Autonomous Piloting
Using autonomy to push the limits of driving and provide unrestricted immersive experiences
Initial Research
This studio class was a combination of interaction designers and transportation designers. We worked together to come up with a fleshed out concept of an autonomous vehicle that uses OLED screens somehow.
To begin my partner and I began exploring various topics to help guide us in picking a theme for the vehicle.
- Existing technology for interaction
- High speed racing interfaces
- Futuristic designs in science fiction films and tv
Understanding the Driver
One last aspect to explore was driving itself and what that experience is like for the modern driver. So my partner and I went for a drive. I drove for hours describing my feelings and thoughts as I experienced different events. While I complained about traffic and described the feeling of driving to your favorite song, my partner Cesar recorded everything. I later mapped all of his notes to give us a clearer understanding.
Our Concept
This studio class was a combination of interaction designers and transportation designers. We worked together to come up with a fleshed out concept of an autonomous vehicle that uses OLED screens somehow.
In a class full of students eliminating driving for exercise or resting, Cesar and I went the opposite direction. How will autonomous driving effect people who love to drive? How can it enhance the driving experience?
First our vehicle had to switch from autonomous to manual drive and adjust the interior to accommodate the setting.
Next we looked to use the autonomous system as a safety net allowing the driver to speed and drive however they choose. The system would merely be correcting and preventing potential crashes. This allows the driver to feel the speed and the forces during curves and lane changes. Whether it's haptics in the seat and steering or air flow combined with sound in the headrest, simulated feedback elements enhance the driving experience.
Gamification
Our driver needs more to do than simply go fast and we wanted to tap the visual element of the driving experience: watching for other drivers, seeing yourself rush past other vehicles, the environment you're driving in. With the advantage of OLED screens, we added game elements to not only add heads up display icons, but fully transform the environment from highway to dystopian future or a space freeway. These round out our game concepts like racing the maps ETA, multiplayer racing, or tag.
