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Despite the transition to the digital age, the layout of car cockpits has not changed significantly for decades. As a result, the driving experience remains essentially unchanged and as new communication devices emerge and information flow increases, the current set-up struggles to cope. Electric vehicles will play a growing role in future transport and provide an opportunity to move beyond the design paradigm dictated by the combustion engine, which dominated the last century, to rethink what the car could be in this century.
This project, building on the ambitions of Norwegian car company Think, set out to explore how communication technology could move the electric vehicle to the forefront of city mobility. By developing the idea of the 'connected car', seamless digital interaction between driver and vehicle can be enabled and, in turn, connect to lifestyle and aspiration. The study looked at the vehicle in the context of the urban environment, taking account of the challenges we currently face with an ageing driving population, slower city speeds and carbon pollution.
The study investigated the potential of the vehicle to become a mobile information interface, offering services that go beyond social networking or route planning to enable seamless digital connectivity between the car, home, workplace, family, friends and the city. Central to this was exploring the true needs of urban driving and looking at how sustainable mobility offered by electric cars could lead to more inclusive mobility solutions for everyone.
Fifteen people between the ages of 24 and 82 were interviewed and observed going about their daily routines. They were asked to respond to a series of images, questions and provocations designed to give insight into their mobility requirements and attitudes to digital connectivity. The project probed the extremes, from car-phobics to those utterly dependent on their vehicles. An interactive persona sheet was developed around each individual, giving a snapshot of their lifestyle and needs.
‘The connected car seamlessly integrates driver, vehicle and city'
These persona sheets provided rich inspiration for a series of design concepts in which the car adapts to serve the drivers and passengers of tomorrow - across the spread of ages, functional abilities and personal preferences. A flexible interior provides opportunities for customisation: older people can access larger, higher contrast cockpit dials whilst those living in small city apartments can achieve more privacy, using the vehicle as an extension of the home.
There is better, more secure storage within the vehicle for everyone. A digitally connected parked car might switch on to provide street lighting for passers by, act as a wi-fi hotspot, advertise local shops or even point a lost tourist in the right direction. It might also be preheated and defrosted from your home.
A digitally connected car on the road might communicate with other vehicles, letting other people know its location and estimated time of arrival. To reduce visual clutter, the interface adapts to different situations and drivers, displaying information only when required.
Key ideas from the project are presented in a short movie that animates the design concepts, showing how the electric vehicle can move us closer to Think's vision of carbon-free - and carefree - city travel for all ages.
See interactive user maps here.
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