Leap Shuttle is an autonomous electric shuttle bus designed for Phnom Penh, Cambodia as a safe, accessible, and efficient form of transportation for low-income workers.
Define
The Social Value
Lower density areas are not well served by the existing bus system. Garment and factory workers travel in unsafe open trucks, packed tightly, and completely exposed to the elements. Many women experience unsafe conditions walking home from work at night. Workers need a significantly more safe and efficient way to get to work.
60% of garment workers travel long distances to work in unsafe vehicles with 73 fatalities and 4,700 injuries in 2014.
User – Low-Income Workers
Target users are garment and factory workers, market vendors, shop keepers, other low-wage workers, and students. The minimum wage for garment workers is only $192 per month.
Research
Technical Feasibility
Existing vehicles were researched to understand the feasibility of a solution. The Muji Gacha served as an example of an existing autonomous bus. It is being tested in Finland and has seating for 10 and standing room for 6 more people, with a 100 km (62 mile) range per charge. In Cambodia, electric vehicles are mostly used for delivery or as traditional buses. There are also concepts for a more modern take on the tuk-tuk, but this is also with a focus on deliveries.
Ideate and Prototype
Sketches and Models
Initial sketches and small-scale models focus on a broad range of forms and sizes, from single passenger solutions up to larger scale busses. Later sketches focus on refining the design direction, a compact autonomous bus.
Refine
Technical Development
Technical development focused on how users would sit and stand in the vehicle, the packaging of the components, the materials and manufacturing methods, and the specifications. To keep the price low, Leap has an open design to keep occupants cool without air conditioning and to maintain the open-air experience of a tuk-tuk, while having a roof to protect against the elements.
Concept drawing
Final Design
Leap Shuttle is designed to be as inexpensive as possible while addressing the needs of the target users. Users hail Leap Shuttle from their phone and it will pick them up at their location, this is made possible by the lack of a fixed route. The name Leap represents good fortune and success in Cambodia, and the color yellow represents equality.
Context render