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Subaru is another company looking to the animal world for inspiration for future 'mobility concepts'. The Suba-Roo isn't a car but more of an 'active lifestyle partner'. Think along the lines of a Segway crossbred with a kangaroo. This single-user vehicle mimics the physical movement of a kangaroo in order to allow its user to get around in as free a way as possible.

Exterior

The Suba-Roo stands vertically on just one leg and is essentially a cradle in which the user sits. Just like in the animal kingdom, it has a tail that is used for stability and balance. When it's not in use it also folds up into a compact unit that can be stored out of the way at home.

Interior

One thing that is for sure with the Suba-Roo is that it is designed for the outdoor type. With no roof, or other protection, anywhere you would go on it would be an adventure. Riders do get to tuck their legs in to keep them out of harm's way, but other than that it's a case of holding on and enjoying the ride!

Mechanicals

Just like the animal that inspired its design, there are essentially three main features to the Suba-Roo: a GYRO_tail (which provides stability), the kangaroo leg (which gives the propulsion) and a KERS_ball, which converts energy from the leg and then powers the other systems and gives power back into the leg to propel it.

A solar panel generator in the GYRO_tail provides additional energy while the end of the tail has an Osmium weight on the end to help keep momentum up. This helps to give extra power during the unit's jumping motion.


You might think that a single-legged jumping machine might sound crazy, but when Segway first unveiled a two-wheeled device that couldn't fall over, people though it was impossible too. In a bizarre way, the Suba-Roo is one of the design concepts from the LA Design Challenge that could become a reality sooner than you may think!

Anything else?

Subaru hasn't gone completely mad. The Suba-Roo was created as part of the 2013 edition of the annual LA Design Challenge, which runs alongside the LA Auto Show. Automotive design studios from around the world are invited to participate and this year, studios from Germany, Japan and the US competed to design "Biomimicry & Mobility 2025: Nature's Answer to Human Challenges."

Dave Humphreys - 27 Nov 2013