If you're a fan of Pokémon,Watch Paradise Z Online you just might see a familiar face in Volkswagen's first fully autonomous concept vehicle.

The ride is called Sedric (as in self-driving car), and let's be real, it looks like Bulbasaur with those wide-spaced "eyes." And it doesn't look like anything you'll find on the road today.

Original image replaced with Mashable logoOriginal image has been replaced. Credit: Mashable

Sedric isn't meant to be controlled by a human driver. Instead, the all-electric concept is supposed to operate with full Level 5 autonomy, which means the system can handle all the work, and will only pick up riders when they summon it with the press of a button. The vehicle was made with ride sharing in mind, as the company claims that in the future, "intensively used vehicles" will cut traffic and energy consumption while increasing safety and sustainability.

Mashable Light Speed Want more out-of-this world tech, space and science stories? Sign up for Mashable's weekly Light Speed newsletter. By clicking Sign Me Up, you confirm you are 16+ and agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. Thanks for signing up!
SEE ALSO: I sat in Peugeot's Instinct concept car and it told me to relax

Sedric made its debut at the Geneva Auto Show, where Volkswagen Group CEO Matthias Müller called it a "trailblazer" and an "idea platform" for the company's future autonomous innovations.

The concept is centered around opening up what VW is calling "the mobility experience" to everyone, but exactly what that means isn't clear. Sedric is an explicitly forward-looking design concept, so don't expect to be seeing any Bulbasaur lookalikes zipping up and down your block anytime soon. The company didn't give many details about how it might even be deployed on future streets, so for now it's totally theoretical.

But, some of the principles behind its autonomous shuttle system are already being embraced IRL. Earlier this year, self-driving shuttle buses hit the streets of Las Vegas in a pilot program expected to expand later this summer.

Original image replaced with Mashable logoOriginal image has been replaced. Credit: Mashable

Sedric doesn't look like it'll ever be as much fun as another one of VW's recent concepts, the Electric Microbus, but if it ever hits the road, it could help to usher in an entirely new era of transportation.


Featured Video For You
I tried a self-driving car in London and lived to tell the tale

Topics Self-Driving Cars

Author

Editorial Team

Our editorial team is dedicated to delivering accurate, timely, and engaging content. With expertise across various domains, we strive to inform and inspire our readers.