believes they could solve some major transport problems.
The concept is simple in its scope.
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You hail a Trilvee ride via an app, just as you would a regular taxi.
However, there wouldn’t be a driver at the wheel when the car turns up, as it would have been driven there remotely by someone stationed at a Trilvee control room.
Several cameras on the car give the controller a 360-vision of the roads, which are transmitted to them in real-time.
Once you start the ride, you are given full control over the vehicle until you reach your destination, at which point Trilvee resumes control over the car and drives it to the next customer.
The distance range between car and controller can be massive; during a recent visit to Malta, Trilvee gave people a chance to step into a car that was being controlled from London.
Trilvee aims to grant people the independence and flexibility of driving but without the hassle of searching for a parking spot. Their electric vehicles, which are built by a Dutch company, are much smaller than regular cars too, making them more energy-efficient and environmentally friendly.
Plans are also in the work to transpose the same technology to four-seater Volkswagen ID.3 cars.
The vehicle is currently in prototype stage and Trilvee is heading to San Francisco to raise funds next month, after which the plan is to take it to market sometime next year.
Trilvee is looking at areas in the UK to pilot the vehicle but Malta is also on its radar, with Mangion viewing his home country as an ideal location to pilot new ideas.
He has already held meetings with Transport Minister Aaron Farrugia, Energy Minister Miriam Dalli and officials from Malta Enterprise, and the government officials seemed impressed.
“This innovation will find modern infrastructure in Malta to help it expand further,” Farrugia said after trying out the vehicle himself during a trial run by Triton Fountain.
“If the government wants Trilvee in Malta and wants Malta to be a first, then Malta could well be the first,” Mangion said.
Do you think this novel transport concept could catch on?
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