RETRO

Retro is a project which explored the opportunity of improving both the reliability and community for classic car users.

The two critical elements of this project were the sensors which collected several data points of critical engine components and the service which would allow classic car users to share their knowledge and experience on an intuitive device and web service.

The Hub was designed to match the interiors of classic cars. The hub will alert drivers when there is an issue in the engine bay and aid the maintenance by pinpointing areas that need to be fixed, using the hubs touch screen interface. All information from the sensors is uploaded to the online service which helps users log the data to keep track of their maintenance.

The online service allows classic car users to share their knowledge and experience of owning and using classic cars. They are able to give advice to other users advice on technical problems using the data which is logged on the service by the sensors. Additionally, it allows users to share positive experiences by sharing their favourite roads and allowing users to meet up and find other like-minded individuals.

Brief

The original brief highlighted the importance of creating an early warning system for critical components within the engine bay to improve the reliability. The brief also focused on providing an online service allowing users to share their experiences and knowledge with other classic car users.

Insights

Research found reliability and continual maintenance are a problem that classic car owners regularly face. Therefore, creating an early warning system for critical components within the engine bay to improve the reliability was critical to the brief. This was further explored. The reliability now heavily focuses on the maintenance of the entire car; using data from various sensors, users are given logical and accurate diagnostics on components which need to be maintained, to improve the reliability and efficiency of their cars. The research also highlighted the opportunity of improving the community aspect, giving users more opportunities to get out and drive their classics, sharing their passion with other enthusiasts. It also allows them to share their own valuable knowledge of working on classic cars and share this information with other enthusiasts to help the less experienced.

Demand

There are currently 1,039,950 classic cars in the UK (MacLeman, 2016). A survey was carried out trying to understand who would be interested in this product and who would be willing to pay. It was found that 40.4% of the population asked said yes to using a service that would improve the reliability of their classic car (Betteley, 2021). Using this data, it is calculated that there are potentially 420,140 users in the UK alone. US is much larger with 6-7 million classic cars on the road. (Wiebe & Muller, 2019).

To test the whole concepts viability, multiple different types of prototypes were made to analyse certain aspects of the design. To test the hub and stand, it was decided that 3D printing would be the best method to test and evaluate the design. To test the sensors functionality and connectivity, prototypes were made using an Arduino and a raspberry Pi. Digital prototypes were used to test the UI/UX and the aesthetic of the physical prototypes.

The user browses new routes to explore and save to the Hub.

The user checks to see if there are any issues with the car. He finds there are two problems which need fixing.

The user goes to the garage to carry out the maintenance.

The user attaches the Hub using the carabiner to a hook on the bonnet.

The user carries out the maintenance suggested by the Hub.

The user starts his journey, heading to an event hosted by other classic car enthusiasts.

The user gets a warning that his engine temperature is high and needs to pull over.

The user checks the hub to find the source of the problem, he finds the engine temperature is high because the coolant hose is clogged.

The user carries out the suggested advice and unclogs the coolant hose

The user continues with his journey.