Crashworthiness design is one of the most critical areas of automotive design. It is really demanding for the structure and can therefore have a large influence on the final design. It is also difficult to model accurately and costly to simulate which has an important impact on the design process. Most car companies have now stopped addressing crashworthiness design with trial and error approaches, in favour of more advanced automated structural optimisation methods. While most relevant applications so far use size or shape optimisation, the ultimate way to achieve significant mass reduction is to use topology optimisation. However, topology optimisation methods for crashworthiness design are still a work in progress. Due to the high non-linearity of crash simulations, well-established classic topology optimisation methods cannot be applied directly to crashworthiness design. Alternative methods have been and keep being developed such as the Equivalent Static Loads method, the Ground Structure Approach or the Hybrid Cellular Automata (HCA). This thesis introduces an adapted version of Hybrid Cellular Automata using thin-walled ground structures. It combines the advantages of computing a real crash simulation while producing as an output a thin walled based topology needing minimal post-processing effort to be translated into a realistic design. In this method, the topology optimisation domain is filled up with a ground structure of thin walls which constitutes the elementary cells of the HCA method. These macro-elements replace the solid mesh elements used in the classic HCA approach. The details and implementation of the method are presented and discussed. Different application examples are detailed, including defining reinforcement patterns within extruded beams. Enriched space fillings patterns are studied and industrial application examples are presented. Eventually, recommendations for further studies and applications of the method are given.

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O objetivo deste trabalho é fazer uma contribuição ao Método de Desenvolvimento Automotivo, especificamente sobre a concepção de novos produtos automotivos, por meio de uma análise crítica a partir de uma hipótese proposta de método de um estudo de caso. O estudo de temas pertinentes procurou incluir temas multidisciplinares ligados à Estética do Produto Industrial e à sua História, ao Gerenciamento de Projetos, a Metodologia de Estímulo à Criatividade, a Ergonomia e Fatores Humanos. O Método Proposto por hipótese, baseado na experiência do autor, incluiu de forma sintética quatro fases de desenvolvimento: a pesquisa, a proposição de alternativas, a definição da melhor alternativa e a execução. O estudo de caso está baseado em uma oportunidade de conceber um semi-reboque autoportante para produtos perigosos, o que permitiu que parte do método pudesse ser testada em sua eficiência. As conclusões do trabalho revelaram pontos em que a aplicação do método hipotético mostrou-se satisfatória e outros apresentou oportunidades de melhoria bem como de continuidade da pesquisa. / The contents on this work it is a contribution to Development automotive Method, specific to new products concepts, through a critical investigation. The theme study case was covered multi-disciplines topics such as: Product Esthetics and History, Project Management, Methods & Creativity stimulus and Human Factors. By the hypotheses the method proposal contemplated synthetic four phase development, Research, Alternative Solutions, Definition of he Solution and the Execution solution. The base study is supported by the opportunity to design a new product: No chassis truck trailer, to transport danger liquid materials, also to try this method for efficiency. The conclusions showed several points for hypothetical method applications with a satisfactory results, it is encouraging to continue this research.

Automotive design is a specialized discipline in which designers are challenged to create emotionally appealing designs. From a practice perspective, this requires that designers apply their hermeneutic as well as reflective design thinking skills. However, due to the increasing demand for new car models, it is not always possible to keep generating new car designs without some form of assistive means. Therefore, it is common practice to use Automated Morphing Systems (AMS) to facilitate and accelerate the design process in the automotive industry. However, AMS, which is an efficient algorithmic driven tool for form generation, lacks the emotional knowledge of human beings, as well as the ability to introduce a “creative” and preferably a “winning” design. The purpose of this research is to study designers' reasoning about product (automotive) form, their form generation activity, and the implications of these. The research objective is to understand how designers generate forms driven by their implicit values, beliefs and attitudes towards designing, and how these are supported by their visualization and representation skills. Four research questions have been formulated in order to get a firm answer posed in this research. Generation of measurable and testable data – which involved both qualitative and quantitative research to gather and analyze implicit and explicit designer’s knowledge – constituted the main empirical effort for this thesis. A design research methodology framework consisting of three different parts was used in this data gathering exercise. These parts are: descriptive study I, prescriptive study, and descriptive study II. They involved methods such as surveys, observation studies and evaluation studies. Master’s students’ evaluations as well as the designers’ own interpretations of their sketches – which represent the sequence of morphed forms – were considered essential aspects of the empirical studies. The findings of this study can be summarized as follows: Approaches in form development among designers vary due to their experiences, which affect their sketching abilities, activities, and implicit thinking patterns. In their sketching and form development activities, designers emphasize the most informative views, such as façade and three quarter front views, compared to other views of the car. Rather than adopt a uniform transformation strategy which includes the entire car, they also select what elements to morph. In manual form generation, designers contribute with their personal and creative input in the development of the forms of the overall car, its selected items, and regions that determine the overall character of the car. Major differences in the morphing approaches applied by designers and automated CAD systems reside in the recognition and interpretation of the meaning of form elements. Considering the inability of AMS to morph selectively and inconsistently, as well as to introduce ambiguity and variance, it is suggested here that AMS may be useful only for convergent transformation, which typically occurs during the later stages of the styling process. Although perceptions vary according to how representations are presented in the morphing process, the Perceptual Product Experience (PPE) framework can still be considered a useful tool for establishing familiarity, for understanding quality characteristics and the nature of the product, and, finally, for determining meanings and assessing the values of form elements. In conclusion, the work presents a descriptive model for practice-based design thinking about form development in automotive design. Manual interpolative morphing has been the focal area of study. The study categorizes meaning with respect to designer perception. Based on the study of manual morphing exercises, a new methodology of analyzing form syntactics, pragmatics and semantics related to design thinking, form development, and automotive design has been developed.

This paper begins by showing the need and motivation for an examination of automotive design education. That is followed by an overview of the current state of the art in the field as exemplified by the programs of Art Center College of Design, College for Creative Studies, Academy of Art University and other institutions offering undergraduate transportation design programs in the United States. Particular attention is given to the integration of new technology into the design curriculum. Once the baseline has been established and the range of current practice revealed, possibilities for the future are explored through the insight of leading educators, software developers, and professional design studios. Not to be overlooked but slightly tangential to the thrust of this paper is the great importance of the student population and educational theory. Ultimately this paper will grapple with the opportunities presented by the introduction of computer based design tools into the traditional industrial design education process. Proposals will be made with regard to new curricula that better serve the students, the academic institutions that prepare them, and the industry to which the graduates matriculate.

This project is questioning our modern way of life. With the current capitalistic economy we are draining the world on resources and creating inequality among people. It is often said the the capitalistic system is lifting people out of poverty and there is no better way. However, it is proven to be negative for our ecology and it is important that we find new ways of develop mobility. So our future generations can enjoy the freedom that we today have become so ac-customed to. What can we do to consume less and respect the world we are living by. Is it a matter of consuming green. Or do we need a fundamental change in how we create things. A bright light in these questions is maybe to head into a circular economy. This project therefore explores how a automotive interior would look like when designed with a circular mindset. Could a Universal Basic Income reduce extraction and what is the role of A.I and automation in the development for better mobility. For this project an in depth literature research was carried out to gather information about our economic system and social factors. The research about digitalisation and automatisation have been gathered from highly regard-ed magazines and web news papers. Second part of the research is also web based, and about sustainable materials that could be used in this interior concept. The design phase started with creation of a user in a chinese context, based from the trend analyzer firm Stylus. China was chosen because it’s a rapid growing economy and it’s the main market for the Chinese-owned car brand Lynk & Co. The collaboration partner for this thesis. The design phase followed with sketching to quickly visualize early ideas. These were then brought into a CAID program to fit the chosen package of a small city car. The design was created around a male mannequin to ensure usability. A full-size mockup was built to test functions and validate design around a large male and the smallest female percentile.  The project resulted in a strategic concept of how a new business model would push for a greener development using a circular mindset. From that perspective a interior was created using sustainable materials. The overall struc-ture is covered in a hard cover manufactured in recycled plastic. The seating and dashboard were design with the highly efficient material Abroform in mind. Abroform is based of Lignin which is a byproduct of the paper indus-try. Therefore no additional extraction is needed making it sustainable. Further it had all the positive design charac-teristics from conventional plastics. The soft seat cushions and the front dash was designed with compressed felt, manufactured from organic wool. These parts created a friendly and soft interior and are easy changeable for maintaining purposes. Overall the interior focused on providing smart storage solutions using few materials with an “bolt-on aesthetic”. The design language is using a friendly surface treatment and to include users make the journey pleasant.

O objetivo deste trabalho é fazer uma contribuição ao Método de Desenvolvimento Automotivo, especificamente sobre a concepção de novos produtos automotivos, por meio de uma análise crítica a partir de uma hipótese proposta de método de um estudo de caso. O estudo de temas pertinentes procurou incluir temas multidisciplinares ligados à Estética do Produto Industrial e à sua História, ao Gerenciamento de Projetos, a Metodologia de Estímulo à Criatividade, a Ergonomia e Fatores Humanos. O Método Proposto por hipótese, baseado na experiência do autor, incluiu de forma sintética quatro fases de desenvolvimento: a pesquisa, a proposição de alternativas, a definição da melhor alternativa e a execução. O estudo de caso está baseado em uma oportunidade de conceber um semi-reboque autoportante para produtos perigosos, o que permitiu que parte do método pudesse ser testada em sua eficiência. As conclusões do trabalho revelaram pontos em que a aplicação do método hipotético mostrou-se satisfatória e outros apresentou oportunidades de melhoria bem como de continuidade da pesquisa. / The contents on this work it is a contribution to Development automotive Method, specific to new products concepts, through a critical investigation. The theme study case was covered multi-disciplines topics such as: Product Esthetics and History, Project Management, Methods & Creativity stimulus and Human Factors. By the hypotheses the method proposal contemplated synthetic four phase development, Research, Alternative Solutions, Definition of he Solution and the Execution solution. The base study is supported by the opportunity to design a new product: No chassis truck trailer, to transport danger liquid materials, also to try this method for efficiency. The conclusions showed several points for hypothetical method applications with a satisfactory results, it is encouraging to continue this research.

Toda variação dimensional de montagem está baseada no empilhamento entre geometrias por formas e furos/pinos de localização em dispositivos. A capacidade de se garantir a menor variação dimensional é proporcional ao número de empilhamentos e ao comportamento geométrico dos componentes para formar o conjunto. Quanto maior a dependência geométrica no empilhamento, maior a probabilidade de variação. Entenda-se por dependência geométrica as conseqüências dimensionais circunstanciadas pela geometria de contato entre componentes, que facilitarão ou não os processos produtivos. Por este conceito, as necessidades relativas ao controle produtivo baseiam-se na capacitação do processo à necessidade do produto e vice-versa (a um processo instalado, desenvolver o produto cuja fabricação seja capaz em garantir o seu desempenho). A capacitação do processo deve-se à garantia sobre controles de componentes e conjuntos, mediante a avaliação de correta aplicação de tolerâncias dimensionais e geométricas no projeto e na garantia do processo. O desempenho do produto está garantida pelos seis graus de liberdade traduzidos como referências de localização e montagem para a sua função. Aspectos relacionados à rigidez de estrutura são relevantes e poderão ser inseridos nos estudos para garantia de conceitos a serem avaliados. O diagrama operacional proposto tem como foco reunir atividades e padrões de desenvolvimento de produtos e capacitação do processo, gerenciados por ferramentas de desenvolvimento e qualidade e controle dos processos. O benefício principal do diagrama operacional está na identificação de correlação de atividades, padrões de variações e capacidades produtivas, por meio da criação de referências geométricas e dimensionais. Por meio deste diagrama operacional há o desenvolvimento associado à avaliação de validação de montagens de produtos. E ainda uma correlação conseqüente à otimização de processos e produtos. A base de dados para esse projeto está nos vários processos e conceitos de produtos empregados, na disponibilidade das referências bibliográficas sobre viii capacidades de sistemas de inspeção, introdução aos princípios de tolerância, intrínsecas ao desenvolvimento de produtos e processo, ao processo de validação de componentes, nas análises de tensões e deformações e pelo embasamento em tolerâncias dimensionais e geométricas pela ASME Y 14.5 M. Identifica-se ainda a padronização de aplicação de referenciais para inspeção e processos de união entre componentes, definidos por estratégias de localização. / All assembly dimensional and geometric variation are based on geometries stack ups by profiles, locating holes and pins on fixtures. There is a direct relation between the number of stack ups, the final variation and geometry of assembly components. The probability of variation is directly related to the geometry dependency, that are circumstances of dimensional consequences for product and process. Based on this concept, process control is related to the process capability and product performance, and vice-versa (based on a installed process, the product must be robust for that process). The process capability focus the components and assemblies assurance, based on the dimensional and geometric tolerance. Also the process assurances are about components and assemblies control, based on correct dimensional and geometric tolerance. The product performance is dimensionally assured by the six degrees of freedom translated as locating and assembly references for its function. Aspects related to the stiffness are relevant and the concepts will be presented. The proposed Operational Diagram is focused to meet activities and product pattern development with process capacity, managed by quality tools and process control methodology. The benefits of Operational Diagram are to identify and make the correlation among activities, capability and variation through dimensional and geometric references creation, with product and process continuous improvement. The data base for this proposal are in the multiples process and project applied, in the information, in the process validation based on statistical analysis, in the CAE tooling with basis on tolerance by ASME Y 14.5 M., that identify references application, referenced to the locating strategy.

A crescente tendência de participação dos fornecedores no processo de desenvolvimento de produto da indústria automotiva, faz com que o estudo desta parceria se torne importante, tanto para as montadoras quanto para os fornecedores. O principal objetivo desta parceria é a utilização da capacidade de engenharia dos fornecedores (know-how), permitindo assim, a incorporação de novas tecnologias ao veículo e a redução dos custos de desenvolvimento das montadoras. Observa-se cada vez mais dentro da montadora, discussões sobre o co-desenvolvimento (co-design) nos projetos automotivos, níveis de integração com o fornecedor, fase do projeto adequada para o envolvimento dos fornecedores, o nível adequado de detalhamento das especificações técnicas utilizadas como referência inicial pelos fornecedores, a definição das responsabilidades de cada parceiro e o próprio processo para realização do desenvolvimento em parceria. O presente trabalho explora de que forma tais questões são atualmente abordadas na subsidiária brasileira de uma montadora, através do estudo de seus processos e ferramentas e da comparação com as informações disponíveis na bibliografia e estudadas no meio acadêmico. Com este trabalho, pretende-se fornecer informações que possam auxiliar montadoras e fornecedores na melhoria de seus processos internos de desenvolvimento de produto, principalmente nas questões relativas ao co-desenvolvimento (co-design). / The increasing trend of suppliers participation in the automotive industry product development process makes the study of this partnership important for automakers and suppliers. The main objective of this partnership is to take advantage of suppliers engineering capability (know-how) in order to bring new technologies to the vehicle and reduce automakers development costs. It is becoming more and more common inside automakers, discussions regarding co-design in automotive projects, supplier integration levels, suitable project phase to get suppliers involved, suitable level of details for automakers technical specifications used as initial reference by suppliers, the responsibilities definition of each partner and the process to perform development in a partnership relation. This work explores how these issues are currently addressed in a Brazilian automaker subsidiary, through the study of its processes and tools and the comparison with the information available in the bibliography and studied academically. Finally, this work intends to provide information that can assist automakers and suppliers to improve their internal product development processes, mainly regarding co-design.

This thesis centres on experience design and automotive design. The aim is to investigate the emotional experience of the driving activity. The research question driving the study is: "How can experience design influence the driving activity?" Experience design proposes to explore emotional aspects of interactions in context. A model of the human-product-environment relationship, using activity theory as its foundation, is presented. The model is used to situate the overall experience of driving. An experiment exploring the overall emotional experience in real driving situations was conducted. Participants were required to drive around a specified route while performing particular tasks with the vehicle interface. A data triangulation approach was employed involving interviews, think-aloud protocols and observations. Findings indicate that context together with the emotional state of the driver before driving impacts the overall emotional experience. Positive emotional states before driving with no interaction challenges in high-traffic contexts generated neutral overall experiences. However, positive emotional states before driving with interaction challenges in high-traffic contexts generated negative overall experiences. Negative emotional states before driving combined with interaction challenges in high-traffic contexts generated positive emotional experiences. It appears that positive emotions associated with overcoming challenging interactions in high-traffic contexts reflect positively on the overall experience. Emotions elicited in low and mediumtraffic contexts did not affect the overall experience. Another finding suggests that extended visual interaction with interface in high-traffic context generates negative emotions. It is proposed that vehicle interfaces should adapt appropriately to their surrounding context to support positive (and avoid negative) emotional experiences. In low and medium-traffic contexts interfaces may encourage interactions. In high-traffic contexts, if the driver is in a positive emotional state before driving interfaces may discourage challenging interactions. If the driver is in a negative emotional state before driving the interface may encourage challenging interactions. In conclusion, this study proposes the application of current and upcoming technologies for future automotive interiors to enhance positive (and reduce negative) emotional experiences within the driving activity.