Concept cars are used by Automotive companies as a kind of proof of concept. Mostly they are used for publicity stunts. However, such concepts also give us an insight into the inner workings and mindset of future vehicular design. The Mini Urbanaut is a concept for the future that existed in the past. It looks like a concept from 2010 but it’s actually intended to go on sale in 2030. Or is it? Let’s just be realistic here, the Mini Urbanaut as it appears in this concept is merely a vision in search of a future.

So what is the Mini Urbanaut about? It is an electric vehicle, the so-called future of urban mobility. Urban mobility is referring to fully autonomous ergo driverless cars. These are the buzz words being bandied around by high-powered automotive industry executives. Meanwhile, in the real world, the Mini Urbanaut is simply a cool looking concept car. Nevertheless, this vision in search of a future is a fully electric Mini MPV showcasing the future of autonomous technology in an idealistic world full of pot-smoking, guitar-playing CEOs of the future.

According to industry insiders, Mini is seriously considering putting the Urbanaut into Production. Albeit 10 years from now. You, the reader have a better chance of burning in hell than the Urbanaut ever making it into production as-is. Concept cars rarely if ever do go into production, for their purpose is… to show a vision in search of a future that will never come to pass.

Anyway, the Urbanaut is an interesting concept and in all honesty, gives a chance for the Mini design team not to be influenced by focus group checklists. The future will become minimal, physical buttons and even touch screens will be removed for advanced AI-driven voice-activated cars.

In the future, you will instruct your car by voice command, and it will drive you to your chosen destination while you slouch away puffing on a giant spliff. The future of urban mobility appears to be familiar.