One of the world’s top automotive design courses has revealed 12 cars of the future, penned by wannabe designers who could be working on production cars soon. Graduate students at the Royal College of Art in London were asked to create cars of the future, with a focus on sustainability and striking a real emotional chord with consumers. Read on to find out more: warning designer imaginations are on the loose…
The graduates from the Royal College of Art 2014 show
Virtuous – the honest EV by Daniel Quinlan
Quinlan’s chunky two-seat electric car builds on the freedom of using EV power compared with a traditional petrol powertrain. It’s got etched glass and a fantastic wheel-at-each-corner stance.
Fresh * Air by Xiangyin Yao
This light and airy concept investigates the theory that enclosed spaces heighten everyday stresses. ‘Via the help of innovative materials, a car that can rejuvenate automatically will provide the experience of natural air flow and fresh oxygen,’ says Yao cryptically.
Genesis by Weiyi Wang
Designed for the year 2050 when Wang says humanity will be co-operating better with nature. ‘This project aims to explore the possibility and the beauty of ‘A totally green car’; a vehicle that is formed naturally as opposed to on a production line.’
BMW SIG – Brain rules by Vera Jiyeong Park
Park designed her BMW SIG to work with future neuroscience to improve driving pleasure. ‘By utilising its own brain in sync with the driver’s brain the driver can ‘feel’ SIG, maximising sheer driving pleasure and mental stimulation.’
The ‘Super Normal’ Bentley by Hoe-young Hwang
Hwang’s sleek Bentley is claimed to be the antidote to computer design and 3D printing: ‘[this has] an understated ‘super’ aesthetical quality which…is in alignment with the essence of Bentley.’
Wreck-Less – The Car that Doesn’t Crash by Selim Benhabib
Benhabib’s ‘Wreck-less’ car replaces modern safety crash structures with crash-avoiding autonomous software. ‘It brings back the lightness, freedom and carelessness from before the era of safety implementations.’
Mercedes Rainmaster by Nicholas Dunderdale
This 2085 Mercedes does away with the traditional location of electric car componentry, placing its batteries in the body sides. ‘The central structure is then light, open and even removable allowing a two seated vehicle to be used as two individual, and independent, motorbikes.’
Beautiful Death? by Minwoo Hwang
Unlike cars of today, Minwoo’s ‘Beautiful Death?’ has the end very much in sight. ‘This vehicle attempts to address a serious flaw with the death cycle of a car. The antithesis of the conventional vehicle, where it’s end hasn’t been resolved, with wasteful recycling.’
Light Vision Maserati by Ji Won Yun
The Light Vision Maserati takes a refreshing step back from the sometimes overly-complex current car design and ‘expresses a low-fat premium design approach that rejects superficial luxury and gets away from excessive overwhelming ornamentation.’
Bentley Sterling by Jannis Carius
Carius wanted to ‘prove that the car can become something like an heirloom which you inherit from your grandfather’ with his analogue watch-inspired Bentley Sterling, apparently opposing the undesireable ‘digital watches’ that are modern cars.
Morphosis – Evolve + Converge // Driving as Distraction by Franklin Brown
Looking to take driving back to basics, Morphosis ‘explores a future where the automobile remains a primary means of personal transport’ but in a world where driving is now the distraction. Brown claims making the cabin the primary focus will remedy this.
Tangible Absence by Francesco Binaggia
Taking a non-driver-focused slant, Binaggia’s car ‘uses a self-balancing Segway technology’ to balance the ‘nest’ cockpit. According to Binaggia, ‘the new luxury is to be disconnected.’
How to visit the Royal College of Art show 2014
The RCA welcomes visitors to the vehicle design show. It is open daily from 12-8pm until 29 June 2014 (but note the exhibition is closed on 27 June). Just drop in at the RCA, Kensington Gore, London SW7 2EU.