Swift Pod – Autonomous Overnight Travel Pod

A couple getting ready of for an overnight journey

The Swift Pod is a futuristic concept, based on the simple idea of travelling long distances at a reasonable speed while being asleep. We have always been fascinated by nighttrains and the nostalgic magic of the idea of waking up on your destination after a (fairly) refreshing sleep. Last but not least overnight travel offers the ability to avoid taking a plane. Therefor it was with disappointment to see that the german railway company discontinued servicing nighttrains. With the emerge of autonomous driving we picked up the idea and brought it into the field of individual and autonomous transport.

The client in our scenario orders a swift journey online, after which the pod presents itself at the desired place and time. After “take-off” the navigation system autonomously calculates the required speed to reach the desired goal in time. On that note it is astonishing how far you are able to travel overnight at eco-friendly speeds, especially when traffic would be low.

Minimalism done smartly – The interior offers space to sit and sleep. A foldout table and some onboard Wifi allows for some working options.

The swift offers space for up to 2 individual travellers. The travellers can travel sitting upright, but obviously the main feature is the comfortable bed. Along with a comprehensive media system little snacks and beverages are part of the experiences. Storage options are provided underneath the bed or seats.

Swift Pod in overland travel mode – Sleep swiftly!

The Swift Pod derives its name from the well known bird, due to its ability to fly while being asleep.

After a good nights sleep take in the scenery before the last stretch of your journey – care for a quick swim?

As a special feature you can also implement stop-overs for breaks. The Pod-system offers a range of constantly updated, attractive locations to choose from. Our illustration shows an individual taking a small break at a beautiful natural site to enjoy their morning coffee.

On a final note our design team is fully aware that the chosen design is surely very minimalistic for many travellers. Yet we chose to stick with the iconic triangular shape to emphasize how little would be necessary to accomplish a sustainable means of transporation for long distances.