Transit & Concept — 2024
UC Berkeley × NASA Ames - Autonomous Pod Network
Project Overview
- Client
- UC Berkeley × NASA Ames Research Center
- Role
- Urban Planner + Concept Designer
- Year
- 2024
- Timeline
- 6 Months
- Type
- Transit Design Proposal
- Tools
- Illustrator + Figma
A driverless 35-mile corridor between UC Berkeley and NASA Ames - cutting a two-hour multi-transfer commute to a 40-minute productive ride on zero-emission autonomous pods.
UC Berkeley and NASA Ames Research Center are separated by 35 miles - a journey that currently takes up to two hours via public transit, requiring multiple transfers and offering no ability to work en route. This proposal reimagines that corridor as a dedicated Autonomous Electric Pod Network: a direct, driverless connection between the two campuses that cuts travel time to 40 minutes while turning commute time into productive time. Developed through rider interviews, route analysis, and transit case study research, the proposal prioritizes speed, sustainability, and comfort - with onboard WiFi, charging stations, and zero emissions as core design requirements.
- Corridor
- 35 mi
- New travel time
- 40 min
- Current travel time
- 2 hr
- Tailpipe emissions
- 0
Phase 01
Rider interviews
Brief
Interviewed current Berkeley → NASA Ames commuters to map pain points across the two-hour, multi-transfer public-transit journey — surfacing productivity, comfort, and reliability as core design requirements.
Phase 02
Route + transit case studies
Brief
Analyzed a dedicated 35-mile corridor between the two campuses and benchmarked existing autonomous and rapid-transit systems to size stops, headways, and cabin footprint.
Phase 03
Pod + cabin concept
Brief
Designed a driverless zero-emission pod with a working cabin — facing seats, work surface, onboard WiFi and charging — turning commute time into productive time.
A two-hour multi-transfer commute compressed into a 40-minute, zero-emission productive ride.
Credits
- Urban Planner + Concept Designer
- Yanik Wickremasinghe
- Partners
- UC Berkeley × NASA Ames Research Center