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supervised by lutz fuegener hochschule pforzheim beat finkbeiner opel advanced design
ENVISION DYNAMICS INTERACTION OF TRAFFIC AND ITS ENVIRONMENT
master thesis project by
alexander Leicht
university of applied sciences hochschule pforzheim
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>>This thesis deals with interaction. Viewing this interaction as a vehicle‘s "dynamic signature", we are liberated from the conventional view of a car as a rigid object.The ability to distinguish between an active and a passive mode of the vehicle will create a novel means of communication as well as interaction between the car and its environment.
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content
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abstract
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introduction
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definitions aims and objectives research future scenarios
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trend studies of the european and the north american markets conclusion
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silent motion visual dynamics visual acoustics
interaction 022
interaction scheme FUTURE INTERACTION
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interactive interior interactive vehicle itself MATERIALS
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D3O EAPs
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IMPULSE
design development
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conceptual inspiration
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AIMS AND OBJECTIVES - DESIGN
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SKETCH DEVELOPMENT
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key sketch interior package layout sketch development final theme
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3D DEVELOPMENT
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FINAL DESIGN RENDERINGS and DESIGN ANALYSIS
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ACTIVE MODE
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BIBLIOGRAPHY
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DECLARATION
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ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
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introduction
>>When speaking of the future of transportation, we most commonly hear terms such as sustainability, efficiency and electric drive trains. Nowadays, innovations in the automotive industry are usually linked with engineering achievements, such as the reduction of fuel consumption, the launch of electric engines, range extenders and aerodynamical improvements, all of which are technical solutions. Automotive brands all across the world aim at winning new costumers, using ad campaigns centred around words such as blue, green, clean, and efficient. Over the past decades, leading industrial nations who are all taking part in the process to reduce the global carbon output have been sensitised to cause of the environment. Therefore future customers might base their decision whether to buy a new car simply on the question: Do I want to be part of this globalised “green movement”? The current global economic recession which started in 2008 might encourage consumers to invest in all sorts of fuel efficient vehicles, thus not only “saving the planet”, but also saving money in the long run as well. Major car manufacturers, the so-called OEMs (original equipment manufacturers), depend upon a vast number of customers that will have to be convinced by the forwardthinking technology of their vehicles, that is, assuming their customers value sustainability. In this case, another major motivator for purchasing of a car will be neglected, which has been gaining importance over the past decades: its design.
Shapes and colours, materials and structures which are all integral parts of design, have become trendsetting in almost every aspect of our lives. People talk about fashion design, which is probably one of the oldest manufacturing industries where design is essential. Then architectural design, product design, interface design, graphic design and even food design. Everyone who can afford such a lifestyle tries to “live design.” Returning to the automotive design, one major question remains: What was the role of the “Design Department” in the overall manufacturing process in the past 125 years and what will or could it be in the future? Generally speaking, designers would develop an exterior and an interior cover for all those technical parts of a car, using different techniques and materials. The wheels were covered by the wheel arches, the hood covered the engine, the dashboard covered the electronic devices and the air channels in the interior etc. In the past, customers sought cars with powerful engines which satisfied their desire for safety and that were “covered” by pleasant-looking metallic exteriors and comfortable, functional interiors. The whole package had to be attractive and be worth the money. Forecasts for the coming decades have shown that future transportation will revolve around alternative propulsion solutions. Will the task of design still be limited to covering the great engineering achievements or is there more to think about for automotive designers than simply making cars that please the eye?
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>>Automotive design should be more than just a static and rigid cover for the technical details of a vehicle. It shall be more profound and shall challenge the fact, that cars have to be made of hard materials and are not functional themselves. So far, the turning of the wheels was the only visible evidence of the car’s movement. Combined with the sound of a combustion engine which is increased by an elaborate exhaust pipe system and a sporty handling performance - this is what most customers associate with the term “dynamics.” Indeed, this term derives from the Greek words δυναμικός (dynamikos, English: „powerful“) and δύναμις (dynamis, English:„power“). The modern meaning of ‘‘dynamics’‘ covers much more than just its traditional sense of power, which is usually linked with forces. In science it is used to describe the ratio between the highest and the lowest value of a physical value or function. It can for instance be used to describe acoustic or visual phenomena. Why should cars just remain “powerful” objects, used to transport people from one place to another? Why should car design remain the same as it has been for the past decades: Creating attractive coverings for powerful technical chassis? Times are changing in the automotive industry. Alternative drive trains, such as electric and hydrogen engines are considered to be the best hopes for a better and cleaner future. Maybe there is also a chance for the car design industry to open up new fields, creating new opportunities of replacing the rigid metallic “cover” with the help of high-tech materials so that “the car of the future” fits perfectly into a clean and interactive tomorrow.
DEFINITION ENVISION DYNAMICS – INTERACTION OF TRAFFIC AND ITS ENVIRONMENT ENVISION DYNAMICS Over the past 125 years of automotive history engineers have been using visual and acoustic signals in cars to enable the communication between cars in traffic. The increasing number of vehicles has made inevitable the creation of traffic signs and rules for safe travel. All these years, nothing has changed regarding the methods of interaction between traffic and its environment. Although the lighting technology has seen enormous progress from burning candles to efficient light-emitting diodes (LED) or even lasers, it is still the same type of signal which has been used at the front and rear of the vehicle indicating its directions at night. Being a rigid object, it is also impossible to say whether the car is moving or not, without the complex bio-mechanical processes of our brain. There is no difference in shape between a parked vehicle and one that is in motion. By contrast, very simple examples can show how easy it is to distinguish running animals from resting ones. This will be shown later in detail.
d
The closed shape of an inactive body contrasts with the stretched, powerful and “dynamic” while moving. Imagine using different high-tech materials to explore new ways to create an exterior skin for cars making apparent whether it is moving or not. It could then be said to come “alive”, when the driver starts the engine. The exposition of this type of change, when the car is transforming from a cold, passive and immobile state into an active and vivid object – from a minimum to a maximum of movement is ENVISION DYNAMICS. Communicating the interaction between each driver, different cars and the traffic and its environment shall be an important task of this thesis.
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ao
AIMS AND OBJECTIVES >>Based on the examples and the thoughts in the introduction and the definitions of the thesis title, this project will explore ways of combining new high-tech materials and methods of manufacturing to enrich and widen the occupational area of car design. The work of future car designers should not merely be to create a nice cover for existing packages and out of existing materials, but also to discover novel functional concepts and utilisation for these materials in order to propel the industry to the next level of development. New materials should be used to generate new functions for parts in the car and to create new tasks for designers, which so far has been the responsibility of engineering departments in the past. Furthermore, the interaction between the car as a moving object and its environment, using these new technologies and materials is a crucial emphasis of this thesis. Based on the estimations of different automotive research institutes for the global and the regional markets, the future car will be a hybrid in the short term and a electric car in the long term. Typical characteristics of cars with combustion engines, such as: -the typical sound of a combustion engine -the package layout with a certain position of the engine and the fuel tank
will no longer be valid for the next generation of cars. New materials will allow more experimentation with unusual solutions for the exterior as well as for the interior design of a car. This project should show several ways to envision the dynamic feeling of a car for its driver as well as for the pedestrians that interact with it in city traffic.
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future scenarios
FUTURE scenarios Future electric scenarios and the resulting problem of quiet electric cars >>Electric mobility has also some disadvantages coming with it. Silent, green and‌ safe? What about the dangerous aspects of an electric vehicle. People in industrial nations interpret the sound of a car, based on their experiences. There are certain noises that people associate with transport and they alert us that a vehicle is heading into our direction. By using electric propulsion in future vehicles the reduction of the noise level is significant. A secure and familiar aid to orientation will be gone. Substantial government grants throughout the world have supported technology development through subsidising the use of electric cars. Their number is estimated to have 35% of the market by 2025 with 10% pure electric cars and 25% of hybrid cars (Harrop & Das, 2009)
trend studies of the european and the north american markets
Main categories of electric propulsions: Battery Electric Vehicle BEV Plug-in-Hybrid Electric Vehicle PHEV Full Hybrid Electric extended mass HEV- E Fuel Cell Vehicle FCV
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Center for Automotive Research 2011
Estimations for the US – Market for electric vehicles by 2025
us
47 mpg (3 Percent Decrease in CO2): The base case assumes a moderate increase over the 2016 requirements. The 47 mpg target is equivalent to a 70.9 percent increase from the 2008 actual fleet mpg. 2025 Market Penetration-Scenario I (47 mpg CAFE standard) Spark-Ignited (SI), 1.5% SI Extended Mass (SI-E), 80.0% Compression-Ignited w/mass reduction (CI-E), 8.1% Hybrid Electric Extended Mass (HEV-E), 8.4% Plug-in Hybrid Electric (PHEV), 1.1% Battery Electric Vehicle (BEV), 0.9%
51 mpg(4 Percent Decrease in CO2): The 51 mpg case assumes fuel economy standards 2025 Market Penetration-Scenario II (51 mpg CAFE standard) Compression-Ignited w/mass reduction (CI-E), 8.1% Hybrid Electric Extended Mass(HEV-E), 13.4% Plug-in Hybrid Electric(PHEV), 9.1% Battery Electric Vehicle(BEV), 0.9% SI Extended Stop/Start(SI-E-SS), 68.5%
56 mpg (5 Percent Decrease in CO2): The 56 mpg case assumes a 5 percent reduction per year of CO2 emission. 2025 Market Penetration-Scenario III (56 mpg CAFE standard) SI Extended Stop/Start(SI-E-SS), 36.0% Compression-Ignited w/mass reduction(CI-E), 8.1% Hybrid Electric Extended Mass(HEV-E), 35.7% Battery Electric Vehicle(BEV), 0.9% Plug-in Hybrid Electric (PHEV), 19.3%
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eu Scenario 1 is based on the assumptions, that there will be no globally binding climate policy, oil prices increase moderately, gas will be accepted as fuel, 2nd generation bio-fuels remain expensive, cars will remain the basis of individual mobility, in urbanized areas acceptance of models like car sharing increases, and OEMs’ strategies follow customer requirements.
Share of total volume per year (%)
2010
2020
2030
2020
2030
2020
2030
ICE *
95.0
79.0
65.0
77.0
59.0
67.0
20.0
HEV
5.0
15.0
20.0
15.0
13.0
20.0
28.0
PHEV
0.0
4.0
10.0
5.0
20.0
8.0
40.0
BEV/FCV
0.0
2.0
5.0
3.0
8.0
5.0
12.0
51.95
69.8
85.1
66.5
77.2
63.5
69.9
market volume in Mio cars
* internal combustion engine (ICE) - includes "mild hybrids" as well
www.europarl.europa.eu - study 472010
EUROPEAN SCENARIOS
Scenario 2 assumes an agreement of the most important industrialized and emerging countries on CO2 limits, policies including incentives and penalties will be designed accordingly, investments in nuclear power and renewable energies, continuously increase of oil prices, diversification of energy infrastructure, utility companies invest in charging infrastructure, cars remain the basis of individual mobility, electric two-wheelers become “trendy� and gain interest in urban areas.
Scenario 3 is based on the assumptions, that in 2015 a globally binding Climate Convention will be closed, calling for 50% reduction of GHG emissions in 2030, oil prices increase to $200 per barrel, utility companies as well as OEMs invest in charging infrastructure and hydrogen fuelling stations, car use will be reduced to its transport function, car sharing models increasingly are accepted, most urban areas only allow locally emission free transport, and new business models gain interest (mobility providers).
conclusion >>There is certainly a need to rethink the structure of transportation by way of communication in traffic, irrespective of the exact trajectory of electric vehicles for both markets(US and Europe) in the next future. Based on these figures, we can say that the number of these new and clean vehicles will grow and designers should seize the opportunity to get involved in the development of new materials that could be used by future engineers to construct the architecture of such vehicles, instead of attempting to constantly reinvent exteriors with the same existing metals or carbon, interiors with the same basic fabrics.
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silent motion
SILENT MOTION in a loud and fast moving world VISUAL DYNAMICS >>The interaction of a vehicle and its environment will become more important than ever before, due to the silent operation mode of vehicles with an alternative drive train. At the same time, life in general and larger cities in particular have become louder. The number of accidents caused by lack of attention has dramatically increased. As already mentioned in the previous chapter, the car has kept its immobile sculptural shape over the past 125 years. Therefore, it is difficult to realize which car could be a potential danger for me as a pedestrian, due to its speed. It is quite hard to tell how fast it is driving if the shape and the highlights remain the same. With moving animals we observe that it is much easier to recognise whether it is in an active, fast running mode or is passive and static because of its changing shape. There is thus an evident visual signal of motion or dynamic. (VISUAL DYNAMICS) Some examples that can be found in flora and fauna are birds spreading their wings, cheetahs stretching their body and even human beings using their arms in order to have the ideal translation of power into motion. All these are examples of visual dynamics, which are evident for every observer. For animals who are being attacked by a predator, these are critical warning signs. Cars are one of the fastest artificial moving objects on the ground and there are very few visual hints which indicate their speed. Only if a car is accompanied by a cloud of dust or a cloud of water one can see that it is moving with a certain speed. However, it is not the object itself but rather the visual effect is the result of the car crossing a different medium – such as the soil or water.
VISUAL ACOUSTICS >>Another signal of a moving object is sound. If a car is driving at high speed, even if we don‘t see it, its noise will tell us about the potential danger. This traditional sound results from a working combustion engine and the artificially increased sound from the exhaust pipe system. In future vehicles with an alternative drive train the sound will play an even larger role than the traditional one of combustion engines. Specific sounds that people associate with transport and which will have to be reproduced for electric cars. Efforts are already being made to reproduce the classic sound of an engine in an artificial way. Recently, students from the Institut für Kraftfahrzeuge of the Uni RWTH Aachen in Germany and the Institut für Neue Musik of the Hochschule für Musik und Tanz, Cologne were asked to create a sound of an electric vehicle for a competition named “Sound of E-Motion”. Manufacturers of electric cars such as Tesla or tuning companies like Brabus have started working on artificial sound modules in order to reproduce the traditional sound of a powerful engine. Due to the new possible package layout of electric cars, it is possible to integrate an acoustic design module into the front of a vehicle which could be operated by a computerised system in order to produce exactly the desired sound for the particular model. This design element would be visible and functional and is part of the VISUAL ACOUSTIC SYSTEM.
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urban area up to 30 km/h
30 – 60 km/h
rural area 60 up to 90/100 km/h
fast lanes
highways
100 km/h and above
INTERACTION SCHEME
>>The topic of interaction, concerning the traffic has to be divided into certain ranges. The interaction of a vehicle and its environment is different, depending on the speed of a car. The importance of visual and acoustic communication in traffic differs in rural and urban areas. The table below attempts to describe the level of visual and acoustic interaction at certain speeds. CURRENT STATE IN TRAFFIC acoustic signals certain sounds which are associated with transportation makes it easier for pedestrians to adapt to city traffic
visual signals indicators to signal the direction the car is going or if a car is leaving a parking lot headlights and rearlights to follow the traffic flow at night
PEDESTRIAN SAFETY – MAINLY VISUAL INTERACTION
light signals signals for overtaking interaction between cars sounds of the mechanical parts of a car as orientation for pedestrians
direction of traffic overtaking
PEDESTRIAN SAFETY AND INTERACTION OF TRAFFIC ITSELF
MAINLY VISUAL INTERACTION AT HIGH SPEED OVERTAKING, EMERGENCY BREAKING
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FUTURE INTERACTION OF THE VEHICLE AND ITS ENVIRONMENT >>The car of tomorrow does not have to act like a robot by transforming its entire shape. A significant step forward would be the ability to determine whether the engine is turned on. A possible solution would be to show transformation of the materials themselves. This could be a change of colour – or turning from a coloured surface into a transparent one, equivalent to the waking of a person or an animal, when they are opening their eyes. Another sign of an active object could be the transformation of the surface, not in its form but in its character. A hermetically sealed metallic surface could be replaced by a high-tech bionic structure which would imitate the functions of a skin with pores that open and close and show pedestrians that the vehicle is ready to start or when it is accelerating.
INTERACTIVE INTERIOR The utilisation of high-tech materials could be combined with the new package layout of future electric vehicles. Rigid seat structures could be replaced by flexible but comfortable materials for adaptable interior layout solutions. INTERACTIVE VEHICLE ITSELF >> When we think of a car‘s volume not as a sculpture but as a living organism, we can imagine in an abstract way, which parts of the car correspond to which organs of the human body. The front of a car fulfils a respiratory and an acoustic function. Air is directed into the interior and produces sounds by passing through valves inside the air channels. These sounds are readily controllable by a computerised system to achieve satisfying results. Having the largest surface dimensions in this scenario the car‘s outer body equals the skin. Pores on a soft structured and flexible future material could signalise the level of activity of the vehicle. But at the same time, this material could fulfil a protective role, and in the event of a side impact, a functional role, possibly in the form of an innovative door opening mechanism. This would motivate combining the interior with the exterior in its function and appearance. Similar functions could be used for seats and surfaces that covering the instruments or divide areas in the interior (e.g. trunk to passenger of motor compartment).
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materials
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D3O formally "D3o" is a dilatant material commonly used for impact protection. It has been categorised into smart fabrics and intelligent textiles by the Research and Markets. The material is believed to lead the innovation of smart fabrics in impact protection. D3O became widely used in impact protection due to its properties. In its raw state it flows freely when moved slowly, but on shock, locks together to absorb and disperse energy, before instantly returning to its flexible state.1 It is a synthetic elastomeric polymer that has a reaction time of 1/1000 s upon an impact. 57% thinner than other materials D3O delivers up to 4.5 times more protection.2
EXAMPLE
1
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/D3O,
2
PE foam(14 mm) has a protection value of
0.46
D3O "T5" (8mm) has a pv of
2.58
information about the material properties are taken from www.d3o.com
>>One of the promising materials that might be helpful in future development in automotive design is a specially engineered material made with intelligent molecules that flow with you when you move but shock lock together to absorb the impact energy. It could be used for the seat structure as well as for a mold-in process of the exterior surface. By opening pores, which could be part of the structure there would be a strong interaction between the interior space of the car and its environment. A pedestrian could easily recognize active and passive modes of the vehicle. The breaking up of an exterior surface to a breathing one, could be a very strong sign of future visual interaction in traffic. The characteristics of this material are impressive. Commercialised in 2006, it has fundamentally changed the concepts for impact protection products, such as bike wear and sportswear. For example, helmets can easily be replaced by D3O beanies. These have already been successfully tested and many more products are available for professional as well as leisure activities. D3O made its debut at the 2006 Winter Olympics as a component used in the Spyder GS race suit made for USA and Canadian ski teams.
In the future, D3O could conceivably form - along with other high-tech materials a completely novel exterior.
LOCKED TOGETHER ON SHOCK
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1
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Electroactive_polymers
ELECTROACTIVE POLYMERS >>Electro-active Polymers or EAPs are polymers whose shape is modified when a voltage is applied to them. They can be used as actuators or sensors. As actuators, they are characterised by the fact that they can undergo a large amount of deformation while sustaining large forces. Due to the similarities with biological tissues in terms of achievable stress and force, they are often called artificial muscles, and have the potential for application in the field of robotics, where large linear movement is often needed. "Both dynamic mechanical analysis is a non destructive technique that is useful in understanding the mechanism of deformation at a molecular level. In DMTA a sinusoidal stress is applied to the polymer, and based on the polymer’s deformation the elastic modulus and damping characteristics are obtained.Elastic materials take the mechanical energy of the stress and convert it into potential energy which can later be recovered. An ideal spring will use all the potential energy to regain its original shape (no dampening), while a liquid will use all the potential energy to flow, never returning to its original position or shape."1
>>What would be the advantage using EAPs in this concept? Not only you could use theoretically a combination of D3O and this intelligent material in order to create an organic bio-surface that interacts with the environment, but also you could replace the door opening mechanism of the vehicle and start to rethink the future architecture of a car. Future vehicles will use electric motors - there will always be voltage in this propulsion system to power such a high-tech polymer.
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impulse
>>An impulse is the start of every dynamic process. Its response refers to the reaction of the dynamic system in response to some external change.1 Setting a vehicle into motion represents a response to the impulse of the engine and a transformation of the outer structure would, in turn, be a reaction to this movement. This action and reaction process must be made visible for the observer. In traffic, a pedestrian can then react to the acoustic as well as visual signals of the vehicle. This better enables the pedestrian to decide how to act in different situations. An exterior surface of the vehicle, that „comes alive“ when starting, accelerating or braking by changing its appearance represents an entirely novel method to communicate in traffic. Braking manoeuvres could be rendered more prominent through use of a signal colour light, such as red inside this „skin.“ A person would react much faster in such a situation, seeing the body shell turn from a calm and closed volume into an open-cell object, backlit in red. 1
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/impulse
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>> Based on the themes, described in the previous chapters, all kinds of structures on surfaces could be regarded as inspiration for the concept of the vehicle. The most significant feature of the structured surface is an organic look, which resembles a living organism more than an algorithmic shape - the single elements should fade slowly into the surface. Various pictures that showed the same object in an active and a passive mode were instructing, as well. Images and objects linked with wind and acoustics heavily influenced the conceptual thinking in the beginning of this project.
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breaking up surf
>>In order to receive the strongest contrast between a rigid object and a vivid one it is essential to break up the clean and plane surface and show either a movement of the structure underneath or a visible change around this surface.
faces
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visual dynamics >>Evident dynamic objects and volumes were part of the inspiration for this project. Shape shifting surfaces and materials are the main „tools“ to conceive a new way of interaction between the car and its environment.
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>>The target concerning the design language was clear from the beginning: The sculptural form of the resulting volume of the vehicle should reflect and communicate two basic gestures. A passive state, in which the „organic car“ is in a sleep mode where the surfaces are clean and closed; it is inactive and every single feature line is readable. On the other hand, there is the vehicle‘s active mode. In this case, the important message of the structured outer surfaces, is to manifest a certain level of activity. That means the car is interacting with the environment in order to ensure the right reaction to the car‘s speed. Accelerating and braking are two extreme instances of the car‘s interaction with its environment. The overall appearance and communication of the conceptual idea were more important than the architecture and possible target groups for this vehicle. The silhouette should be balanced and the proportions should harmonise in all states of momentum. In order to achieve the strongest contrast an elegant overall form language was essential. Sculptural treatment of the surfaces led to the desired results, without requiring too many graphical elements. Light elements that disappear when switched off, only visible when active were additional features during the design development.
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sketch
development
f rom s ke tc h e s to 3d
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package layout
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driver + 3 passengers estimated dimensions in the beginning of the project wheelbase length hight width
ca. ca. ca. ca.
3000 4500 1200 1900
mm mm mm mm
package layout
-layout of a modern business vehicle -long wheelbase for a spacious interior -short overhangs and a low silhouette for a sporty overall shape one main focus of the interior is the interaction between the driver and the passenger in the front
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3d development
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one single dlo feature line
int egrat ed light modules
t ransparent wh eel covers
turbine look for a dynamic appearance of a rigid peace
dlo covers th e whole body
without being interrupted by graphic elements
wing element
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rear-end views
" turbine look " wh eel covers and inner rims
DLO - framed by th e two wings of th e body
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front-end views
" sleeping face " if th e car is not s et into motion
th e badge is part of a novel int eractive front
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WHEELBASE
3176 mm
Length 4480 mm hight
1207 mm
width
1779 mm
final dimensions th e opaque DLO turnes into a s emi t ransparent surface
>> The main body and the stretched DLO work independently as sculptures. But it is the interaction between both which creates the unique character of the vehicle. Neither the A-Pillar, nor the rest of the architecture is visible from outside. The transparency of the DLO changes when starting the vehicle. The main characteristic of the parking mode is its closed shape.
Head and tail lights appear instantaneously as soon as the wheel engines start running. Furthermore, the structure of the material will be visible on the bodyside, allowing access to the interior. This organic structure replaces the door mechanism, which works simply by a folding process. Electro-active polymers work together with the next generation of D3O material.
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h eadlights and th e acoustic st ructure in th e front
visible st ructure if th e car is s et into motion or has been activat ed
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bibliography
ONLINE REsources
OTHER ON-LINE RESOURCES
http://www.innovations-report. com/html/reports/life_sciences/report-31020.html
www.worldcarfans.com
www.d3olab.com
www.cardesignnews.com
www.cargroup.org/pdfs/ami.pdf
www.cardesign.ru
www.independent.co.uk „ Quiet electric cars pose no danger to visually impaired“
www.d3o.com
w w w. b b c . c o . u k / n e w s / m a g a z i ne-13416020
www.spiegel.de
www.europarl.europa.eu/document/ activities/cont/201206/20110629AT T22885/20110629ATT22885EN.pdf
www.autoblog.com
www.wikipedia.com
www.independent.co.uk www.bbc.co.uk www.google.com
http://www.caad-eap.blogspot.com/
www.worldenergy.com
http://www.caad.arch.ethz.ch/caadblog_wp/
www.zf.de www.bosch.de
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declarATION
I hereby declare that this document describes my own work, unless otherwise acknowledged in the text. It has not been accepted in any previous application for a degree. All verbatim extracts have been distinguished by quotation marks, and all external sources have been explicitly acknowledged
20th January, 2012 Alexander Leicht
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acknowledgements
>> I would like to thank everyone who believed in me and encouraged me to keep on fighting to the very end. Particularly, I would like to thank my family who supported me every single day of my Master‘s Course in Pforzheim. Finally, I am extremely grateful for the support from my supervisors: Beat Finkbeiner from Opel Advanced Design for giving me the opportunity to work on my Master‘s Degree with the Opel Design Team in Rüsselsheim; and Lutz Fügener from the University of Pforzheim.
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