As one of the best-known automobile manufacturers in the world, Renault has put a great amount of thought into the future of cars. Believing that Autonomous Vehicles contribute to the progress and overall safety of automobiles, Renault challenged the team from the Norwegian University of Science and Technology and the Kyoto Institute of Technology to create a safe and comfortable ride-sharing experience while also keeping the ride itself completely autonomous. 

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The team found two factors to focus on: psychological safety and cleanliness. Present day ride-sharing involves trusting and being in close contact with strangers; with the addition of a driverless vehicle, it is more important than ever that users feel that the vehicle and the environment they travel in will not feel dangerous, uncomfortable, or as though the user has been stripped of control. With a focus now set, the team set out to begin prototyping.

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The culmination of their iterative prototyping was the Renoru, a combination of interior vehicle design and monitoring system that was created with the user’s utmost comfort in mind. The space inside the Renoru uses translucent partitions between seats to separate the ride-sharing users; this design was chosen over previously more claustrophobic prototypes due to its allowance for ample and comfortable space. The installed screens mounted in front of the users provide details such as their current location and ETA throughout the ride. The infrared picture comparison system can detect any lost or mispalaced items throughout the car as pictured below. Whether or not the items remain, the vehicle itself has the ability to decide if the car is suitable for continued operation. The Renoru allows advancement in the ride-sharing service without compromising what makes ride-sharing appealing in the present.