The Future of Paris Water Transit Might Be Driverless 'SeaBubbles'

Could miniature high-speed catamarans on urban waterways be the future of city transit? The answer to that question might seem to be a very obvious no. But a new plan for Paris has nonetheless pushed such an improbable mobility option closer to becoming a reality.

The SeaBubble is the latest vehicle design from French inventor and yachtsman Alain Thébault, who’s also co-creator of the world’s fastest sailing boat. A four-person hydrofoil that looks like a Smart car on stilts or a Fiat 500 crossed with an ape, the SeaBubble would ply its trade on the Seine (making its current name somewhat inappropriate). Initially the craft would come with a driver, but the SeaBubble could ultimately be made autonomous, running fixed routes along the river without the need for any human intervention.