Page 2 of 2
Concept DOT
Varun Niti Singh
According to Niti Singh, the DOT (Direct On-demand Transport) concept is a 'social experiment' which provides a glimpse of urban transportation in 2030. Blending the attributes of car sharing, car rentals and taxi systems, the concept is an autonomous vehicle which can be called upon by users. When requested, the two-seat vehicle arrives at a predetermined location and brings the occupant to their point of interest. The radius space at the front and rear was created to allow DOT to be combined with another to provide seating for four. And as both front and rear windscreens open, users are still able to interact with one another. Designed to combat the ever-increasing congestion and pollution problems in urban areas, the system would be run by city councils, neatly integrating both public and private transport.
Oliver Freer-Ash
The Wave is a vehicle interior concept that revolves around the theme of personalization of the instruments and displays. Using gestural recognition technology, the multitude of buttons and interface menus used in today's cars are rendered obsolete. By simply placing their hand in the central 'recognition cave' beneath the IP and above the center console, users are able to select and navigate through the main modes. Functions are presented on a head-up display unit and visual ‘flow of information' moves through the car via a network of tubes that line the interior.
Daisy
Ginger Zhang
This eco-friendly, three-seat, inner-city vehicle is made of three 'eco-plastic' elements: a recycled PET dome, shape-memory interior and a recyclable underbody. Zhang says she chose the plastics because they were more environmentally sustainable and lighter than conventional materials, but also because they make the vehicle easy to disassemble for recycling while allowing for a deep-draw shape with an integrated form language. Because of the extensive use of plastics, Zhang was able to make the concept's scissor doors transparent while still being easily supported by their hinges. The face features headlamps that use gels, negating the need for electricity. The trunk is actually a drawer at the rear, keeping the mechanism simple.
Nissan GTR
Milosz Szomborg
As you might expect from a design with so many sharp edges, Szomborg's two-seat GTR was inspired by the traditional Japanese obsessions of robots and origami. Szomborg conducted research to determine how robots are built and react, and used this data to create a vehicle incorporating these elements. Its body panels move to improve aerodynamics and its covers feature multiple undercuts, reminiscent of a robot's ‘anatomy'. Another robot-like attribute is its intersecting parts, in particular the one between the door panel and wheelarch. Both the front and rear wheels are covered and feature their own steering mechanisms (15 percent front, 85 percent rear), enabling the vehicle to be maneuvered easily in congested urban areas.
VPV Hammer
Darren McKeage
The VPV is a six-passenger Versatile Performance Vehicle with a sloping roofline that was built using rapid prototyping and then shipped from Canada, where McKeage is VP of Design at Motive Industries. The issues relating to the typical SUV's size, fuel consumption and safety were examined and resolved by fitting an electric powertrain mounted within the wheel hubs. Highlights of the design include the ‘bubble' above the third-row seats (neatly disguised by an integrated roof rack) and the maglev wheels, inspired by maglev trains and the Osmos wheel. This maximizes interior space, as the steering mechanism, suspension and motors are all contained within the wheels.
Related Articles:
Coventry University 'Selected Works' Show 2008
Coventry University MA Degree Show 2007
Coventry University MA Degree Show 2006
Page 2 of 2
