The mobile coffee space provides services for visitors during the Formula 1 Chinese Grand Prix in Shanghai. [Photo/Guiyang news network]
PIX Moving, a company based in the Guiyang National High-tech Industrial Development Zone, has unveiled a driverless minibus-turned "mobile cafe" in collaboration with actor Daniel Wu's lifestyle brand during the Formula 1 Chinese Grand Prix in Shanghai, drawing widespread attention for its futuristic retail concept.
The vehicle is PIX Moving's first mass-produced passenger model and features a fully autonomous design with no steering wheel or driver's cabin.
Built on a modular architecture that separates chassis and cabin, the minibus supports flexible configurations and bi-directional driving, enabling seamless adaptation to diverse commercial scenarios.
Leveraging this technology, the project integrates an automated coffee system into the vehicle, transforming it into a moving cafe that redefines traditional retail.
Instead of customers seeking out fixed locations, the autonomous unit navigates based on real-time demand, delivering freshly brewed coffee directly to consumers.
According to the company, the vehicle is powered by the world's first open-source autonomous driving chassis, combining AI and digital manufacturing. Its modular platform allows businesses to customize mobile spaces for retail, services, and entertainment, creating scalable and adaptable "mobile infrastructure" for future cities.
PIX Moving plans to launch the world's first autonomous mobile-space experience loop in Guiyang's Guanshanhu district in the second quarter of this year. The route will connect commercial centers, parks, and residential communities, offering on-demand services such as mobile cafés, pop-up retail, and beauty experiences.
The company's autonomous minibuses have already been deployed in locations including Okinawa in Japan and Liverpool in the UK, with operations spanning more than 30 countries and regions across Europe, North America, Asia, and the Middle East, demonstrating the growing potential of mobile, AI-powered urban commerce.