Hearse of the future

FUTURISTIC car designer Charles Bombardier, whose sleek Arrow trike and Katric cabin that moves on magnetic levers ensured that he is no stranger to contoversy, has now designed a car that people will be dying to get into. Literally.

Called the Korbiyor — after the French word for hearse “corbillard” — the vehicle comprise of a
transparent, refrigerated coffin riding on four Ilon wheels.

These wheels, which looks a little like the sausages twirled into a knotted-bundle by your butcher, was named after its Swedish inventor in 1973, Bengt Ilon, and can sotfly roll over most obstacles. Because they also turn in any direction, these Ilon wheels allow the Korbiyor to rotate in its own radius and traverse polished church floors without leaving a dent in the wood.

Bomardier, grandson of the founder of the multinational Bombardier company, said in a statement the Korbiyor would be programmed to follow the funeral process by remote control, or follow a pre-set path. “We created a transparent coffin that would be refrigerated by the vehicle’s fuel cell. This way the inside temperature would remain cool even in sunny weather.

The coffin could be made of plastic, glass, or any other material. A transparent casket could be interesting if you want people to see the person one last time. The casket would need to respect certain dimensions so it could be lowered inside the vehicle or raised for unloading.

Bombardier said images or videos could be projected on the floor between the wheels of the vehicle, and the speakers could play the deceased’s favourite music. “For example, if the person liked jazz music, the Korbiyor could play jazz and project slides during the procession.”

Bombardier said there will always be a need for vehicles like the Korbiyor. “Funeral processions have been around for thousands of years, and the Korbiyor concept simply tries to imagine how today’s hearses could evolve if you integrate driverless technology, robotics, multimedia, and try to celebrate the departed in a new way.” — WR.