The ride-share of the future: pod car that helps you breathe more easily too

Personal commuter pods that filter out toxic air are being designed as the future of driverless ride-sharing.

Designers have turned their attention to “private-shared” transport that gives each passenger their own business class-style cabin.

Seymourpowell’s electric Quarter Car, about the same size as a Toyota Prius only taller, features four pods but with the opportunity to chat to your fellow passengers by winding down partitions separating them, or pulling them up for privacy. Lead designer Jonny Culkin said the blueprint for the 5G-connected vehicle, which will be offered to ride-sharing firms, gives “greater passenger comfort and privacy” while keeping passengers encased in a filtered clean air bubble.

The project looks to cut the number of single-passenger minicabs, while offering an alternative to the open-plan interiors of other driverless vehicles, such as the “bus pods” trialled in the Olympic Park. Mr Culkin said: “The Quarter Car should take vehicles off the road in smart cities of the future.”