According to the founders of OMI (short for “of my imagination”), public transport in cities is often overcrowded and most doesn’t provide last-mile travel.

The industrial design studio specializing in the future of transport says that city commuters are familiar with standing on overcrowded buses and trains, however, multi-person micromobility concepts have yet to be designed around the space efficiency of standing within a small vehicle footprint. Many people look to electric bicycles and scooters as a solution, with more cities investing in bike lanes to offer an alternative commuting option.

To provide a better solution, the company has developed a vehicle called Hop that can transport up to four people but occupies the same footprint as a single bicycle, in a new approach to public transport. With Hop, it intends to bring together the best of both worlds for city travel, with the safety and convenience of bus travel and the efficiency and flexibility of cycle lanes.

The multi-person scooter platform is meant to travel along set routes in city cycle lanes, allowing people to hop on at stops along the route moving at the same speed as other cyclists—avoiding the traffic and inherent dangers of vehicle lanes. Hop combines technology from modern electric scooters and hoverboards with advancements in car autonomy.

Optimized for congested city streets, Hop is the same width and length as a one-person bicycle, so a third of the width of a typical four-person car. Viewed from above, the overall space of seated passengers occupies over double the floor space compared with standing. Designing around these principles can improve the flow of people on city roads, the company says.

The Hop system app guides the user on which routes to take and offers a scan-to-enter feature so the entrance bars will only open for the booked passenger. Users can choose to share with other riders or have a private vehicle for themselves or their group.

OMI based Hop bike construction principles on tubular frames, so it is robust and familiar to street users. Bars provide two hold-point heights for the different ergonomics of riders. Other features are a perch bench for people in the rear and two baskets for bags and small luggage.

Based in London, OMI partners with industry leaders to shape original, sustainable, and human-centered design to redefine “how we move.” Its work spans micromobility, transport interiors, electric vehicles, and spacecraft crafted with a detailed focus on practicality and foresight.

Co-founders Daniel Window and Isabella Trani bring over 25 years of combined experience in transport design. Previously Creative Director at PriestmanGoode, Windowʼs portfolio includes TFLʼs New Tube and the Hyperloop, with some of his work having been featured at The Design Museum in London. Traniʼs expertise complements Window’s, with a focus on intuitive, user-centered design that reimagines the passenger experience.

One of OMI’s most interesting and ongoing recent projects is leading Experience Design for Space Perspective’s Spaceship Neptune, shaping design aspects of “history’s most pre-sold” space tourism venture. Embedded within Space Perspective, OMI has collaborated closely with the company’s engineering and manufacturing teams since 2022 to deliver a capsule that satisfies the rigorous demands of spaceflight while crafting a distinctive vehicle for the growing space tourism market. The project includes exterior, interior, and seating designs.

Closer to Earth, OMI has been collaborating with Vertical Aerospace on the industrial design development of its commercial eVTOL (electric vertical takeoff and landing) aircraft, making significant contributions to the exterior aesthetics, cabin interiors, and cockpit design. Its role extends to the VX4, bringing its vision and technical components to life.

On the ground, OMI self-initiated an electric reimagining of the Honda NSX in 2021 to revive the iconic 1990s sports car with a refined, architectural approach. Maintaining its wide, low stance and angular lines, the NSX reflects the classic design language that defined the original. Linear detailing across the body draws inspiration from Japanese architecture and aesthetics, creating a clean, sculpted form—a deliberate contrast to the bold designs of most modern performance cars.