Legendary Italian car maker reveals futuristic caravan with ‘expandable body’ and self-driving tech
LEGENDARY designers Pininfarina have unveiled a futuristic caravan that represents the pinnacle of technological innovation.
The Italian design house has recently showcased concept designs for its AI Transformer Home Trailer, or ‘AI-THt’.
This sleek motorhome, created as part of Pininfarina’s partnership with AC Future – an American firm that builds “sustainable, transformer homes” – functions as a towable ‘home trailer’, a static ‘home unit’, and even a ‘drivable home’.
The drivable version is equipped with self-driving technology, although the firm has yet to reveal any specific details of the automated driving system.
Additionally, they have not disclosed any figures regarding range or performance.
According to Auto Express, the creation’s ‘cockpit’ can be converted into a mobile office or secondary bedroom, all centred around the concept of flexible living.
While the AI-THt is a 24-foot home trailer, it offers up to 400 square feet of interior space once deployed.
That’s roughly half the average space of a UK home, which is around 900 square feet.
The static ‘home unit’ features the same level of interior space but also includes an additional 40 square-foot outdoor patio.
Naturally, the unit includes a living room, office, bedroom, and wardrobe, with appliances and water heaters powered by solar panels installed on the roof.
The ‘home unit’ has a starting price of $98,000 in the US, which is roughly £80,000 in the UK.
It is claimed that it can be used as a small holiday home, Airbnb rental, summer house, or even for military use.
Pininfarina is renowned worldwide among car enthusiasts as the brains behind some of history‘s most iconic vehicles, such as the Ferrari 308 GTB, Alfa Romeo Spider, and Peugeot 406 Coupe.
Indeed, the styling of the 406 Coupe has been likened to a Ferrari.
This comes as Honda looks to launch two ultra-futuristic EVs to rival their two biggest sellers.
The Japanese giants unveiled two wedge-looking motors at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas last week – called the 0 Saloon and 0 SUV.
Naturally, these could go up against the Tesla Model 3 and Model Y – the US car maker’s stylish saloon and crossover SUV respectively that have both become regulars on the road across the UK and beyond.
The two Honda designs, much like Tesla’s offerings, look almost identical although both remain in their prototype phase and will come into production by 2026.