Designed Without a Driver

Bunny is a fully autonomous micromobility vehicle developed as an R&D project with MOME for cities along Japan’s eastern coastline. Unlike conventional vehicles, it has no steering wheel or driver controls. A simple handlebar supports the passenger, while navigation remains entirely autonomous.

The vehicle carries up to two passengers or cargo and can operate without user input. This allows Bunny to serve both everyday short-distance mobility and controlled transport during large events, where vehicles can help guide and manage crowd movement. The project was created by Sebestyén Ócsai and Zoltán Zoboki and was selected for presentation at Expo 2025 Osaka.

Client

Industry

Product

Location

Timeline

Servces

R&D Project with MOME

Urban Mobility

Autonomous Micromobility Vehicle

Eastern coastal cities, Japan

4 months in 2025

User Research
Market Research
Design Research
Product Strategy
Concept Development
Product Design
Industrial Design
Interaction Design
Prototyping
Ergonomic Development
Visualisation

Mobility Still Needs a Driver

Most compact vehicles still assume that a user must control direction and speed. Steering systems, controls and the space required around them continue to shape the vehicle architecture, even when automation could remove that need.

The project explored what micromobility could become when driving is removed from the user experience entirely. This was particularly relevant for short urban journeys and event environments, where predictable vehicle movement can be more useful than individual control.

Designing Without Controls

Removing the steering wheel changed the basic architecture of the vehicle. Without a driver position, seating, entry, passenger support and vehicle proportions could be reconsidered from the ground up.

Sebestyén Ócsai and Zoltán Zoboki developed an upright, elevated riding position supported by a simple handlebar and knee contact points. The team explored passenger ergonomics, autonomous operation, two-person use, cargo integration and safety as one system. The same architecture also had to work in situations where passengers provide no directional input at all.

Autonomy Defines the Vehicle

Bunny has no steering wheel and no conventional driver interface. Passengers use a handlebar for physical support, while the vehicle controls navigation and movement autonomously. Removing driver controls creates a compact interior focused entirely on passengers and cargo.

The vehicle carries up to two people in an upright position that reduces its footprint. Knee supports stabilise the body, while integrated airbags provide additional protection. Because movement does not depend on passenger input, Bunny can also operate during events as part of an organised crowd-control system, moving people along predetermined routes and supporting controlled circulation.