Redefining Urban Waterways with Autonomous Electric Boat Ride Sharing
"By making better use of underutilised waterways, we can revolutionise urban transport in the face of growing population density - providing faster, cleaner, and more enjoyable travel experiences with more responsible operator models that move towards a more sustainable future."
Challenge
Major waterways, rivers, and city coastlines are underutilised assets with significant potential to improve urban mobility. By restoring and enhancing these natural infrastructures through innovative water-based transport systems that seamlessly connect with existing land networks, we can tackle the mobility challenges posed by urbanisation and growing city populations, often exacerbated by global tourism.
Insights
Historically, rivers and waterways played a crucial role in transportation – in part, due to the dramatically improved fuel-efficiency of transporting people and goods by water as opposed to by land. For instance, during the 19th and early 20th centuries, the Thames was one of the world’s busiest waterways, with the Port of London handling 60 million tons of cargo annually by the 1960s.
Over the past few decades, accelerating urbanisation has led to over 50% of the world’s population living in urban areas, a figure expected to rise to over 60% by 2050. This rapid urban growth, coupled with the exponential rise in global tourism, poses significant challenges to inner-city mobility systems, resulting in substantial economic costs and negative impacts on public health. Urban planners and transport businesses must explore innovative solutions that address these pressures in ways that are holistically beneficial for people, businesses, and the world.
Outcomes
Designed for major cities like London, Miami, New York, Sydney, Hong Kong, and Venice, this innovative hydrofoil boat combines cutting-edge technology with luxurious comfort, setting a new standard for water-based mobility. ORB’s design focuses on offering passengers a premium, intimate experience. Hydrofoil technology ensures maximal energy efficiency and a smooth ride by reducing wave disturbance. Every passenger enjoys a panoramic, 180 degree view from their own large window, providing a unique and luxurious perspective of the surrounding views. This configuration transforms ORB into a floating viewpoint, ideal for those seeking a serene and exclusive journey.
Client
Self-initiated study
Core Capabilities
Design Strategy
New Product Innovation & Development
Industrial Design & Development
Iterative Design Process
Connected Product & Experience Design
Iterative Model-making
3D CAD
Technical Package Design
High Definition Visualisations
