Talk or Drive: This bench can act as a scooter when not being used for sitting

Designs students from Europe have created a bench that you can use for your picnic spread and even use for riding from one place to another. Yes, you read that right. The concept ridable bench is called TOD, short for 'Talk or Drive'. The concept sustainable urban mobility solution recently won the Ford Fund Smart Mobility Challenge and £12,500. The money will be used by the creators to convert the concept into a reality.

TOD gets an adaptable system with a static mode and a mobile mode. In static mode, it becomes a bench that can be extended further to accommodate three people. People can add accessories such as chairs and corners to it by using a plug-in style kit system. They can combine multiple TODs to organise a picnic by connecting a flat square to them.

In the mobile mode, the sit-on scooter can accommodate up to two people and has a maximum speed of 20 km/h. There is a hatch in the middle that provides space for luggage. There are additional stretching bands on the back of the scooter that can be used by people to transport small and long items. In the future, people will also be able to locate or book a bench or the sit-on scooter using the dedicated app.

The creators believe that an urban mobility solution like TOD will go a long way ensuring people easily get a place to sit in crowded parks or streets as well as are easily able to ride to short distances on smaller vehicles. "A rideable bench is a great example of how design can help form the fabric of cities, as it’s something that’s fun, practical and multi-functional," said Amko Leenarts, director of design, Ford of Europe.

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