Renault U1st Vision van concept is a mobile doctor’s office

Renault has showcased its new ‘U1st Vision’ concept – a specifically designed ‘pop up’ van that can be used to provide healthcare to those living in remote areas. 

While it’s always interesting to see new technology and advancements that appear to give us a glimpse into the future, it’s particularly good to see how such concepts and ideas can help change lives for the better. 

The U1st Vision, which was actually created by Software République – a collaboration between seven companies including the French car manufacturer – does just that.

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The U1st is made up of two parts

According to Renault, the team worked together on an ‘open innovation ecosystem dedicated to intelligent, secure, and sustainable mobility’. Sounds fancy. 

The U1st Vision – or ‘You First Vision’ – is made up of two parts: a multi-service self-contained module – or ‘pop-up’ – and an electric light commercial vehicle platform called the FlexEVan. 

The U1st isn’t designed to replace ambulances and wouldn’t provide emergency medical assistance.

Instead, according to Renault, it would act as a bit of a one-stop shop for people who live in areas that aren’t properly serviced by medical facilities – or ‘medical deserts’ as the company calls them. 

Renault says the concept could ‘redefine healthcare’

Renault explains on its site: “The ‘Health Pop-Up’ provides a solution to the challenges of ‘medical deserts’ by delivering an integrated one-stop mobile service to citizens, wherever they are, for preventive care, and diagnostics and monitoring of diseases. 

“Its aim is to redefine healthcare provision, taking advantage of our increasingly interconnected world and the new capabilities that allow for continuous health metrics measurement through smart devices while ensuring patients’ data privacy. 

“The module is operated by a medical assistant and enables teleconsultations with healthcare professionals.”

Renault goes on to say that the van – which was showcased last month at VivaTech in Paris – would use 21 medical parameters and make use of AI. 

The team says that its pop-up vehicle could take care of up to 85 percent of regular medical tests; which would, in turn, relieve pressure on hospitals and doctors’ surgeries and their staff.

It would also make things more convenient for those living in ‘medical deserts’, reducing traffic and carbon emissions. 

This is just one potential use for the U1st, as its modular set-up means it can be customized in a number of different ways. 

Earlier this year, China launched world’s first AI hospital with robot doctors ‘able to treat 3,000 patients daily’.

While a team at a private hospital in London recently used Apple Vision Pro during spinal surgery.