VIDEO. Toulouse: Aboard the ELMO car, a fully remote-controlled vehicle
During the ITS congress in Toulouse, La Dépêche du Midi tested the new ELMO car. This prototype vehicle, developed by an Estonian company, can be fully piloted remotely over several hundred kilometres.
In appearance, nothing differentiates it from any other car. The little Nissan Leaf with its 5 doors does not stand out in the MEETT parking lot. It was when the engine started that the first eyes fell on the vehicle. Without the help of a driver or even a passenger, the ELMO car begins to pick up speed. Its steering wheel turns and the clutch pedal engages. “It is controlled remotely by an operator”, informs Kristiina Kalda, exhibitor at MEETT.
About a hundred meters from the vehicle, an ELMO operator is at the helm. Gear lever, indicator and accelerator pedal, it has access to all the elements of the electric vehicle. “Like a normal car, it has a steering wheel and pedals. It’s as if he were driving a car, but from a distance”, continues Kristiina Kalda from ELMO. On board, the sensations are the same, even a little more lively. The operator does not feel the vehicle’s acceleration or brakes, so the ride is a little rougher than normal.
A car that will bring many future solutions
After slight bursts of speed and a few turns in the MEETT parking lot, the car began its parking manoeuvre. A few strokes of the steering wheel shake the cabin. Still at a distance, a signal is triggered and the engine stops. “As long as the connection is stable, hundreds of kilometers can separate the car from its operator,” explains Kristiina Kalda.
The Estonian company ELMO, an expert in vehicle rental, wants to take advantage of this innovation. Remote control will save considerable time and money. ELMO has thought of everything: “Normally, when you take a vehicle to a customer, you need two drivers. With this tool and a remote operator, we can send a vehicle without moving two employees,” admits his spokesperson.