Suppose five years in the future, anticipating oil shortages, a creative develops a non-polluting alternative propulsion system that doesn't even require lubricants. Fascinated by his finding and with high expectations of having a great impact on industry and public opinion, he decides to mature his project more.
The subject forms an interdisciplinary team composed of an aerodynamic expert, an interior designer, a body stylist or designer, and an aeronautical engineer. The result is a vehicle that does not pollute the environment, is silent, does not require any petroleum derivative (does not use hydraulic systems), does not require gearbox or other reduction system, has a range of 1,200 km.
The design of its body is absolutely innovative, free of stoppers (360º vision) and with formal transitions that collaborate with its aerodynamic efficiency (with a coefficient of 0.10) and unlike any car that has been on the streets. The materials inside are flame retardant, the car is not driven but “navigated”, has no steering wheel or pedalboard. The project, in turn, has a sub-project consisting of a satellite navigation system, which on routes and motorways enables an autopilot function.
Like every project well realized, it has a macro strategic plan that includes financial and economic factors, which in turn plans the aspects of the manufacture of this vehicle, which reduces plant costs by 25% per unit, having applied a system of total quality and continuous improvement superior to those applied by Toyota today (this company is currently the world's top reference in terms of such processes).
Now comes the interesting part, the time to reflect on the behavior of the human being. It is more than likely that the described vehicle will not be accepted by the public because it is too far ahead of its time, but not only technically, but also “culturally”.
It is a frequent mistake in the design of products, seeing the object to be designed or developed technologically separate from its user, its market and segmentation, its competence and above all the culture of consumption and adaptation to innovation of its potential customers. This is what I want to share in these writings, concepts of rational and objective design, that if it is broad in its horizons and ambitions, it must even adopt the subjective factor for its insertion into society.
© Adrián Blanco 2004 — Prohibited the total or partial reproduction of text and/or images without explicit written consent of the author. —