MicroMAX: A Compromise Between Private and Public Transport?

Rinspeed has devised this funky car design that is kind of a micro-mini bus, that according to one article  is "intended to merge personal and public transportation on a shared basis, like a cross between Smart's car2go and a minibus taxi".  This is specifically targeted to encourage ride sharing - which is where you hitch a ride with others as opposed to taking your own - a kind of private public transport.

The system is app-based.  Smart phones alert the car of others who want to go the same way; "think taxi, but personally owned and operated".

Ride sharing is pretty rare in Melbourne (or at least it seems that way to me), though crowd sourced ride sharing schemes are becoming more common, particularly in Europe (such as this one, but you'll need to translate it from German).  Ride-sharing seems like a good opportunity to get more cars off the road, and in places like Melbourne, it could work well - especially given that so many people go to similar places (centres such as the CBD).

As for the design, it looks pretty swish - sure, you kind of lean rather than sit, but these babies are equipped with a fridge and a coffee machine.  

However, the site cautions that this is more a conceptual design to inspire other solutions, rather than itself providing the answer to congestion in cities.

Read more at translogic, and at IOL.