Most early electric vehicles (EVs) were simple adaptions of existing models, swapping out the combustion engine for a battery pack. However, the latest generation of EVs now boast 'skateboard' platforms that have been specially designed for a battery powertrain. These are wide, flat platforms on top of which different body combinations can be built, keeping production costs low and opening the door for massive scalability.
The same trend should also take effect with autonomous vehicles (AVs). In the early days, test vehicles would simply be modified production cars or vans, and even today the vast majority of autonomous test fleets rely on everyday models like the Jaguar I-Pace, Chrysler Pacifica or Chevrolet Bolt. In any case, none of these vehicles has been optimised for autonomous driving, nor can they be easily modified for different use cases.
By contrast, modular skateboards will
