A student designer from the University of South Australia has submitted an interesting concept for his entry in the International Australian Design Awards, which is organized by Dyson Appliances Australia.  Kat One-Moo has proposed a modular and customizable dashboard concept which allows consumers to change the orientation and configuration of their dash easily.

The concept’s premise is based on the emergence of new technologies like drive-by-wire controls and wireless internet access. The basic configuration is a detachable, wireless steering wheel that can be attached to either left or right side and a central touch screen console.  The word “modular” is the key term here, as users can easily add, remove and modify the added components in the dashboard.  Software upgrades via the Internet are nothing new, but imagine being able to only have the components you want or a certain add-on from another car model that was unavailable outside of the aftermarket route. Of course, 3rd party upgrades are already available but the problem lies in the cost and the risk of installation.  This little concept does away with that and also provides an avenue for future-proofing.  The steering wheel can be attached to either side depending on the users preference and has a vibrate function (for what purpose other than being predicated by some sort of video game addiction, we don’t really know).

On a design standpoint, well, it’s not really that sleek or classy looking and looks like a carnival bumper car than anything.  Also, if there’s ever a need to prove that brown is the new black of car interiors, this is probably one such item of evidence.

The question lies in whether or not car manufacturer’s will jump on the concept, make something similar on their own, or make it an exclusive.  Being a 3rd party/aftermarket product could prove to be a hindrance to the concept being widespread, never mind the future of wireless technology in the automotive business or the technical know-how required from the end user (it sounds a lot like building your own desktop).  All in all however, the concept is still far away before actual development, but from what’s seen so far, it does show promise.

[Source: Dyson Student Design Awards via AutoMotto]

Mercedes Benz is so excited about revealing the safety technologies that will be included in their upcoming E-class and S-class releases for 2010 that they even forgot to talk about the models themselves.  Of course, this isn’t anything new for the German automaker, but many hope it won’t be a trend of introducing the tech even before the cars, after all, that’s what they sell: cars.

Ranting aside, these so-called safety tech is more or less the car trying to outsmart the driver.  Now before anyone busts out the SKYNET and John Connor jokes, the premise of Attention Assist is basically to help drivers keep awake and dosing on the wheel en route to vehicular manslaughter.  It may not sound like a big deal, but research points out that around 30% of traffic accidents can be traced to drowsiness.  Again, before one rants about how other automakers have already done this by installing sensors that check the driver’s eye movements (which is by far, not really helping considering the weakness of the design logic), Mercedes takes a different approach.

Attention Assist monitors the steering behavior of the driver.  By using several extensive tests, the mad scientists at Mercedes concluded that a conscious and very aware driver makes smoother and slower steering movements as compared to their quasi-narcoleptic counterparts.  Drowsy drivers tend to fight off the Sandman and as a result jerk the wheel or make sudden turns, which kind of makes a lot of sense, except all the car really does is tell the driver to take a break.

Other features include Pre Safe, which is basically functions that prepare the car for an iminent crash like auto tensioning of seatbelts, gradual braking depending on distance (to avoid sudden falsely triggered panic stops, a new feature), automatic adjustment of headlamp illumination, nightvision modes, HUD indicators like lane assist, blindside assist and the infamous speed limit indicator.  Such state-of-the-art add-ons  basically make the Mercedes interiors like some sort of mini-bridge of some starship… which is either a good thing or a bad thing.

Now all Mercedes needs to do is come up with the cars already.

[Source: Car and Driver]

In a bid to enter the green movement, Japanese car maker Mitsubishi Motors Corp has developed a way to use bamboo fibers that reinforces resin composite materials for vehicle interiors.  Mitsubishi announced this new breakthrough during the 17th Polymer Material Forum held in Hiroshima, Japan.  This makes the Japanese automaker the first company to use bamboo fibers in automotive materials.

Mitsubishi plans to use the fibers with two plant-based resins, both of which were developed with the same process that allowed the use of the bamboo fibers, of which Mitsubishi is quite mum on the details, saying they use a special machine.

Of course, other than being organic, bamboo fibers is said to reduce CO₂ emissions.  Coupled with the use of polybutylene succinate or PBS, there is an approximate 51% reduction in the CO₂ lifecycle in contrast to the existing petroleum-based resins. Currently however, this setup suffers from low heat resistance.

Meanwhile, using plant-based polyurethane resin, the reduction is only at 28%, but with better resistance to heat.  In addition to not having the same carbon reduction, this combination is also more costly than the PBS-bamboo combo.

[Source: Tech-On!]

More mileage seems to be the common demand of today’s automotive market.  What with automakers trying to outdo each other with the latest hybrid models while motorists make sure they drive ecologically and fill their tires with the right amount of air. Honda’s latest offering, the Insight is clearly trying to marry both approaches into one neat package, and doing so with style.

Armed with the new Ecological Drive Assist System (or Eco-Assist as Honda likes to call it) at the Los Angeles Auto Show, the gas hybrid Insight provides some virtual assistance to drivers on the stretching those miles beyond gas-saving driving techniques.

The interface at first look, is gorgeous.  But the real magic happens when the driver presses the green ECON button.  Once activated, the system electronically adjusts transmission, engine and the powertrain to configurations that optimize the consumption of fuel.  Even the A/C and brakes get a few enhancements on ECON mode.  Another neat feature is the live feedback provided by ECON mode.  After all, a computer can never really replace a driver’s brain, so it also provides real-time information on how the car is performing mileage-wise, allowing the driver to fit their driving style to fully maximize fuel consumption.

The Eco-Assist equipped  Honda Insight  scheduled for a mid to late first quarter release in 2009.  No news on what other models will be carrying the system, but it’s pretty safe to say that the other players will be looking at how it actually performs in real driving conditions.

[Source: Honda via World of Car Fans]

The ARPRO Porous, or something made from it...

Making the rounds for various car interior engineers is the development of the ARPRO Porous material.  While most enthusiast who veer away from the engineering side of things may look on such developments only in passing, the development of such applications is a huge step in providing unparalleled car comfort.

Produced originally in 1980s by JSP, a Tokyo Stock Exchange-listed public company, ARPRO is basically a special kind expanded polypropylene that the company offers for various design solutions, mainly on the automotive front.  ARPRO Porous is the company’s latest offering, which focuses on reduced noise, vibration and harshness (or NVH).

According JSP Executives, the potential for the ARPRO Porous material is expected to achieve huge gains in demand in the future, given current trends towards design direction and environmental concerns.  Being 100% recylable is probably one of the main pillars for the JSP’s push for wholesale ARPRO Porous use.  Company tests claim that the material is 10 times more effective in NVH reduction over it’s predecessor while still retaining it’s lightweight and flexible properties.

Only time will tell if the automotive industry is buying the pitch, but will most definitely go way over the head of the average consumer.

[Source: Easier.com]