Automotive Innovation&

Communication

Automotive Innovation and Communication

Design research and proposal for a senior capstone project

by Michel Abbonizio

mikeabbonizio.wordpress.com

Exploring the future of the automotive indus-

Industrial Design Program http://www.id-uarts.org

© 2012School for Design

College of Art, Media, and Design

University of the Arts320 South Broad StreetPhiladelphia PA 19102

http://uarts.edu

A final deliverable for IDES 431 Design Theory + Capstone Prep - Fall 2012

coordinated by Jason Lempieri and Jonas Milder

p.6 Primary Research

Table of Contents

“The James Bond Effect”

User Profiles

Areas of Interest

Next Steps Prioritized

p.10 Secondary Research

Urban Life

Automotive Communication

Levels of Interest

Next Areas of Interest

p.14 Tertiary Research

Methods of Communication

Innovation

p.16 Project Statement

Project Statement

Project Strategy

p.18 My Project

S.W.O.T Analysis

Plan and Timeline

Automotive Innovation and Communication

Design opportunities:

Car

Driver

Driver

Driver

Driver Communication

Driver Communication

Animal Communication

Padestrian Communication

Automotive Innovation and Communication

Primary Research

Ever interested in the “James Bond” style automotive modifications I began researching subtle, yet functional systems that were either crafted by enthusiasts, marketed by aftermarket parts companies, or designed by automobile manufactures. From hidden garage door openersto speed sensitive activated spoilers I found myself fascinated by these discrete implementations.

“The James Bond Effect”

Utilizing one of the blank panels located in the center console, this enthusiast has retrofitted a home garage door opener underneath the panel. Having designed the garage Icon and placing a small LED behind the new hand made switch, this garage door opener looks as if it came on the vehicle from the factory.

This reverse camera kit has been fitted with a small motor to the underside of a Volkswagens rear emblem. Activated when the car is shifted into reverse, this camera is completely out of sight during normal driving. Designed, packaged, and sold by ECS Tuning, a company who designs, manufactures, and sells products targeted for the DIY mechanic and enthusiast.

Designed by Mercedes-Benz the Air-Cap system activates a windshield mounted spoiler to direct airflow over passengers heads while enjoying open air motoring. When not in use the spoiler fits so flush with the windshield, you’d never know it’s there.

http://4.bp.blogspot.com

ECStuning.com

www.vwvortex.com

Setting my interests aside, I needed to find motorists who I could interview regarding automobile modifications, products, and systems. These Interviews led me to settle on three areas of interest; customization, luggage systems, and vehicle communication systems.

User Profiles

Kelly Xitas Michael Tonkinson

Lou Mandich

Age: 24

Cars Owned: Mini, Volkswagen

Occupation: Designer

Age: 22

Cars Owned: Chevrolet, Volkswagen Occupation: Student

Age: 65

Cars Owned: Buick, Chevrolet, MG Occupation: Vintage Car Mechanic

Kristine SpanoAge: 31

Cars Owned: Volkswagen Occupation: Graduate Student

Primary Research

“My dad owns a foreign car repair shop, I grew up in and around the shop and enjoyed fixing things and using my hands”.

“When I was 15 I bought a corrado of my own, and from there I got really into it. Whenever I had the time and/or money I was working on my car.”

“ She looks like shes been though war and back, Jenny’s bumpers have their fare share of battle scars, but I still love her.”

“Once I got caught in the rain with my 1918 Buick.. no wipers, no turn signals, and the car only has rear brakes- signal-ing to other drivers can be tricky, but you figure it out!”

Primary ResearchAreas of Interest

Customization

Urban Living

Communication

Automobiles

Maximum

Medium

Minium

Primary ResearchNext Steps Prioritized

Conceptualize

Interview Users

Read/Gather Articles

Highest

Medium

Minium

My Capstone

Secondary Research

As I distilled my interests down into more marketable areas, I focused my research efforts on two areas, the first of which being: Urban life, how motorists cope with the challenges of: parking, moving, and vandalization.

Urban Life

Remember Kristine and her Cabrio? After ten hard years of parking in Hokoken, NJ her car has been heavily scratched and vandalized multiple times. From having the top slashed open, to the everyday mishaps of city parking “Jenny” has seen it all. What solutions exist for these issues and are they effective?

Bumper Bully is a product designed to protect our precious, glossy bumpers from scratches, dings, and dents. Made from thick rubber with heavy velcro straps that attach to the interior trunk liner, this device requires the user to exit the vehicle in order use it. This means one must stop and get out before parking to ensure a scratch free experience, or put it down once the vehicle is parked to protect from other drivers parking mistakes.

While more convenient than the bumper bully, this parking device is always attached to the front of the car, seriously detracting from its design.

http://www.bumperbully.com

http://www.7machine.com

Secondary ResearchAutomotive Communication

The second area of interest I chose to investigate was driver communication with: pedestrians, animals, and other motorists.

Every year in the United States there are approximately 500,000 animal- motorist accidents. 100 of these result in human fatalities. Deer especially travel between the hours of 6 pm and 9 pm. Pennsylvania holds the highest record for deer - automobile collisions. How can we communicate better with the animals that we share the road with?

“ Deer have no red-sensitive cone cells in their eyes. They see short wavelength colors such as blue and ultraviolet. Humans cannot see UV light. The end result is that red and orange look darker to deer than to humans.” - Don Gasaway

Deer, squirrels, most birds, and bees all see ultraviolet light better than humans. Could it be that so many animals run in the path of our cars because they are unable to clearly see the light omitted from the headlights?

Last year 1,200 road rage related deaths were reported in the United States alone. Clearly an Issue in the US, how can we equip our cars to better communicate our needs to avoid road rage. Could “I really need to get over” or “excuse me” be communicated while merging to avoid unwanted anger?

http://www.bestindoorairdoctor.com

http://bartzrumery.com

Secondary ResearchLevels of Interest

Automobiles

Park

ing

Solu

tion

s

Driver- Pedestrian

Driver- Animal

Driver- C

arDriver- Driver(s)

Com

mun

icat

ion

Maximum

Minium

Secondary ResearchNext Areas to Research

Driver- Driver

Car- Driver

Driver- Animal

Driver-P

adestrian

Current systems of communication, Human & mechanical

How vehicles talk to us? What’s currently trending in the industry?

Other ways to catch animals attention beside light?

Current systems for protecting pedestrians from collisions?

Tertiary Research

As the semester drew to an end, my tertiary stage of research involved diving into the most advanced systems the automotive industry has to offer. I sifted through online forums, gathering drivers opinions on these systems.

Methods of Communication

Volvo has been the first brand to pioneer the design of exterior pedestrian safety systems. In the event of a collision with a pedestrian, the hood pops open and an airbag is deployed, providing the victim with a cushioned space where it is anticipated their head would strike otherwise hard metals.

Released in 2003 by Mercedes-Benz, the Pre-Safe system, now highly evolved, is available on nearly all the brands passenger vehicles. Essentially, Pre-Safe communicates with sensors located all around the cars underpinnings to determine any imminent danger. If an accident is anticipated, the seat belts are tightened, airbags readied, and braking force applied. In the latest iterations of this system, the car will come to a complete stop on its own.

This DIY “tailgater switch” created by a user on an Acura forum is hand wired to a switch in the center console of the car. If an agressive driver is relentlessly tailgating this driver, all it takes is the flip of a switch an the reverse lights send a message to the tailgater.

http://www.autoguide.com

http://www.autoevolution.com

http://tl.acurazine.com/forums/showthread.php?t=757118

Tertiary Research

The automotive industry has also come up with many innovative ways for vehicles to communicate with their drivers. Anti-lock brakes, once a technological masterpiece are now available in nearly every car sold today. The future is automobiles communicate with their drivers.

Innovation

The Multi-function display system has taken place in most mid-level automobiles. These displays supply the driver with essential information like current millage and time, but also display current and average fuel millage, as well as days or miles til the next service is due. Soon, the windshield mounted oil change reminders will be a thing of the past.

“Studies show that after just four hours of driving, the risk of an accident doubles, It increases eightfold after six hours, and drivers often fail to recognize drowsiness early enough.” - Mercedes-Benz Attention Assist expert Jorg Breuer

Another innovation pioneered by Mercedes-Benz, Attention Assist is a system that detects any change in the drivers normal patterns that would suggest fatigue or distraction. Requiring just one sensor, the system was implemented easily into all 2011 Mercedes E class models.

http://media.caranddriver.com

http://www.autoweek.com/article/

Standard on many mid-level vehicles, the blind spot warning light is an example of simple iconography incorporated into the exterior of the car to aid the driver in lane changes. What if lights and symbols like this were used on other exterior parts of the vehicle? Could these warn other drivers as to what we are doing, rather than warning us about other drivers movements?

Project Statement

I feel that my design opportunities lie in the realm of automotive communications, those being between car and driver, driver to driver, driver to pedestrian, and driver to animal. While these aspects of automotive communication may seam vastly different, I feel that the overwhelming issues among these topics including road rage, property destruction and possible loss of life may share a similar answer.

Project Strategy

My interest as a designer is in making things, I enjoy crafting objects, especially mechanical ones. I also feel the systems these products can create builds industries. For these reasons I feel I will be able to align my mechanical and modeling skills with my research and conceptualizing abilities to create a product as part of a system, which would ideally take hold in the automotive industry.

My Project

Project Strengths

S.W.O.T Analysis

Conceptualizing

Passion

Research

Information Synthesizing

Skills Needed

Interview Professionals & Drivers

Fabrication process research

Conceptualizing

Product testing process research

Concept revisions

Begin modeling

Meet with faculty

Plan & Timeline

14th 21st 28th

10th 17th 24th

4th 11th 18th 25th

4th 11th 18th 25th

1st 8th 15th

Dec

emb

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Jan

uar

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bru

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Mar

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pri

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Capstone Declaration Find more industry contacts

Conceptualize

Interview industry contacts Brainstorm based on interview Brainstorm based on interviewSpring Semester

Research and ask ?s

31st

7th

Initial Concepts Concept Sketching Project mapping/ analysis

Sketch models Model testing Model revisions based on feedback

Discussion with industry contacts

Concept ideation finalized

My Project

Apendix Bibliography

AAA Insurance

http://tl.acurazine.com

http://www.autoevolution.com

http://www.autoguide.com

http://www.autosteel.org

www.boards.core77.com

Car and Driver Magazine

http://www.customerssuck.com

http://www.euroncap.com

http://www.gizmag.com

www.golfmk6.com

www.tdiclub.com

Response Insurance

Road and Track Magazine

www.vwvortex.com