Coventry University graduate Chao Zhang devised a vehicle to help police in Beijing improve their emergency response times, solving a problem inherent in China’s bustling urban metropolis. It was one of the standout concepts at the recent 2016 Transportation Design degree show.
The Lightning Reflex consists of three autonomous vehicles: a ‘Copcycle’ for the police officer to ride in; a turbocharged flying ‘Aircraft’; and an unmanned ‘Robocycle’ vehicle, which acts as the officer’s virtual partner. They are all controlled by a virtual reality system embedded within the officer’s helmet.
All three vehicles have different functions. Thanks to its narrow and compact footprint, the Copcycle vehicle can move about in traffic more freely to get the officer to their location quicker, storing his/her weapon in a dedicated compartment. The Aircraft module can conduct a search and locate a fleeing suspect from the air, while the Robocycle is used to chase and intercept them.
Badged AMG because of Chao’s fondness for the Mercedes-Benz’s performance division, the concept offers an innovative solution to combat crime in congested cities.
