Client
- ArtCenter College of Design
Date
- April - August 2017
Key Deliverables
- Research insights
- Autonomous Vehicle Design
- Logistics System Design
My Team
- Raul Reyes - Grad Industrial Designer
- Joshua Han - Grad Industrial Designer
THE MISSION
The confluence of GPS positioning, high speed wireless networks, AI, policies, high speed processing and sensing technologies will soon support large numbers of road vehicles to operate autonomously. The disruptive implications of this new technological landscape have been broadly discussed and anticipated for years, especially in regards to vehicle drivers, manufacturers and consumers.
However, recent history has repeatedly proven that important business opportunities have emerged to address secondary effects that were created by the primary disruptive forces.
"What new business opportunities might emerge with self-driving cars?"
THE APPROACH
Designing the concept
The key to designing an autonomous vehicle network is a clear understanding of the use-case scenarios. The guiding objectives were the ability to travel between rural and urban locales while carrying enough produce to be worth the trip.
To develop the form, I started in the realm of conventional passenger vehicles and expanded to maximize cargo capacity and battery packs with an approachable aesthetic.
With a goal of designing in versatility, I opted for a symmetrical electric AWD layout and four-wheel steering. These features enable the vehicle to switch orientations if needed and maneuver in tight spaces.
The final step, was mapping out the system logistics for decentralized supply and distribution.
THE RESULTS
Introducing Wholesome, an autonomous vehicle concept that ferries fresh produce from local farms to city centers. By forming a highly efficient distribution network and convenient delivery, locally produced fruits and vegetables can go from farm to wherever.
