Vehicle body configurations

For use in combination with a vehicle chassis, a vehicle body comprising:

• an enclosure configured to shelter a vehicle occupant;
• a driver communication interface positioned within the enclosure to communicate vehicle control signals to the chassis from a vehicle driver;
• and
• a chassis-attachment interface connected to the enclosure and configured for selective attachment to the chassis, said chassis-attachment interface being configured to conform to a standardized interface system wherein mechanical and electrical connection components of the body and chassis complement each other and are sufficiently aligned such that any conforming body may be mated to any conforming chassis without modification to either the chassis or body at the interface;
• wherein the driver communication interface includes a drive-by-wire control input device, and wherein the driver communication interface is further characterized by the absence of a mechanical steering linkage, such as a steering column.

A vehicle comprising:

• a chassis, wherein the chassis includes
• a structural frame;
• a body attachment interface having body connection components, the body connection components including at least one load-bearing body-retention coupling mounted with respect to the structural frame and at least one control signal receiver;
• a suspension system mounted with respect to the structural frame;
• at least three wheels rotatably mounted with respect to the suspension system, each of the at least three wheels having an attached tire;
• a steering system operably connected to at least one wheel and operably connected to a control signal receiver;
• a braking system operably connected to at least one wheel and to a control signal receiver;
• and an energy conversion system operably connected to at least one wheel and to a control signal receiver;
• wherein each of the steering system, braking system, and energy conversion system is responsive to non-mechanical control signals;
• and
• a body, wherein the body includes
• a body structural unit;
• at least one complementary attachment coupling mounted with respect to the body structural unit and engaged with the at least one load-bearing body-retention coupling;
• at least one control signal transmitter mounted with respect to the body structural unit and engaged with the at least one control signal receiver;
• and a passenger enclosure partially defining a passenger space;
• wherein the passenger space extends forward and rearward in the vehicle from each of the wheels when the wheels are positioned for forward travel of the vehicle.