2002 - Espera Pontarlier

I-C@R Doubs - 2002

In 2002, the Internet for the general public was in its infancy in France. While ADSL was available in towns and cities, the vast majority of homes had only a low-speed connection that would make you weep today. Against this backdrop, "having the Internet" in the countryside was an important issue. The Département du Doubs, France, where Franco Sbarro's Espera school is located, therefore wanted to build a vehicle that would bring the Internet to the whole département.

I for internet and C@R for... car !

Low-speed & ADSL

We were in the low-speed internet era. The era of modems with their characteristic connection noise. We sometimes had to wait dozens of seconds for a simple image to be displayed. Far from the cities, there was sometimes no connection at all. The Conseil Général du Doubs decided to remedy this problem by building a vehicle, a Peugeot Partner in this case, equipped to offer, and I quote, "free access to Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) anywhere in the department". And as the Espera school was in the Doubs region at the time, it was Sbarro and his students who got involved.

The huge satellite dish provided an Internet link via satellite, an innovative technology not widely used at the time.

Satellite connection and wifi terminal

The Partner "is equipped with an innovative satellite connection system, independent of conventional telephone lines, and the necessary equipment for free introductions to IT and multimedia tools". In other words, a satellite connection via a large satellite dish on the roof, which can be folded away for travel.

What's more, the Partner also features "a radio link that allows the vehicle to share its Internet connection with all the laptops, thus avoiding the traditional 'end of the line'". In other words, an access point like today's WiFi hotspots.

Everyone could come and use their laptops, webcams, scanners, printers and digital cameras free of charge.

The I-C@R is a Peugeot Partner extended and enhanced by Espera students.

Sbarro expertise

By calling on Espera, the Doubs department was able to benefit from all Sbarro's experience in the field of special fittings. Back in 1978, Franco Sbarro had already built the Function car, a veritable office on wheels. Here, the base is a Peugeot Partner which has been lengthened and raised to provide enough space for all the computer equipment.

I don't know how well the I-C@R fulfilled its function, but it was a very good idea. Today, with fiber to the home almost everywhere in France, there's no need for such a vehicle.
In brief
1-  Commissioned by the Doubs département
2- Equipped with the latest hardware in 2002
3- Brings the Internet to the whole department
  • Technical data unknown