Image Credit : PriestmanGoode
Project Overview
PriestmanGoode is working with Dromos Technologies to develop an electric autonomous vehicle for high capacity urban transport. Dromos can be used for both passenger and urban freight transport, running on demand and on its own dedicated infrastructure.
Dromos Technologies selected PriestmanGoode as its design partner following an international competition. The team’s design expertise and experience with high capacity transport vehicles rated highly with the judges. But more importantly, it was PriestmanGoode’s focus on the passenger experience that made them the ideal partner.
This entry covers the design concept for the vehicles, which was unveiled in September 2020. PriestmanGoode and Dromos Technologies are now working on finalising the design for production.
Project Commissioner
Project Creator
Team
Paul Priestman, Chairman
Kirsty Dias - Managing Director
Dan Window - Creative Director
Isabella Trani - Designer
Project Brief
Around the world, car manufacturers, startups and technology providers are working on developing autonomous vehicles. It is in this context that Dromos Technologies has developed a system for autonomous network transit (ANT).
Dromos is the first ANT that meets both convenience and capacity requirements, and the first that offers true potential as a form of high-volume mass transit.
Dromos is especially relevant as a form of mass transit now. Not only does it answer the first and last mile problem, which is one of the key issues that transport providers face, but it’s also particularly suitable for a post-pandemic world where passengers are more concerned about hygiene and safety. It enables transport providers to maintain high volumes of passengers, whilst enabling social distancing, as passengers would share vehicles only with their own travel party.
Project Innovation/Need
Dromos provides a high capacity network of autonomous electric vehicles suitable for both passenger and urban freight, running on demand and on its own dedicated infrastructure. The closed-loop system provides a number of passenger, environmental and economic benefits including:
● 24/7 on demand service
● Nearby stops within up to 100m of any location, and direct into buildings
● Non-stop service means shortest travel times between two points
● CO2 neutral at point of use
● Ultra-quiet
PriestmanGoode’s design for the Dromos vehicles is ‘approachable minimalism’. There are no extraneous elements, every detail serves a specific purpose. The design was created to be easy and efficient to manufacture, as well as maintain, and to enable maximum passenger comfort. Key features of the design include:
● A multi-purpose vehicle designed for both passengers and freight
● Seats moulded from sustainable and easy to clean materials
● Modular design optimised for easy manufacturing and maintenance
Design Challenge
Dromos Technologies ran an international competition, the brief of which was to design a safe, reliable and affordable vehicle around principles of innovation, modularity, sustainability, convenience, maintainability and versatility.
PriestmanGoode was selected to develop the visual design for the vehicles. The judges were impressed by the way PriestmanGoode had developed a modular vehicle with the user experience at its heart. PriestmanGoode’s main challenge was to maximise interior volume within the small footprint of an autonomous vehicle, and ensuring its suitability and flexibility for a wide range of users, as well as for freight.
Sustainability
Dromos has been designed around the user. PriestmanGoode considered what types of passengers would use the vehicle, what they would carry, what they would do, what accessibility requirements they might have… The vehicle has been designed from the inside out. Every element has been considered to ensure that Dromos is flexible and suitable for a wide range of users.
Some of the features include:
● Flexible interior options to accommodate various passenger needs, including luggage, bikes, sporting equipment as well as disabled access
● Step-free access and extra wide doors allow easy access for prams, wheelchairs, bikes
● Tinted and patterned glass with reflective coating that reduces solar heat absorption
● Large skylight and maximised window space
The colours, materials and finishes are being developed taking into account the latest material technology and increased passenger considerations around hygiene as a result of the global pandemic.
Product Design - Concept
This award celebrates creativity and innovation for either a product design at conceptual stage - an early sample or model of a product that has not reached the manufacture stage nor available to the market.
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