Antar_Mark_s3434701_ResearchBook

Concept SimCAR 2060

PROJECT

BY MARK ANTAR

TABLE OF CONTENT

05-06 07

ABSTRACT INTRODUCTION

08-13

THE FIELD

14-22

CONTEXT & APPLICATION

23-30

METHODS

31-44

METHODS OF EVALUATION

45-50

HISTORY OF THE AUTOMOBILE

51-58

FRAMING THE DESIGN CHALLENGE + SKETCHES

59-60

MINDMAP

61-62

SURVEY

63-64

PERSONAS

65-66

BENCHAMRKS

67-74

1ST DESIGN ITERATION

75-82

FINAL DESIGN AERO SIMULATION

83-84

SELF-DIAGNOSTICS

85-88

COCKPIT

89-90

ACTIVE SUSPENSION

91-92

Doors

93-94

ELECTRIC MOTOR LAYOUT

95-100

PROTOTYPING

101-108

REFLECTION

109-110

REFERENCES

DESIGNER: MARK ANTAR Concept SimCAR 2060 is my honours project for the Bachelor of Industrial Design at RMIT University.

This research book is designed, written, and edited by me.

All photographs and images are mine or they are free for personal and commercial use, where no attribution required.

KEYWORDS & DEFINTIONS SIMULATOR: A driving simulator is a device used in the automotive and racing industry in order to simulate a vehicle’s behaviour under different conditions and for racing drivers to hone their driving skills or to learn a new track.

COCKPIT: A cockpit is the space inside the vehicle where the driver sits in order to drive the car or access the simulator.

CANOPY: A canopy is the glass housing that acts as a shield to the driver.

ACTIVE SUSPENSION: A suspension that can be electronically controlled automatically in order to smooth out any imperfections on a road’s surface, as well as changing a vehicle’s ride-height for each wheel independently to improve aero and stability on the straights or through corners. The active suspension is the basis of SimCAR 2060 in order to simulate a vehicle’s driving dynamics while standing still.

MR: Mixed Reality is when virtual objects are overlaid on top the real world in order to provide an interactive experience for the user.

ACTIVE FLOW CONTROL: It is the ability for a surface to electronically alter its shape in order to change the flow of the air around it.

POWERTRAIN: It is a variety of components that work together to power and drive a vehicle.

DOWNFORCE: In aerodynamics, downforce is the force produced by air resistance on a vehicle’s surface while moving in order to push it down to the ground to increase its stability.

CAD: Computer-Aided Design is a software used on computers to create a 3D design.

THE SPORTS CAR PAST & FUTURE

03 04 Thesis

“ I CONSIDERED THE AUTOMOBILE TO BE MORE THAN SIMPLY A MEANS OF TRANSPORTATION. ” - DR. FERRY PORSCHE

ABSTRACT Sim-CAR 2060 aims to provide an unparalleled automotive driving experience to the driver.

This concept vehicle focuses on promoting safe driving through engaging and entertaining methods. In order to do so, the project relies on a set of technologies that will allow the driver to utilize their vehicle to access a multitude of technologies which includes a built-in mixed reality driving simulator.

To highlight Sim-CAR’s values, the vehicle will be single seated solely electric driven and will fall under the sports car category due to its racecar-like characteristics.

Sports cars have the most potential to benefit from the technology at hand due to the relatively small powertrain and the instantaneous power delivery.

The result is a substantially more efficient vehicle, while retaining the thrilling driving dynamics and

05 06 Thesis

styling. The car will run on airless tires that rely on flexible spokes to provide unparalleled levels of stability and grip. It will benefit from electronically controlled aero surfaces that allow the car to change between high and low downforce configurations for ultimate aero adaptability. To keep it at optimum performance the vehicle will have a self diagnosis program to detect any faulty parts, that will allow the owner get help instantly.

Sim-CAR’s built-in driving simulator aims to increase the driver’s driving skills. It is also a tool to encourage the driver to vent off their urging desire for speed in a virtual environment or they’ll be able to take lessons under the guidance of a virtual assistant.

This technology relies on the vehicle’s active suspension, driver’s seat, and steering wheel, to accurately simulate the vehicle’s

driving dynamics. To provide the full experience, the driver will have an Augmented Reality set up programmed to create a mixed reality environment. This will allow for highly dynamic driving situations for learners and experts varying from canyon roads to race tracks, to exploit the full potential of the vehicle.

Number of deaths from road crashes everyday.

While 15x to 38x more people get injured or disabled.

3,287 A lot of people like to drive fast and I am one of them. But most of us don’t, but a lot still do it.

Speeding on public roads is a major cause of accidents that involves the driver and innocent people.

Sports Car360 is a vehicle that is designed to help reduce speeding and the risks that come with it, by incorporating technology without diluting the sports car experience.

07 08 Thesis

THE FIELD INDUSTRIAL DEVELOPMENT OF THE AUTOMOBILE MOBILITY Mobility is a word that is associated with all sorts of transportation.

Since the early days, humans have explored many ways of mobility, whether it was for agricultural purposes or to cross long distances. Since then, things have moved on and the industry have branched off into so many smaller sections, until it became a part of our everyday lives. The automotive field’s wide spectrum of industry involvements allows the manufacturers for greater creativity to enforce their image in the market. By doing so, they would be attracting new customers to the brand and that could be done through the use of clever services and offerings.

The term mobility describes a wide range of vehicles, but the process of designing, producing and selling these vehicles are common points between all of them. They are products and services that follow the same rule book in order for their manufacturer to succeed. The standard practices that are currently used in the field leave room for creativity. The brands’ respective images are not always well represented due to many restrictions and as a result, they fail to create an experience for the consumers.

In order to create something new, some companies that haven’t been around for long are showing a clearer understanding of what is needed to be done at some risks, in a bid to estab-

lish themselves among the big players in the market. The hunt for new opportunities and the desire to do defy the conventional will lead more manufacturers to keep on improving their services, in order to succeed.

In the very early days, the industry was just about producing vehicles for demanding tasks, manufacturers are now tackling many more areas in the field of mobility, from designing wheelchairs, to scooters and race cars. Manufacturers are always seeking to explore new untapped territories in the field in an attempt to lure in new customers. People with a modern lifestyle and needs, in order to design a vehicle that would exclusively tackle their requirements. The automotive

industry consists of many companies, organizations and groups that specialize in designing, developing, producing, marketing and selling any types of vehicles.

They could range from small city cars, to big construction trucks.

company’s success is how well all three fields are cohesively integrated and executed, which as a result represents their products and philosophy in general.

The process of designing the car till the end of testing and validation takes from two to four years, depending on the manufacturer and the type of vehicle.

DESIGN

HISTORY

During the early phase of a vehicle’s development, all vehicles concepts start as an idea. Later on, designers start to come up with conceptual designs that fit the design criteria assigned to them by the head of the project.

After a final design gets signed off, the engineers start to take over to influence the car’s design in order to make everything viable and functional. This process often keeps going back and forth between the designers and engineers to come up with the best solution possible. Afterwards, the manufacturer starts building prototypes for testing purposes.

That varies from hot and cold weather testing, to crash testing in order for the vehicle to meet all the road legislations and safety standards.

Today’s automotive manufacturers work with suppliers for most of their vehicle body parts. They resort to other manufacturing companies that specialize in certain fields instead of producing everything themselves. This process saves time and money since it requires a lot of resources.

In most cases, car manufacturers give their suppliers the design and specifications of the parts they need, which then get developed specifically to meet their requirements.

When the automotive industry started in the late 1800’s, many manufacturers were able to develop what would be called the “horseless carriage”. During that period and in the early 1900’s, the United States were the leaders when it came to the number of vehicles produced, at an overwhelming 90%. That lasted for many decades, but the Japanese car industry was steadily rising, to overtake the United States in the mid-1990’s.

Automotive companies are organizations that must excel in different fields, such as engineering, designing and marketing. All the aforementioned fields play an integral role for car companies, and what determines the

After a car finishes development and starts production, it would be time for it to hit the market and become available on showroom floors all around the world. The customer’s experience is a major point to all dealerships, as they always strive to provide the best service possible.

09 10 Thesis

Many dealerships get demo models from the manufacturer for the sole purpose of having any potential customers test driving the cars. This is a huge aspect as it heavily influences a person’s decision whether to purchase the product or not, especially in the case of new, unestablished manufacturers such as Tesla Motors.

DEALERSHIPS Car manufacturers open dealerships in key areas in every country and they contract with other qualified and established dealerships to sell their cars. Most of the time, those dealerships do not properly represent the brands they are dealing with since they don’t always share the same ethos and values. On the other hand, stores that are exclusively designed for a single brand tend to be more interactive and informative in a pleasant way and are unlike the traditional dealership with hundreds of vehicles in inventory that a salesperson is simply tasked with selling.

One of the major issues is that normal dealerships can be flooded with inventory vehicles on site, which forces the dealers to sell these vehicles at any cost, and a lot of times, customers get offered huge discounts over the manufacturers’ suggested retail price (MSRP). This method might sell cars on the short term, but it also heavily affects the value of

their vehicles as they start depreciating in value rapidly on the longer term. This process chases away many new potential customers, especially in the high-end car market.

Every manufacturer approaches things differently, and most recently, McLaren Automotive have become known for their exceptional offerings. Their customers are always their top priority, so they constantly get invitations to car shows and events, as well as trips to the manufacturer’s headquarters, with tours across their facilities alongside some of their leading personnel. This method allows a customer to feel more connected and involved with the brand. On top of that, they are always testing and developing their cars, so they provide their old customers with constant software updates to their cars.

That truly represents the nature of how the company operates,

having decades of racing heritage embedded into their DNA. This immersive experience proved to be so positive and along with their excellent cars on offer, they have attracted many customers from rivalling manufacturers, widening their customer base in the process.

Tesla’s approach at distributing and selling cars is due to the current state of auto dealerships.

According to Elon Musk, traditional dealerships have a fundamental conflict of interest between selling gasoline cars and electric cars. It is impossible for the dealers to boast about the advantages of an electric car without diminishing the majority of their non-electric cars that they have on the showroom floor. Such a business plan is beneficial in that all the dealerships involved would be purely Tesla Motors qualified.

Their facilities and workshops are aimed to provide the best experience and service (especially

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their repair shops) since their cars follow a different approach compared to other cars on the market.

This approach isn’t as beneficial for them to spread their dealership network around the world and it is not as cost effective. It is a slower process than the traditional way, but it is sure to provide the best experience for all of their customers. Since Tesla are a new maker in the automotive industry, their dealership concept would allow them to educate any potential customers about their cars and the dealership network with Tesla Product Specialists, which no normal dealership would match.

Designing the entire service from when a customer steps into a showroom floor, to the ownership experience, the vehicle itself and all the events involved have to be connected. They must share the same design philosophy, concept and values in order to maximize a customer’s ownership period, as well as to get better

brand recognition, which would attract more customers to the brand.

Vehicle manufacturers will have new technologies in the future, the cars will be different, and new safety features will be integrated into the cars. Specifically sports cars. The focus some of the new manufacturers are putting in to deliver a better product to their customers is proof of where the industry is heading. As more technologies get integrated into vehicles, their respective identity and everything related should feel like a natural extension. The vehicles should mirror the manufacturer’s image in the market in order to deliver the most involving and honest experience.

Customers are looking to purchase the best car they could get their hands on. Many new technologies in the future will allow customers to feel more in involved than ever. They should get a taste of what the car they are going to purchase or lease

will be like the moment they lay their eyes on the car. Integrating technologies that we all love into the vehicles in order to maximize safety is a great way to improve a sports car. It is a way to get the customers involved in a rewarding and intuitive experience.

13 14 Thesis

CONTEXT & APPLICATION

SAFE & FUN What is it that drives people and keeps them going? For many centuries, the car industry has proved to be an integral part in the ever so evolving and demanding human life. Along with the many activities, lifestyles, and interests that people have developed, the automotive world split up into different sections to address the different needs of the market. Sports cars are the definition of speed and they deliver a thrilling experience to the driver. However, it is also accompanied by great dangers to the driver, as well as pedestrians.

One way to battle this problem is by integrating an intuitive system for the driver to utilize in order to minimize the likelihood of them speeding on public roads. This proposal aims to mirror the experience that a sports car provides into a safety system that is built into the car.

In order to succeed at completing a project as such, under-

standing the ideological and philosophical underpinnings and intent is crucial. Along with that, it is necessary to grasp all the contextual, industry, technological, and user and performance requirements that would dictate the design process. The discussion regarding all the sections proposed reinforces and further validates the concept on how things come to be. Due to many factors and limitations, different solutions are always born. The methods might always be the same, but the results are always different. This is due to the different time eras, as the needs and lifestyles of the customers are always changing.

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SPEEDING This proposal is a product that is designed in order to tackle speeding on public roads. Car manufacturers have long been building vehicles for different intents and purposes.

Some vehicles have seen exceptional success while others have either failed upon release, or faltered through time due to many varied factors. Launching a product into the market requires a great understanding of the customer base that this product is intended for. Automotive manufacturers design cars that target many sections in the industry, with each vehicle being designed to fill in a certain role, but despite this philosophy, all manufacturers have their own specialties and factors which set their identities.

Having people interested in a product means that they are indirectly interested in the brand itself. So applying everything a company presently and historically stands for into the product and its features would ultimately manifest their ideals to the outside world, gaining more recognition and satisfying more customers.

Studying existing vehicles in the sports car segment is crucial to understand what people find appealing in a sports car. This requires a person to delve deeper into how companies and organizations operate, through different means, such as field trips and interviews. Similar to the previous point, a vehicle’s design revolves around the user, in which case understanding what the user needs is what shapes the product.

17 18 Thesis

Analyzing data that has been gathered throughout a period of studies and research is essential in order to discover any useful information that would be used to come up with a solution, and support decision making during a design phase. Now designing sports cars is essential for the market in order to fulfill many of the customer’s desires, but to solve an issue in the market calls for a completely new solution.

Providing special technological features for sports car owners is essential in order to fulfill the drivers’ desires without taking away from their overall experience.

REASON What has led to this concept is the ever so increasing performance and speed of modern sports cars. The enthusiasts’ desire is fueled by their passion for motorsport and competition in general. So naturally, when committing to purchase a sports car, customers want their experience to be filled with memorable events, especially when the majority of them are relatively young and they are seeking to make the best out of their modern and adventures lives. So studying the market allows for an understanding on what the users are looking to purchase, which helps set a specific theme for which the product has to follow.

Furthermore, interacting with the user is essential to understand their needs and requirements.

Basing the research and market understanding on a user’s direct feedback and ideas allows us to set certain fixed points to design around.

Users of certain products have different aspirations. Finding a common aspect between the majority of the users is what dictates some major elements in the design of a product or a service.

A customer’s intel into a product should be carefully considered.

Customers often provide feedback to the company in regards to certain products, that would later on be implemented to improve the product in its later iteration. These newly developed features have to be carefully planned out in order to deliver a cohesive experience for the customers. A lot of existing products are the result of market studies and research. So creating a new product would require careful analysis of other products and services on the market to pick up on what they succeeded at and improve on the weaker aspects of a design.

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THE DRIVER In such a project, taking ergonomics into consideration is every designer’s target in the early stages of a product’s development. This phase is essential in order to base a design on, which shapes the end result. Moreover, understanding what a product is intended to do limits the types of materials that could be used.

Studying any materiel’s characteristics and learning how they function in varied environments and under different conditions plays a big role in deciding which materials to utilize.

These services will be available through different means. Dealerships and showrooms will be equipped with technologies that are on par with what is offered by the manufacturer. Service centers, charging stations and mobile/computer applications will help make the experience uniform. Casting more attention onto the customers gives them

a deeper sense of ownership and belonging. Living in a world that heavily relies on technology have made us more connected to the outside world than ever, but some aspects in the market are lacking in that sense. Having all these technologies available to us, it is important to integrate them into the product that the manufacturer is offering.

This targets car enthusiasts with its appealing methods to keep growing the manufacturer’s fan base. It shows how much the manufacturer cares about keeping true to the sports car and their customers, without taking away from the fun aspect. With this method, it is possible to turn people who are into technology, into car enthusiasts, and that is achieved through the use of indirect methods that appealed to them. However, designing a sports car that is aimed to provide fun to its owner calls for equally fun and involving methods to tackle the speeding issue.

This project plan is mainly aimed at people who have a passion for driving who are also looking to invest in the latest technology.

Designing vehicles that provide sheer driving pleasure that is accompanied with great safety to enhance a customer’s experience is what every manufacturer aims to achieve, and this is where the project takes these concepts up to a new level.

Every manufacturer strives to create its own image. They could go about it through different ways, from having a universal design DNA, to coming up with groundbreaking technologies or even their services and relations with their customers. These different approaches heavily depend on the brands’ histories, heritage, resources, customer base, and market. Being a project that is focused on the sports car market and speeding, understanding what the user enjoys most is what creates the solution. It should involve the customers in more

than just the driving experience.

Sustaining a customer base is important in order to build a bigger community in the future, as it gives a sense of relief and security to anyone who wants to join the brand.

This concept aims to re-vitalize the very idea of safety features and sports cars. Providing a fun and involving way of dealing with the problem at hand is true to what a sports car stands for.

Showing them absolute support throughout the entire endeavor, by providing unparalleled methods in the auto industry proves the brand’s loyalty to the customers. It is a concept that ditches many traditional ways of safety features in order to replace them with better fitting ones, that mirror the next generation of drivers.

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METHODS

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PRIMARY RESEARCH Every project relies on research, in order to develop it further, and to do that, there are many methods that could be used to gather different types of data and information. The results allow us find problems in select areas, as well as opportunities to help us solve them. For my project, I have selected a few design research methods that I found important and relevant for the topic at hand.

Field trips are an essential part of a project while in the research phase of a project. It is a way to get primary research done, through different types of methods, such as surveys, formal chats, and questionnaires. All of the aforementioned methods have a single purpose, which is to find common points to help support the project, by identifying any loop holes in the field that is being studied.

The research methods used fall under three distinct categories, which were done through the use of primary methods, such as field trips and collaborations, as well as reading, which is considered a secondary method of research. Going through all the different methods helps to clearly identify the problems in a specific area which then the project aims to solve.

Conducting surveys is a key way to gather quantitative data for analysis. The main purpose of a survey is to obtain responses from various people, based on the same set of questions. These responses are then analyzed using statistical methods to obtain the data needed. Throughout my project, I have conducted a main online survey which was presented to a select number of people from various backgrounds, in order to finalize the project’s aim.

In order to reinforce the previous results, I also presented a number of questions to people from the industry, be it automotive designers, dealers or automotive enthusiasts, so I set out on multiple journeys to car dealerships where I was able to briefly interview some of the people going into the showrooms, as well as the dealers, with the same set of questions. This method made me realize that change should be applied not only to the vehicle that I will be designing, but also to the showroom floors.

During those trips, I was able to hold a few chats with some of the higher-ups about the current state of the industry and about their vision of the future. Although this cannot be considered as a quantitative data, the deductions that I was able to conclude made me more conscious about the state of the industry, and I was able to gain a lot of insight on the current needs and re-

quirements of the consumers.

Despite the large number of people involved in all of the methods used, the results were skewed in one direction in most cases. People seemed to have interest in electric mobility, but they needed more reasons to purchase such vehicles. The age group which was mostly interested in the project proposed were between the age of 30 and 40 years old. And the main selling points were safety and technological features, and a fun driving experience.

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SECONDARY RESEARCH Researching methods are endless, but to get the best possible outcome, it is beneficial to tackle as many research methods as possible, despite the conflicting results in some cases. This is where secondary information comes in to play. It is important, even if indirectly, to take the information from trusted sources in order to come to a conclusion. In most cases, a lot of the data found on the internet or in books are the result of extensive research done by other parties on a much bigger scale than what an individual is capable of achieving.

Covering the basics when it comes to research is the best way to kick off a project, due to how easy it is to gather the information required. As a result, I started off by searching the internet. To be more precise, I have read many car-related articles, be it about the technologies used and strategies, to update my knowledge in the area.

I have also had many chats with people involved in the industry without asking any direct questions. Many of those people have been either friends or acquaintances for some time. I also browsed many of the automotive forums, specifically threads started by people (owners of particular brands) who have had issues with their car.

Another method I followed during the early phase of the project was going through many automotive related books. Generally, they were engineering or car-history oriented books, which made me more aware of the direction the industry is heading into. Also, delving into service design was a major necessity in order to complete the project.

Adding service design elements into the projects perfectly complements the nature of the vehicle in development.

While completing the primary research, it was also necessary to investigate other sources of information, which are considered as secondary information. Despite it being not as legit as the methods previously stated, following these methods of research helped me support the results and deductions previously made based on the primary information that has been gathered throughout the project.

Seeing all the different Formula SAE vehicles that have been designed throughout the years

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COLLABORATION & LEARNING Gathering data is very important, but it would be for nothing without having the right set of skills to drive the project forward.

In order to design a vehicle with advanced technologies, one must possess some engineering skills, and to further enhance my knowledge in the area, I let a member from Swinburne University of Technology’s Formula SAE (Society of Automotive Engineers) team help me better understand the requirements of electric mobility, aerodynamics, and the importance of the materials used.

Understanding the engineering behind a vehicle is essential in order to design the necessary components and packaging. So studying the basics of this particular area will have a huge effect on the vehicle’s driving dynamics later down the road.

helped me see the similarities and differences between each new iteration.

Despite what was previously stated being the main focus of the teams in general, aerodynamics plays a major role as well. So I looked into computational fluid dynamics to better understand how it works. I was also shown a lot of the early design concepts and results to see where things went wrong and why things were changed.

One more area of utter importance in the design of a vehicle are the materials used. I was able to gain some knowledge not only on the materials themselves, but also the build process. Thanks to the FSAE member, I had the opportunity to study and compare the SAE cars from different time periods in order to see how important the materials are on the general performance of a vehicle.

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Having had a lot of conversations with this FSAE member gave me a huge boost in confidence and made me more aware of the design decision that I would have to make. This method of research is more of a first-hand experience that has enhanced my skills and supported some of the concepts I had in mind.

Researching is an integral part in one’s project, but how one would tackle their research and which methods they utilize is dependent on the nature of the project. It is important to do research based on secondary sources, but it is even more important to support those claims directly through original and primary sources.

The methods I used during my research will heavily influence my decision making throughout the project, and should be apparent in the final outcome.

All the design decisions that were taken during the project should be able to be justified based on the research results, data, and analysis. That project outcome is the result of these findings and it should be apparent as such.

It should have a clear direction with its own identity, that sets it apart from other similar projects on the market.

METHODS OF EVALUATION & VALIDATION

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Every product is designed for a specific purpose and with its intended impacts in mind, but to determine if a design is delivering its objective, the product should be evaluated during development as well as validated in order to determine how successful the design is. The issue with designing a product as complex as a vehicle is that it is sure to fail at delivering what is intended if the product is not carefully evaluated throughout the design development phase and after it hits the market into consumers’ hands.

So in order to avoid this from happening, I will be applying three different evaluation and validation methods that should help me make sure the design and its intended purpose will stay as sharp as conceptualized. For that, I will utilize the Heuristic Evaluation method, Physical Testing Evaluation method and lastly the User-Based Evaluation method.

All three evaluation and validation methods will create a strong and well defined platform for the design during development and after it hits the market in order to continuously improve the design and deliver to the customers’ needs and expectations.

As a result, I will be talking about these methods in detail and expand on them. The chosen methods will cover most aspects and elements on the product I am designing, and should help me make use of any weak areas in the design in order to work on them or to take a different approach in the future to deliver a better result.

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When it comes to products, appearance and aesthetics play a major role in determining how successful a product is. Despite the fact that a lot of products work as intended, not all of them are successful and a big portion of that comes down to the unappealing aesthetics. Another aspect that should be carefully taken into consideration is the practicality and the ease of use of the design from the consumers’ perspective.

The appearance of a product is hugely essential as it sets the first impression for the customers, as a result, it could make the difference between users opting for it, or to instantly move and try something that is more appealing.

Thesis

HEURISTIC EVALUATION

The general focus when designing a vehicle is to get the proportions correct, however, the primary goal of the vehicle should be apparent based on looks alone. So for example, a sports car should not be designed like an SUV, because the aesthetical and functional differences are too important to get the purpose of the vehicle and its capabilities across to the customer.

Another aspect that is of importance is the customizability of the vehicle. The options and aesthetic add-ons should be carefully considered based on market studies. The vehicle’s functions should also share some similarities with other similar products to be easily understood, and to set a sense of familiarity and comfort for the user.

The other heuristic aspect is ensuring great practicality and ease of use for the users, to explore and benefit from the product.

The vehicle should be consistent in the way it delivers information, as well as in how the user interacts with the services at hand.

With the ever so increasing technologies in modern vehicles, it is a primary focus to make sure that the entirety of the functionalities on offer can be easily accessible by the user.

Everything should be designed to be as easily discoverable as possible and the most effective way to do so is by implementing all the features through existing familiar methods. To further enhance the practical aspect of the design, help from company representatives or data books and manuals should be available to users at any time.

The interior layout should be simple and organized, with a limited number of buttons and only the required information being presented to the driver in order to deter from any distractions.

All of those aspects should be taken into consideration to ensure the design clearly responds to the original set of requirements without straying away too much.

Focusing on details as such solidifies the product’s purpose and validates its existence.

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PHYSICAL TESTS However, taking the aforementioned measures is not enough to validate a product. Physical tests have to take place and they play a huge part in determining whether a product will deliver as anticipated when released to the market. Most products can be evaluated through physical tests, however, not all of them follow the same methods, and very few have as many aspects to be evaluated as a vehicle.

Physical testing is demanding and it often proves to be the hardest part of a product’s development, especially when it comes to vehicles due to the so many factors involved in the design. One important aspect that every vehicle must undertake is crash testing. The importance of getting the best results possible is a must.

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In case of failure, sometimes major elements should be redesigned in order to meet the preset criteria. Another harsh testing phase is real world testing. This is when most of the issues with the vehicle start to surface. Tests get carried out through many different rigorous conditions, to simulate every possible real world scenario. However, this is the best time for any parts or design malfunctions to happen, as it will allow me, as the designer to iron out the problems.

Another big step that should ensure the refinement of the product is testing any secondary, but very important aspects. The design of the vehicle should be carefully thought out, in order to avoid cold or heat problems, as well as any leakage issues from the outside.

This is where a vehicle gets tested inside special cold, heat and monsoon chambers to simu-

late the extreme conditions the vehicle might have to endure throughout its lifetime. Some other important tests to evaluate the product’s functions is wind tunnel testing, to make sure there are no major design flaws which could affect the vehicle, and lastly a lot of listening tests.

With the help of listening experts, it is essential to perfect the sounds of every part of a vehicle, such as doors closing or opening, seats adjusting, windows rolling up and down, buttons and switches being pressed, and even noises coming inside the cabin from the outside.

All of these methods should be applied when design a vehicle to validate the level of functionality of every aspect. To fulfill the methods of evaluation I just mentioned, I will ensure that every element is designed to function as intended by running virtual simulation tests.

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USER-BASED EVALUATION METHODS Despite all the testing and development that have been applied throughout the design phase of the vehicle, the product wouldn’t be complete without further performance and satisfaction user evaluations.

A user-based evaluation is the ultimate test of usability, however, evaluating the characteristics of the product can help identify any potential usability problems on the long run and it can be applied before there is a final working system.

It is important to validate the design at the end of the design cycle through the use of methods that collect data from using the product. This can be achieved through questionnaires, tests, user trials and comparison to other similar products. The main focus at this stage is to get a real and

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deep insight into the market’s reaction, specifically the users of the product. Having direct questionnaires to the customers could lead to clearly identify any major issues or problems with the product overall.

Also, many users will test drive the vehicle before committing to owning one, in which case, having a good first reaction is essential to attract people to the brand. And lastly, comparing the final production vehicle to competitor models will determine how truly successful the goals of the project were met.

And finally, validating the final design with real users and real tasks is one of the most effective ways for the designers to directly observe how real users, who are completely unfamiliar with the car would react in certain real world situations. During this stage, it is important to have usability objectives as acceptance crite-

ria and should include specific tasks and documentations for the user. As a result, the designers of the product will be able to get direct feedback and make detailed observations on the situations while the user is completing the specified tasks. Taking notes, recording a video of the test and taking detailed shots will help identify how successful the design has been, compared to the originally set goals.

Evaluating a product is to get a list of all the usability and performance issues. These issues are to be documented in order to solve them to get the best result.

These problems should be put in different categories, depending on the nature of the issue from the users’ perspective or by the estimated benefits of solving the issue.

It is important to always focus on the major problems more, however, any small issues that get re-

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ported and could be fixed easily, should be dealt with quickly.

All of the evaluation results that are being used to validate the requirements, should be implemented into any future quality control process. Evaluation based on a user’s experience is an essential part of the product’s development.

Carrying out expert and user based evaluation of mock-ups of a new design in the early phase of development is integral to highlight all the requirements and to assess how viable the design concept is. When it comes to working prototypes, evaluating them can assess their practicality and ease of use aspect, as well as whether they meet the user’s needs.

And lastly, conducting a late evaluation can validate whether the design has met all the usability requirements and set out targets from early on in the project.

HISTORY OF THE AUTOMOBILE 1.0 - During the early years, front-engined vehicles came to dominate. In 1919, 90% of cars sold had an open top. By 1920, 90% were closed.

- In the late 1800s, LohnerPorsche created an electric vehicle. A later version was a hybrid, which had hub-mounted electric motors and a gasoline-engine generator.

- Hydraulic brakes were invented in 1919. Two years later, the first automatic transmission was invented.

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HISTORY OF THE AUTOMOBILE 2.0 - The sedan/saloon body styles were becoming mainstream, with their trunk at the rear for storage.

- In 1934, Citroen invented the first car with a Monocoque.

- In the 1970s stricter automobile emissions control and safety requirements were introduced.

- In 1980, the AMC Eagle was the first mass-produced production car to have a full-time AWD system.

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HISTORY OF THE AUTOMOBILE 3.0 - McLaren made the first carbon fiber monocoque in the early 1990’s, which has set a standard in the automotive world, and many other manufacturers followed suit years later. The carbon fiber monocoque helped decreases the weight of the cars significantly and drastically improved the safety and dynamics of a vehicle.

- In the last few years, more car manufacturers have started developing hybrid and full electric vehicles, with Tesla Motors being a significant player in the latter segment of the market.

- Active aerodynamics have proved to be the next step to increase a car’s efficiency.

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FRAMING THE DESIGN CHALLENGE

DESIGN QUESTION OF THE PROBLEM AT HAND

51 52 Thesis How might we reduce road accidents caused by speeding, while providing an involving method for sports car drivers?

ULTIMATE IMPACT I AM TRYING TO HAVE

53 54 Thesis I want sports car owners to drive more safely on the roads by providing an engaging and entertaining product.

POSSIBLE SOLUTION TO THE PROBLEM

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Improving the car’s crash structure, implementing mixed reality into the cockpit with driver assists, driving courses, getting rewards for safe driving on public roads, exterior frontal airbags for pedestrians’ safety, have access to their built-in car simulators and driving events.

CONTEXT AND CONSTRAINTS I AM FACING

57 58 Thesis Many drivers are aware of the seriousness of speeding on public roads, but that doesn’t stop many from taking risks in order to fulfill their desires. Speed limits won’t eradicate the problem at hand, because it is doing the exact opposite of what the drivers desire. I want a solution that could be the best compromise for all parties involved.

MINDMAP

Able to order a vehicle online or through a dealership Monthly/yearly car lease programme

Visual customization of a vehicle based on a life-like virtual reality car model

Car summoning through a mobile app

Advanced ordering process

Buying/Leasing

System reboot (on the spot)

Temporary vehicle replacement

Instant car diagnosis Access using the key fob iris scanner Finger print scanner or a biometric 3D face scanner

Service/repair

24/7 access to any qualified auto facility Software update

Constructed from sustainable and smart materials, representative of the vehicles they sell

High use of virtual and augmented reality systems, as well as simulator rooms for virtual test drives

Connectivity/Service Design Dealership network

Advanced dealership showrooms that provide unparalleled customer service

Early vehicle showing before release using a virtual reality device

Experience Interested customers can sign up to stay up to date on a car's development

Early simulator driving

Test Driving TV (Product placements)

Advertising Internet forums

Car meets

Mobile/desktop applications

Motorsports teams sponsoring

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Minimal weight transfer

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Ideal center of mass

Tight packaging

Thesis

Low/high downforce settings

Aerodynamics Driving dynamics

Polycarbonate

Active aero devices

Carbon fiber

Lightweight Shape-shifting surfaces

Aluminum Magnesium

Low center of gravity Titanium Kevlar

Or it could be integrated into the driver's helmet Holograms filled interior Virtual Reality system integrated into the vehicle's windshield

Driver aids/assistant

Improves safety More intuitive experience for the driver

Visual/hand gestures

Project concepts

brake recovery system

Sports car design

Solar cells

Energy harvesting

Car constantly runs diagnostic tests on itself

Autonomous driving gets engaged when the car detects if the driver is tired or drowsy Monocoque

Safety Carbon nanotubes Materials with high tensile strength

Electric motors

Power source Li-ion batteries Purpose driven design

Smooth

Styling Organic

Passionate

Carbon fiber

SURVEY

25% I did an online survey on multiple social media platforms, mainly car-based.

The survey’s aim was to identify the targeted group’s main concern when looking to own a sports car. 72 people took part and the results are as follows.

The top three priorities came in very close, which made me focus mostly on these areas to try and design a concept that connects them all, in order to solve the problem at hand.

23%

20%

15%

13%

4%

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STYLING

PERFORMANCE

SAFETY

SERVICES

PRACTICALITY

LUXURY

PERSONAS

CYNTHIA SMITH INDUSTRIAL DESIGNER

NADIA ABIHARB LAWYER

PATRICK GREEN MECHANICAL ENGINEER

Cynthia is a professional who runs her own design firm. She is single and into technology. Cynthia owns a Sim-CAR specifically due to the technology it packs.

However, she only recently started driving. One day, she was parking her vehicle in a busy area, and suddenly hit a pedestrian.

Nadia is a lawyer. She is single and likes to enjoy life to the fullest. She bought a Sim-CAR due to its design, electric nature and safety features it offers. Nadia likes playing golf, so she always drives her car to a near golf club and stores her golf set behind the central seat.

Patrick is an automotive enthusiast, who enjoys driving fast. He is a big fan of Sim-CAR due to its race car like driving dynamics and the central single seat which makes driving a more involving process.

Luckily, the pedestrian got away from the incident unscathed due to the flexible bubble nose, which reduced the impact to a minimum. Cynthia is now occasionally using the car’s built-in simulator to improve her driving skills.

What makes Sim-CAR so desirable to her is the car’s small size compared to other cars on the road, which makes it easier to manoeuver.

Due to the lack of race tracks around the area he lives in, he uses the hyper realistic builtin driving simulator to drive on virtual race tracks. That way, he would avoid being tempted from speeding on public roads, and he would enhance his race-track driving skills, for future competitive track days.

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SAFETY BENCHMARKS

VOLVO XC90

MERCEDES-BENZ GLC

TOYOTA AVENSIS

JAGUAR XE

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2015 Euro NCAP ratings

CAD MODEL #1

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STUDIO SHOTS

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FINAL DESIGN AERO SIMULATION

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Undergoing aerodynamic simulations allowed me to understand the vehicle’s aerodynamics. The test was done at a speed of 33.33 meters per second.

The underbody, as pictured here with the surface pressure, shows no issues with air building up under the body. The abscence of high pressure areas (in red) under the body proves that the vehicle can travel easily with air pushing it down on the road’s surface.

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ACTIVE AERO: Active flow control Some of the vehicle’s surfaces, the wings in particular are fitted with electrodes. The electrodes can electronically manipulate and control the airflow around the bodywork, enabling the car to cut drag when going in a straight line, or increase the downforce when going through corners for increased stability.

These charged electrodes could turn air around the wings into plasma when turned on through corners. Small plasma actuators could produce far better results in the real world compared to conventional active aero flaps.

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The vehicle’s drag coefficient is relatively low, at 0.26. Overall, the aero is pretty neutral, however, the aero pressure on the top of the vehicle exceeds that of the bottom, to ensure that the vehicle doesn’t have any lift.

This is especially true on the front wings. The red and orange spots are high pressure areas that show where most of the downforce is coming from.

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SELF-DIAGNOSTICS: To keep road or track accidents at a minimum, Concept Sim-CAR is equipped with a monitoring and self-diagnostics system.

The information is constantly sent in real-time to the engineers responsible for this task, in case of a failure. The engineers will be able to analyze the nature of the failure and provide the driver with help to provide any accidents, until the vehicle is fixed.

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COCKPIT: Concept Sim-CAR’s cockpit hosts one single seat, so that the driving experience is solely focused around the driver. The seat relies on electronically controlled actuators to simulate some of the lateral forces on the driver, while simultaneously moving with the steer by wire steering wheel and paddles.

The vehicle’s built-in helmet uses an augmented vision display to provide the driver with a mixed reality environment. This mixed reality system leaves of the vehicle’s interior and exterior visible to the driver, while it replaces the vehicle’s surrounding area into a virtual (almost-realistic) environment.

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DRIVER’S POINT OF VIEW

COCKPIT CONFIGURATION

Suggested seating layout. 3 seats could be fitted into one car, side by side as seen on other sports cars. However, that would add to the overall weigt of the car and would require a larger vehicle in general.

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Final seating layout. To provide a driving experience that is only for the driver, a single seat centred seat was the layout chosen. Due to having only one seat, the design of the canopy was narrowed down for better aero, and the centre of mass was improved.

ACTIVE SUSPENSION: To complete Concept Sim-CAR’s integrated simulator, the system relies on an electronically controlled active suspension to simulate the vehicle’s vertical movement at stand-still. All four sides of the suspension can move independently to simulate the perfect experience.

The active suspension is also a main device that enhances the vehicles aerodynamics and stability while the car is moving.

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DOORS

Concept SimCAR’s doors are relatively small in size due to its single seater configuration. However, that does not compromise ingress and egress. The doors span across the top part of the vehicle only due to vehicle’s low profile.

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The doors are connected with a hinge towards the centre from the front of the car. The are elecronically controlled and can open upwards. When the doors are open, some of the mechanical parts under the skin would be revealed (eg. front suspension).

Suggested layout #1 A single electric motor that is located in the centre of the vehicle and powers the rear wheels.

This configuration is good for a good centre of mass and weight reduction.

Suggested layout #2

E-MOTOR CONFIGURATION

Two in-wheel hub-mounted electric motors. The power the wheels directly and not through a drive shaft, which helps to reduce weight. The motors are smaller in size than in layout #1.

Suggested layout #3 (FINAL) Four smaller electric motors mounted inside each of Concept SimCAR’s four wheels. They are smaller in size than in layouts #1 & #2, which makes them individually lighter, but they output more power. The result of having an all wheel drive system is better traction, which makes the vehicle safer to driver, and quicker from point A-B under any condition.

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1:5 SCALE MODEL

95 96 Thesis I CNC machined the CAD model.

I prepared the RenShape block out of multiple layers. I made sure to include a frame around the vehicles with small tabs arround it to hold it in place, in order to flip it upside down to cut the bottom half.

In the next stage, I sanded the surfaces down to give it a smooth finish and applied some filler due to the CNC machine cutting off some excess material.

Later, I applied the primer before I started painting.

97 98 Thesis I applied 4 coats of gloss white paint on the car and then used a clear acrylic spray paint to give a glossy finish.

I 3D printed the rear wheels and covers out of SLA (resin). Despite the material’s high cost, it was needed to get an out of the box smooth finish to the spokes.

Afterwards, I applied multiple coats of matte black, rubber paint to give a rubbery texture, similar to an actual tire.

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For the final phase of prototyping, I applied a black vinyl to display the windscreen. Another vinyl I used is a wooden vinyl which I applied in the centre, at the bottom of the vehicle.

And finally, I have painted the tailight in red. The light bar runs across the edge of the rear deck.

REFLECTION

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Over the time I have been working on my project, I was required to complete many tasks in order to achieve the result I want.

During this reflective essay, I will be reflecting on the way I approached my project, in order to better understand and achieve clarity of what I am, and will be learning. Analyzing and reflecting on my studies and research gives me the opportunity to explore my work. Most of the time, developing a project is a way to get to a certain goal, but by reflecting on my studies, I get the ability to better understand them, and make a meaning out of them.

Throughout this reflective piece, I will be focusing on how I approached the area, on which I am working. I will also reflect on the way I tackled the problem in that area, and the opportunities it is giving me to reach new milestones of development throughout the research project.

To complete my reflections, I will be going through three distinct steps that will ensure consistency throughout the different stages of this reflective piece. By describing, evaluating and analyzing the events and experiences that I have went through during the development of the project, I will be able to reflect on my work in a clear way.

AREA APPROACH It is not very often during a project that I get the chance to reflect on my own work. However, this will be a significant step in order to keep the project moving forward, and achieve new milestones in the future.

I started the project looking to develop a concept that would improve mobility. Particularly, the automotive industry and the way we interact with it. At the beginning, I didn’t have quite a clear understanding of where

I was heading with the project and what the central concept would be. Despite all of that, I knew that I wanted to integrated virtual reality aspects into the services I would be developing.

This approach would bridge the gap between humans and the vital digital world that we rely on. However, creating a mixed reality service to improve the user experience should not be limited solely to the vehicle itself, but it should also expand to the showroom and everything related to the vehicle.

That much was clear, but to be able to integrate all of the technologies, I had to target a specific customer base. For that purpose, I ran a few surveys, and did some interviews to narrow down my customer base and the vehicle characteristics that are most important for them. All of the events that I experienced were important to keep the project developing in the right direction.

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By the time, I knew what type of vehicle I wanted to develop, its characteristics and features, as well as the technologies and services that I would want to incorporate in order to achieve the complete experience.

It simply did not feel purposeful, rewarding or innovative enough for me. Comparing it to concept vehicles from top automakers, my project lacked that single factor, that would differentiate it from any other vehicle.

Despite the results I had, the project felts like it had no strong direction. I had set a lot of small goals and targets for the concept to achieve, but it lacked individualism. It didn’t have a clear single purpose, despite it having many features and services that reinforce the concept’s purpose.

All of these events were due to the way I approached the project.

My research and developmnt up to that particular point was good, but I weren’t where I wanted to be. It was a combination of many good ideas, without letting one shine and be the leading feature.

It is a concept, built on continuous development, brainstorming, and research. This method allowed me to get satisfactory results. However, despite where I was in the project, I realized that I wanted the project to be something of more significance.

PROBLEM APPROACH Due to how I wanted the concept to have a stronger purpose, I had to keep on generating concepts and ideations in order to come to a point where I was satisfied with the project. As a result, I researched the market more deeply in order to find a real issue with today’s cars to try to solve it in a way that fits the ethos of the project.

As I was looking to find solutions for the problem I am trying to solve, I was looking at ways to incorporate those solutions in a transparent way. I came up with a few ideas that allowed me to enjoy the project far more. The main solution is the driving virtual simulator that is built into the vehicle’s core.

That aims to help resolve the speeding on the road issue to an extent while it acts as an entertainment tool. This is a service

that would make me personally want to utilize and that made it exciting for me to incorporate.

What really stood out from this was how I started perceiving the project and how it had a clearer goal to achieve. Previously, the entire concept was a mixture of many aspects into a single package, while after I decided on a problem to solve, it became more focused and purposeful.

Despite this being a positive thing, I got to this stage of the project towards the end of the research phase. That didn’t hinder the development of the design, but it somewhat changed the purpose from what was initially proposed. Or it is more like the project had no meaningful and impactful purpose and it found one later on, which made it worth the effort.

This stage of development was necessary to add a certain x-factor to the project. Adding all the elements I developed for the concept has made it more entertaining and engaging for the users, while solving existing issues at the same time.

That conclusion which I came to rather late throughout development made me want to further improve it. In contrast to what I had earlier in the project, it now feels like a mature concept, going directly to the point. It has an objective that it wants to complete, and that sense of target is what should make the project keep going straight to meet its goal.

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OPPORTUNITY Going to the next stage of development, it is important to have a clear way of developing the project in the future. Based on the reflections I made up until now, all the knowledge and methods I used should be put into practice to smoothly reach my original target. I should be able to see what went badly and what I can improve on, for the project to turn out as expected.

Up until now, the project has been more focused on research and development. However, things have taken a major turn throughout the second semester, to see the project come to fruition. I have made a 1:5 scale model of the vehicle through CNC machining a prototype out of RenShape.

3D printing is also utilized to complete the prototype. As a result, I 3D printed the rear wheels and wheel covers out of SLA.

Illustrations and renderings are made, in order to clearly communicate how the concept works and what its objectives are.

I have also completed a CAD model and I have made renderings through KeyShot to perfectly showcase the design. I felt comfortable throughout this stage, as I have already established a strong base for it.

During the prototyping phase, I have encountered a few problems before completion, due to the many types of deliverables.

However, the end result is very direct in the way it communicates all the aspects of the concept to the viewers. The fact that I have digital and physical models should showcase all the features that are being presented.

Every detail of the presentation counts, so I had to make sure I have all the necessary tools to portray the design. As it is a product that is designed with other

services in mind, it was vital to let the design and illustrations do the talking.

Choosing the methods in which a concept is to be presented depends on the nature of the project. Choosing the particular aforementioned methods is the best way to attract maximum attention in the automotive industry. Presenting a physical prototype is a method that has been heavily practiced over the years.

When I first started working on the project, I was feeling comfortable that it spans across the entire year, which meant that I had a lot of time for development. Despite it being true, this long term project has proved to be troublesome in some ways. Due to having a lot of time to research and develop the concept, I ended up changing and adding more features into the concept.

I came to a point where I wasn’t

even sure if I liked the project, as it felt blend and not focused enough. However, I kept on looking for ways to improve the concept, without having to resort to a completely new one. I wanted something that perfectly fits in with the theme I am presenting.

The last few weeks of the semester were essential to me as I was able to finally be satisfied with my own work, before proceeding to the next step.

This reflective essay is necessary to reflect on my experiences and events. It is an essential way of thinking and evaluating my own work, to explore the level of my learning. Working on this essay has made me conscious on what went wrong during the project, and how I can improve on things in my future work.

In order to prevent any unwanted events from happening as with the first part of this project, careful considerations and planning had to be set out at every stage. Sticking to a certain plan, to meet all the small goals before a project milestone should keep development on track, without having to change major plans midway through.

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REFERENCES (1929). U.S. Makes ninety percent of World’s Automobiles Popular Science.

(2013). “Automotive Industry “. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Automotive_industry.

McLaren-Automotive (2012). http://www.carmagazine.co.uk/car-news/industry-news/mclaren/mclarengives-mp4-12c-power-and-gadget-upgrade/.

Musk, E. (2012). https://www.teslamotors.com/en_AU/blog/tesla-approach-distributing-and-servicing-cars. http://www.mclarenlife.com http://www.rennteam.com http://dkit.ie.libguides.com/c.php?g=314500&p=2099404 http://www.nap.edu/read/11893/chapter/10#273 http://slideplayer.com/slide/5977015/ http://www.sampletemplates.com/business-templates/heuristic-evaluation-template.html http://www.skillsyouneed.com/learn/research-methods.html http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/next/space/plasma-air-control/

109 110 Thesis https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Denis_Coelho/publication/224831558_An_Approach_to_Validation_ of_Industrial_Design_Concepts_Inspired_by_Nature/links/550977440cf26ff55f858cd7.pdf https://www.me.utexas.edu/~ppmdlab/files/ccs.valid.square.Jan05.pdf http://www.audi.com/corporate/de/karriere/audi-als-arbeitgeber/mitarbeiter-erleben/marcus-kuehne.html http://www.slideshare.net/b.nicolls/how-to-write-a-reflective-essay https://student.unsw.edu.au/reflective-writing Engineering Design Methods (Strategies for Product Design) - Third Edition - Book http://www.euroncap.com/en/ratings-rewards/latest-safety-ratings http://www.euroncap.com/en/results/mazda/mx-5/21394 https://bitre.gov.au/publications/ongoing/road_deaths_australia_monthly_bulletins.aspx http://www.engineering.com/Videos/VideoPlayer/tabid/4627/VideoId/2706/The-Making-Of-A-Shape-Shifting-Material.aspx https://www.canva.com/ https://www.pexels.com/

SPECIAL THANKS TO: - Supervisor: Arjun Jayendran - All RMIT staff and workshop technicians, who have supported me and provided great help throughout the year.

- 3dpe: 3D printing services.