BMW IVR - The design brief for the BMW IVR project was to combine VR racing capabilities with a BMW coupé for the year 2030. Nowadays, virtual reality is making its way into our daily lives, and it inevitably reaches the automotive industry.
Introduction
This project is based on a future reality where connectivity is more important than ever; the persona is a woman named Ava, who has an active life and enjoys gaming as a hobby. Her daily commute is very simple, from home to work and back, hence the need for an escape from reality. One of the main challenges of this project was to combine the brand’s DNA with a more modular approach, given that the objective was to be able to remove the cockpit from the chassis.
Design DNA
One of the most important elements of BMW's design DNA is the grills, which in this case were designed taking into consideration the current direction of the brand. Manuel didn’t want to make the grills the main component of the car as he wanted to focus more on the side which is where the magic is happening.
Current BMW concepts indicate the urge for the brand to innovate grill designs; that's why the shape of the grill is completely new. For the side Manuel reimagined what the BMW side panel would look like if it had a huge intake in front of the rear wheel; this would give it more presence on the side and not too much on the front, making every passerby recognize the BMW IVR model with that intake and frame.
The process
After developing the sketches, the 3D modeling was done with Blender software. The frame that surrounds the cockpit is made with generative manufacturing methods which reduce the weight and optimize material usage without affecting the performance of the parts.
The interior has a simplistic design with only the necessary dials and buttons to make the user feel more engaged with the driving experience. On the other hand, the integrated VR headset can be used during driving as an augmented reality tool to display information about the car such as speed, range, and maps.
Features
The main feature of this design is the ability of the cockpit to be disengaged from the chassis and moved with an electro-magnet elevator to the user's room. The idea came from current trends of modularity, where vehicle components can be detached and attached to meet different needs.
The colours that were chosen are meant to give the user a calming and relaxed experience while in the car as white and black are elegant and calming colors. The following animation shows the cockpit being transported to the user's room and changing its mode to VR, where the steering wheel comes forward and the VR headset wraps around the user's head.
About Designer
Manuel Gálvez is an automotive design engineering student at Tecnológico de Monterrey, campus Monterrey. He is a self-taught designer with experience in the automotive field working in manufacturing projects and FSAE design competitions. He is currently looking for an internship in the automotive design field that allows him to further develop his skills and contribute to the area that he's most passionate about.
