Art Center Students Gauge New Automotive Interior Designs
2 December 1999
Art Center Students Gauge New Automotive Interior Designs PASADENA, Calif., Dec. 2 -- Forget cup holders and vanity
mirrors. As the needs of motorists grow and evolve, the next generation of
automobile designers is searching for new ways to make car interiors more
comfortable, functional and ergonomic. They're also looking for ways to
ratchet up usability for various demographic groups, including retirees and
low income motorists who might benefit from publicly shared vehicles.
Art Center students recently explored the idea of developing bold and
innovative automobile interiors during a 13-week course. Sponsored by Johnson
Controls, a Milwaukee-based company that develops systems for automobile
manufacturers, students created sketches, renderings, prototypes and models to
address existing problems and provide ideas about future possibilities.
The project required students to push the boundaries of design while
relying on well-grounded business processes. For example, one of the most
daunting challenges for society is finding a way to develop shared public
vehicles. Students Trisha Johnson, Steve Kim and John Kim tackled the issue
by creating a small car tailored to fit low income lifestyles. The group's
Community Shared Vehicle allows for personalization -- using colorful
translucent panels that can change color depending on the driver's desires and
mood.
But it also offers a high degree of functionality. A built-in baby
carrier doubles as a backpack, and a shopping cart built into the rear portion
of the car can be detached and attached as needed -- thus eliminating the need
to load bags of groceries and other items. What's more, it's possible to hose
down the interior, including seats and quickly retrieve items on the floor --
perfect for mothers carting around young children. The vehicle can change
hands within minutes, as someone else needs it.
"It is designed to accommodate the lifestyles of those sharing a vehicle.
We wanted to make the car extremely accessible, convenient and utilitarian --
so that there wouldn't be any obstacles to use," says Johnson. "With minor
design changes, the vehicle could be used for different segments of society --
ranging from single mothers in the inner city to university students to
retirees living in the desert."
Such concepts could serve as the basis for a future generation of cars --
some of which could target market categories that are entirely ignored today,
says James Hotary, a special projects manager for Johnson Controls. "The
automobile industry is now at a point where we are finally seeing cars
designed to accommodate the specific needs of drivers rather than ergonomics
and usability being an afterthought."
As Baby Boomers age, one of the biggest trends likely to emerge is the
need for design solutions that address mobile retirees -- many of whom find it
difficult to get in and out of cars and use the interior effectively. That
prompted one student team -- Do Young Woo, Sangwon Choi and James Kim -- to
provide seats that swivel and tilt for easy entry and exit, and offer foldable
rear seats that allow room for golf clubs, groceries and other items.
"Retirees are more active than ever, and they are growing in numbers. It's
important to offer simple but functional design," notes Young Woo.
The challenge for students creating an automobile for retirees, says Jay
Frankhouse, manager of Industrial Design Interiors for Johnson Controls, is to
design a vehicle that caters to a demographic group on the opposite end of the
spectrum. "In order to understand how a vehicle designed for seniors could
function effectively and provide the required level of convenience, the
students had to conduct a lot of research." Art Center instructors Geoff
Wardle and Danny Yoon provided continued direction, while representatives of
Johnson Controls provided professional guidance. Ultimately, "Students had to
work closely together as a team to simulate the business process that would
occur in a real design studio," notes Wardle.
Yet another group of students set out to design a sport-utility vehicle
that pushes existing boundaries for flexibility. Sean Lo, Deukyong Chung and
Art Osborne developed Group Morphosis, a design that incorporates adjustable
headrests into the roof, modular seating that supports a highly customizable
interior environment, and storage areas that disappear into the dashboard and
floor. "We wanted to create a highly changeable interior that offers fresh,
new thinking about how luxury and utility can be combined," says Osborne.
According to Eric Toth, Director of Industrial Design Interiors for North
America at Johnson Controls, students had an opportunity to redefine ideas
about transportation and car interiors, while representatives of Johnson
Controls found themselves exposed to new ideas. "Our aim is to help students
become better designers who understand the process and bring a high level of
responsibility to the industry," he explains. Johnson Controls works with
over 20 original equipment manufacturers (OEMS) to design, develop and build
car interiors.
Johnson Controls is one of several companies that sponsor educational
projects at Art Center. Others include: Honda R & D, Nokia, The Acer Group,
PSA Peugeot Citroen, Reebok, BMW, Jet Propulsion Lab, Aprilia SpA, Huffy
Sports, General Motors, Intel, Porsche, PictureTel, Renault, Nike, Philips
Design and Toyota. Student projects aren't considered for actual production,
though many of these companies hire Art Center graduates.
Art Center, one of the world's premier art and design schools, offers a
Bachelor of Fine Arts or Bachelor of Science degree for nine majors:
Advertising; Environmental Design; Film; Fine Art; Graphic Design;
Illustration; Product Design; Photography; and Transportation Design. A
graduate program leads to a Master of Fine Arts or Master of Science degree,
and the school also offers classes through Art Center at Night and Saturday
High programs. Founded in 1930, the college has been located in Pasadena,
California since 1976.
