You can now buy Toyota’s robotised micro-bus, with more autonomy coming soon

This is the ‘next generation new mobility’ e-Palette, Toyota’s take on the urban microbus for all applications. The compact EV will make its operational debut around Tokyo’s brand new basketball venue, the Toyota Arena, as well as at Toyota Woven City, the ongoing live experimental community that serves as a testbed location for autonomous vehicles.

The first e-Palette was revealed at the 2019 Tokyo Motor Show, part of a nationwide push towards more compact, multifunctional urban vehicles featuring high degrees of autonomous operation.

Now available for public sale for the first time, the new generation model increases interior space, with larger windows and the ability to lower its suspension and extend an inbuilt ramp to improve accessibility.

The large, open-plan interior is designed to accommodate a wider variety of uses, not just transportation, including cargo, mobile stores and food and drink concessions. At just under 5m in length, or around the size of a typical large SUV, it has a capacity of up to 17 people.

Right now, the e-palette is capable of Level 2 autonomy, the same kinds of Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS) found in most modern passenger cars. The plan is to upgrade it to Level 4, where completely autonomous operation is possible with a prescribed area, by 2027.

One vision suggested by the company is a vehicle that acts as commuter transport during the morning and evening rush hours, while serving as a kiosk during the day while it is being recharged. Two large sliding doors open up the interior, with integral signage to indicate destinations and usage.

Toyota is already using the vehicle on its own sites, including Motor Kyushu’s Miyata Plant in Fukuoka, a Lexus factory. Finally, the vehicle is designed to serve as a mobile power bank when needed, especially in disaster situations.

Toyota e-Palette, from 29,000,000 yen, Toyota.jp