Continental Shows Off Autonomous Bee Concept

We’ve seen automotive manufacturers turn to nature for inspiration and Continental is no different. It’s called Bee, short for Balanced Economy and Ecology and is a mobility concept which would act as a network of driverless vehicles for everything from hauling cargo to transporting people. Thinking of worker bees, eh? Well, you’re bang on target!

But it’s not a looker as it’s essentially a box on wheels with transparent panels at the front, sides, and roof. As we’ve seen with most of the autonomous concepts, all the glass surfaces on the Bee double up as digital displays which can be used by passengers to scroll through whatever you want to.

“Driverless vehicles will form the backbone of the transport of people and goods in the ever-expanding metropolitan regions of the future,” Dr. Elmar Degenhart, Chairman of the Executive Board of Continental AG, said about the concept. “Robot vehicles such as our Bee vehicle should be affordable, enabling mobility for all."

The Continental Bee Concept is an autonomous for future cities

The Bee can be summoned via an app and well, once the people take their places it can be driven to the destination fed into the system. The Bee is powered by an electric motor which helps it reach speeds of up to 60 kmph and boasts of a range of 350 km. The front wheels would turn individually for accessing even tight areas. 

Sadly, the Bee only exists in virtual reality at the moment but Continental admits that a production ready model is on the cards. What we now need is regulations and the right infrastructure to help realise this dream.