Tag Archives: Automotive

Genius Two-Part Saddle moves as you bicycle to let you go long distances without soreness

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The excitement of learning to ride a bicycle came with the realization that the more time you rode the more pain was inflicted on the butts. Yes, those days of early riding were all about non-stop riding the bike as speeds increased with every confidence boost, and the consequent sore rear by the end of the day.

To keep any bicycle true to the basics and long-lasting, the saddle has to be firm and contoured for maximum comfort. That however is counterintuitive as the seat can be uncomfortable during long rides. The solution is to prevent the body part from being pushed against a stationary support surface. How do you do that? With a movable saddle mechanism that doesn’t strain your butts. Thank god!

Designer: ataraxyBSC

The story of this unique bike saddle’s development started with the idea of a compliant bicycle seat in 2016 by Australian engineer Robin Macan. Sometime after that, he met with industrial designer Philippe Guichard to take things further and create a two-part bicycle saddle that makes it ultra-comfortable for riders no matter the length of time they paddle. This ultimately led to the partnership with Melbourne-based Whistle Design Group to take the vision further and develop an actual product.

Macan finally created his startup ataraxyBSC to solve the problem of a pain-inducing bicycle saddle that’s been left in the shadow for decades. The solution is the vabsRider bicycle saddle with a split seat design. This simple yet clever saddle moves with the movement of legs, rotating around the hip joints to eliminate any pressure-inducing surface contact. Both the sides move independently with the leg movement, transferring pressure from the sit bones to the femurs, This creates a balanced load distribution, and gone are the sore muscles when bicycling for long hours at a stretch.

The user can further adjust the fore/aft and height, or toggle the angle or width of the saddle. The latter I’ve always wondered why no one thought about before. There’s no word about the pricing or availability of the vabsRider bicycle saddle, but you can express your willingness as an early adopter by emailing ataraxyBSC.

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Custom Lexus GX bakes oven fresh pizzas in the boot, comes with luxe appliances and exclusive Monogram interiors

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2024 Lexus GX as a 7-seater off-road SUV has hit the right notes with the most critical reviewers after the official launch. The car carries forward the Japanese automaker’s promise of luxury with performance. To bring something unique to the world of a kitchen on wheels, Lexus has teamed up with GE’s Monogram (luxury appliance division) to fit a Smart Flush Heart Oven in the rear of the bossy car.

The luxury culinary experience on board this off-road SUV seems like an odd combination when we talk of practicality since the vehicle will tread inhospitable dirt tracks bouncing around. That though fades away quickly as soon as one lays eyes on the exquisite vehicle, inside out. The interiors are embellished with a stainless-steel, black, and brass color scheme, with gold badges, gold accents. That’s a good start for the adventure-oriented GX, but there’s a lot more, so read on.

Designer: Lexus and GE Monogam

The idea here is to convert the capable off-roader into a bespoke culinary experience on wheels” right from the moment you enter the vehicle, drive it and then take a break to eat some delicacies. Monogram doesn’t just stop at the rear, the whole interiors are done in the matching theme with dual-tone camel leather seats and door panel trims, complemented by the brass and titanium metal along with the Dekton slate stone accents. The interior has numerous luxury appliances and accessories to elevate the whole experience. According to Lexus, the one-off GX comes fitted with a rare heated ice press (between the rear seats) that makes spherical ice cubes.

What makes it a lip-smacking proposition is the boot having a Smart Flush Hearth Oven with a 30-inch display. The electric oven is custom-made to mimic the performance of a wood-fired brick oven to bake pizzas and other eatables. Of course, you’ll need something to drink along, so there are pressured fitted cutouts on the side panels to store wine, bourbon, glasses and bottle openers. To complement this, Monogram has fitted a bar complete with a bar kit, glassware, bitters and a folding cutting board. Other essentials like cutlery and trash bin are houses inside the truck for quick retrieval. Everything is finely trimmed with quilted leather and carpeting, with the addition of a Dekton slate stone countertop-like plating station.

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Top 5 Revolutionary Car Designs for Automotive Enthusiasts in 2024

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We’ve recently been witnessing an entourage of car designs at Yanko Design – and they’re truly mindblowing. Each car design was cutthroat and innovative, bringing in something that we don’t usually see in the market. From killer speed to dashing good looks, to impenetrable safety standards, every automotive we featured at YD broke some design barrier for us, and hopefully, they did the same for you as well. Hence, we’ve curated a collection of car designs that we feel were the best of the lot.  Each of these drool-worthy automobiles is mercilessly pushing the boundaries of the automotive industry. Automotive enthusiasts will be itching to get their hands on them, and take them for a spin on the streets!

1. Mercedes-Benz Harp

Meet the Mercedes-Benz Harp – an automotive whose core idea is combined with the shapes of musical instruments, hence the name! The conceptual Mercedes car draws inspiration from the W196R Formula-1 racing car which was developed for the 1954 and 1955 seasons. The front seam has a modern aesthetic, which is paired up with an asymmetric windshield panel to the rear. The contoured front and the sharp rear create an interesting contrast, which offers the HARP with an impressive persona, and the appearance of a god-like figure in a stunning costume!

2. Polestar 8

Dubbed the Polestar 8, this incredible SUV concept is designed by Turin-based Salvatore Ville. The car concept is designed to embrace minimalism in a beautiful yet interesting manner. Vurin gifted the automotive with a powerful and intimidating silhouette, instead of opting for clean surfaces only. The dominating automotive is what the Polestar 3 would look like on steroids! It is equipped with a wider and more brutish design, as well as clean form, but a roguish personality.

3. Scorpion

Meet the 2030 Scorpion concept which is designed to be a new pickup truck frame design with an expansive form. The innovative-looking automobile is shaped like a scorpion or a mountain bike helmet. The car features an optimized ratio of the overall lump, ensuring there is ample cargo space, without compromising the rear seating configuration. The vehicle has a high ride height which allows it to navigate challenging and difficult terrains with complete ease. In fact, the car looks inspired by the Rezvani Motors Vengeance bullet-proof vehicle.

4. Mehretu’s BMW M Hybrid V8

Julie Mehretu is known for her expansive and intricate canvases, and she recently transformed the BMW M Hybrid V8 – an automobile of power and precision into a dynamic and intriguing piece of art. It was designed to be a performative painting which would race in the legendary 24 Hours of Le Mans. Mehretu had digitally altered photos, layered dot grids, neon veils, and her signature black markings to build a stunning and three-dimensional masterpiece.

5. Mercedes-Benz Dresscode

This is the Mercedes-Benz Dresscode – a car that is designed to be the epitome of iconic luxury. The automotive features the shapes of collars, and the stunning rich volumes of a formal dress. If you look closely at the mesmerizing hypercar, you will notice that it looks like a white shirt with a tie on top, and a black jacket placed over it. The white portions of the car function as the shirt with the edged surfaces, while the black body covering the car brings to mind the image of a jacket.

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Industrial era inspired café racer and e-scooter show the meaning of less is more

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Electric motorcycles and scooters are the way to go in an effort to control emissions. The market is ever expanding with versatile options for end users and the Belin Design Office’s duo of two-wheelers show us what an out-of-the-box design can result in. That’s without any compromise in functionality or aesthetics. Meet the Ekka M-1 Performance and CS-1 City Scooter having a modular design, wrapped in a unibody aluminum frame that is bended to achieve the boxy form of these two-wheelers.

The base frame is kept totally exposed without any plastic body panels to maintain the industrial look. There’s another benefit to this as the company doesn’t have to go through the manufacturing process of hot-forming for panels, hence, reducing the carbon footprint in the production. Shredding the extra weight means the electric two-wheelers have extended range as compared to other e-bikes.

Designer: Belin Design Office

The raw appeal of the two-wheelers is quite new to electric vehicles, still, the futuristic DNA is preserved to appeal to Gen-Z. The two electric rides have in-wheel motors, meaning there’s no need for a transmission, chains, clutch or belt. This means fewer parts to worry about maintenance, reduces the overall weight of the bikes, and makes them appear more refined. CS-1 City Scooter benefits the most from this as there’s increased space to carry belongings, or add modules for specific small cargo needs. The battery is placed under the rider’s feet, so there’s even more available space on the front.

Ekka M-1 Performance motorcycle is a beefier version of the two, prioritizing a café racer aesthetic. This bike is derived from Jean-Marie Floch’s Ludic’ valorization, with the fun element in the appearance and front-leaning rider position reiterating the fact. The aggressive positioning and the big chunky tires complement the raw persona of this racer. Thankfully the saddle on this café racer looks comfortable for long stints of driving, unlike other café racers that compromise on seating space as a more powerful drivetrain and engine take up the space.

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Top 5 Incredible AI-Generated Automotive Masterpieces You Need To See

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About a year ago AI tech became mainstream, and since then its popularity has been growing amongst designers and creators. Tools like Midjourney are capable of astounding realism, capturing even the tiniest of details and creating designs that seem truly lifelike. AI doesn’t botch up and ruin designs or elements of the real world or even the human body. It’s reached a point where automotive enthusiasts, or people with even the slightest interest in cars are using it to create powerful and incredibly realistic automotive images which seem more like conceptual renders by experienced automotive designers. And, we’ve curated a few of our favorite AI-generated automotive designs for you – dive in!

1. Apple Car

Designed by Dall-E 2, this Apple Car was based on a text prompt from designer, educator, and YouTuber John Mauriello. This incredible car is pretty fascinating and designed to be a ‘minimalist Sportscar inspired by a Macbook and a Magic Mouse, built out of aluminum and glass’. The car is really quite stunning to look at, and it has a sleek and curvilinear quality to it! It is equipped with a machined aluminum body and zero breaks in the surface. Unlike most Apple Car concepts which are either too boring or simply too insane – this design is really quite perfect. It is sleek, luxurious, and aerodynamic – all the makings for an exceptional sportscar.

2. Bugatti Supercar

Cole Kessel explored Bugatti’s aesthetic and design language using Midjourney and Photoshop’s AI Tools. The end result showed us how spectacularly AI can handle design cues, while perfectly reinforcing Bugatti’s own design language. The experiment displays how all of the company’s cars have the same visual DNA. The cars look like they were designed by the French marque’s automotive design division, although it seems like the images were edited to put the actual Bugatti logos since AI does have the tendency to mess up logos.

3. Zaha Hadid-Inspired Car

Moss and Fog used the AI generator tool ‘Midjourney’ to bring together two very contrasting and different industries – automotive and architecture. They designed never-before-seen cars in the style of famous architects of the 20th century. And this magnificent car embodies the design language of renowned architect Zaha Hadid. The car displays the signature style of Hadid and includes a series of modular steel panels reimagined in the form of abstracted layers in a very precise and immaculate manner.

4. Canoo-Inspired Vehicles

Canoo is a renowned American automotive company that engineers electrical vehicles and is helping the automobile industry transition to the world of clean and sustainable energy. @mobilitylabs.ai reimagines a whole series of Canoo-inspired automobiles which seem perfect for the outdoor off-terrain life! The two-wheelers have an almost menacing all-black aesthetic to them, featuring thickly treaded wheels and a bulky body with angular edges. I could totally imagine these as tangible vehicle designs that could take on all kinds of challenging terrains!

5. Snowmobiles

Designed by @mobilitylabs.ai, these revved-up and powerful snowmobiles have been generated with AI – adding a thrilling and exciting twist to classic designs. The dominating and huge wheels look ready to tackle challenging snowy terrains and harsh weather conditions. The conventional old snowmobiles get the ultimate makeover, featuring heightened functionality, coolness, and persona.

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Lottery-inspired Alarm Clock gives you rewards for taking the effort to seize the day

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Most of us generally use smartphones to set alarms without realizing that these little radiation mongers by the bedside are messing up our sleep patterns. It is better to leave the phones at a comfortable distance from the bed. But how do you wake up the lazy sleeper then? Well, invest in an alarm clock that can become your best pal to start off the day with a purpose.

If you have an agenda, a schedule, or a defined routine after the alarm goes off, you’re set and probably doing well for yourself. For the others – who are aimless waking up every morning, with no set routine to follow – the snooze button on the phone or clock is the favorite choice. The Fortune Clock arrives without the snooze option, rather a purpose-defined wakeup activity that goes a long way beyond just waking you up with something to do.

Designer: Ho Hyun LIM

When out in the market for an alarm clock, you look for the nightlight option, volume levels, and of course the snooze button. For the Fortune Clock, you might have to have a different mindset: An outlook to look at your fortune based on how you get up in the morning.

Sounds interesting? It well is! The clock with a digital display on the front quarter – featuring time and day – has an interesting wheel of fortune just below. The idea is to fill the clock from the top with balls. When you wake up in the morning to turn off the alarm (by pressing the button on top) a ball with a number is released (this happens every day) and appears in the groves cut out on the front.

While the idea of the clock is to get the user into the habit of making an effort to get up to stop the alarm and put the ball rolling (not literally); the designer believes, the numbered balls are fortune tellers as well. User can, Ho believes, combine the numbers on the balls obtained from this effort of getting up, to purchase lottery tickets, to seize their luck. How much numerology magic the clock does is for you to understand, but these hard-earned numbers will definitely make a difference to your sleep cycle and waking-up routine.

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Mitsubishi Kaminari Concept: A Powerful Vision for the Future of Electric SUVs

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Forget everything you thought you knew about SUVs. The Mitsubishi Kaminari concept is a breath of fresh air, a bold vision for electric vehicles that can conquer any path. The name “Kaminari” translates to “thunder” in Japanese, perfectly capturing the essence of this powerful and rugged concept. The design draws inspiration from classic Mitsubishi vehicles like the 1937 PX33, Japan’s first all-road car. This connection to the past ensures that the Kaminari feels like a true evolution of Mitsubishi’s DNA.

Designer: Stefan Syarov

Syarov dubs the Kaminari as a PUV or Performance Utility Vehicle. From the very outset, Syarov’s goal was to design a car that pushes off-road performance limits while honoring Mitsubishi’s proud history. The Mitsubishi Kaminari draws inspiration from the brand’s rich off-road racing heritage. Classic vehicles like the 1937 Mitsubishi PX33, Japan’s first all-road car, informed the design. This homage to legendary Mitsubishi models ensures the Kaminari respects the brand’s legacy while offering a thoroughly modern take on the off-road adventure vehicle.

The Kaminari’s silhouette boasts a bold presence with a dramatically sloped A-pillar flowing into a sleek, coupe-inspired roofline. A distinctive rear wing integrated seamlessly into the roof adds a touch of dynamism without sacrificing passenger headroom. This design journey, from initial sketches to final form, involved meticulous refinement. Collaboration with the Mitsubishi team during Syarov’s internship led to key improvements, including retaining the functional headroom spoiler, reinforcing the dynamic underbody protection, and incorporating unique design cues that echo Mitsubishi’s off-road heritage.

The spirit of collaboration is evident throughout the Kaminari’s development. The designer actively incorporated feedback from Mitsubishi enthusiasts worldwide. This two-way dialogue resulted in a concept that reflects not just the brand’s vision but also the desires of its loyal fanbase. Although the Kaminari isn’t an official Mitsubishi concept, it highlights what the brand has stood for all these years, while also envisioning what the brand could have been in an alternate reality where cars were designed not just for roads, but to dominate any surface they drove on.

Via Automotive Design Planet

The post Mitsubishi Kaminari Concept: A Powerful Vision for the Future of Electric SUVs first appeared on Yanko Design.

Mitsubishi Kaminari Concept: A Powerful Vision for the Future of Electric SUVs

Posted on by

Forget everything you thought you knew about SUVs. The Mitsubishi Kaminari concept is a breath of fresh air, a bold vision for electric vehicles that can conquer any path. The name “Kaminari” translates to “thunder” in Japanese, perfectly capturing the essence of this powerful and rugged concept. The design draws inspiration from classic Mitsubishi vehicles like the 1937 PX33, Japan’s first all-road car. This connection to the past ensures that the Kaminari feels like a true evolution of Mitsubishi’s DNA.

Designer: Stefan Syarov

Syarov dubs the Kaminari as a PUV or Performance Utility Vehicle. From the very outset, Syarov’s goal was to design a car that pushes off-road performance limits while honoring Mitsubishi’s proud history. The Mitsubishi Kaminari draws inspiration from the brand’s rich off-road racing heritage. Classic vehicles like the 1937 Mitsubishi PX33, Japan’s first all-road car, informed the design. This homage to legendary Mitsubishi models ensures the Kaminari respects the brand’s legacy while offering a thoroughly modern take on the off-road adventure vehicle.

The Kaminari’s silhouette boasts a bold presence with a dramatically sloped A-pillar flowing into a sleek, coupe-inspired roofline. A distinctive rear wing integrated seamlessly into the roof adds a touch of dynamism without sacrificing passenger headroom. This design journey, from initial sketches to final form, involved meticulous refinement. Collaboration with the Mitsubishi team during Syarov’s internship led to key improvements, including retaining the functional headroom spoiler, reinforcing the dynamic underbody protection, and incorporating unique design cues that echo Mitsubishi’s off-road heritage.

The spirit of collaboration is evident throughout the Kaminari’s development. The designer actively incorporated feedback from Mitsubishi enthusiasts worldwide. This two-way dialogue resulted in a concept that reflects not just the brand’s vision but also the desires of its loyal fanbase. Although the Kaminari isn’t an official Mitsubishi concept, it highlights what the brand has stood for all these years, while also envisioning what the brand could have been in an alternate reality where cars were designed not just for roads, but to dominate any surface they drove on.

Via Automotive Design Planet

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Self-driving taxi for one concept is perfect for solo commuters

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The majority of self-driving car concepts envision a future where family and friends take advantage of the freedom these vehicles offer. Even strangers, however, can also benefit from autonomous vehicles by making mass transit more efficient. Not all commuters, however, are comfortable traveling with strangers, and even self-driving sedans could be a waste of space and energy for these people. If self-driving vehicles are supposed to make traveling more efficient and, therefore, more environment-friendly, then they should also take into account the needs of solo commuters, which is exactly what this concept for a single-person autonomous taxi tries to do.

Designer: Tony Ma

To be fair, not having to worry about driving while interacting with other people in the vehicle is one of the biggest pulls of the concept, but it’s not the most fundamental benefit. What autonomous cars offer is the freedom to do more important things other than almost mindless driving, whether it’s socializing, preparing for your next meeting, or even resting. Spending some alone time is not exactly easy if you’re traveling with others, whether they’re strangers or not, and having a four-passenger car all to yourself every day is a wasteful use of resources.

TAXI for one is a design concept whose name says it all. Instead of a car, it looks more like a mini golf cart split in half to fit only one person inside. And since it’s a self-driving vehicle, that person is the one and only passenger, with no other people to potentially disturb you or make you feel less secure. It’s perfect for people who, for whatever reason, prefer to travel solo and have very few things to carry with them, like going to and from the office.

The key design requirement for such a single-passenger autonomous vehicle would be the compactness of space while still providing comfort and room for storage. The latter goes into a compartment in front of the vehicle rather than at the back like a traditional trunk. This makes loading and unloading easy because the storage is near the vehicle’s door rather than forcing riders to go around first.

In exchange for the more compact form, however, the TAXI for one has very little room for reclining the seat and stretching your legs. As such, it isn’t exactly designed for longer periods of travel and is better suited for inter-city commutes only. That is probably fine for future workers who just want to get to the office and back home without much fuss, fanfare, or dealing with random people.

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World’s first Cybertruck patrol vehicle is a cool RoboCop Taurus successor in the making

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Taurus, the crime-fighting machine (a modified 1986 LX sedan) from the RoboCop movie was way ahead of its time. Not now though as a new-age RoboCop would demand something like a custom Tesla Cybertruck to take on the bad blood in the city.

This narrative holds merit for the world’s first Tesla Cybertruck police vehicle which will soon hit the streets. If the stainless steel exoskeleton MUV hasn’t already caught your eye, you’ll need to pull over if sirens beam in your rear-view mirror and the Tesla vehicle is right on your tail. Cybertruck is already famed for its futuristic looks, akin to a RoboCop first responder machine, and the robotic persona would catch eyeballs for sure.

Designer: UP.FIT

This patrol Cybertruck in a fitting skin is the work of UP.FIT which is a subsidiary of Unplugged Performance who have a host of modified Tesla EV versions to brag about. The good news is that the off-roading vehicle is all set to hit the streets later this year as the brand expects loads of orders coming in from the US and other countries that don’t compromise on city security in any way. Inside out the police cruiser vehicle will be fitted with a host of accessories and draped in colorways that beef up its intimidation quotient by quite a stretch. It’ll have sirens, an array of lights, fender-mounted spotlights, a PA system, computer systems, and an upgraded radio. Optional additions for the patrol Cybertruck riding on the 18-inch forged wheels come in the form of a front push bar, Starlink connectivity, and high-performance brakes and tires.

Of course, the interested departments can add a host of their own customizations to make it more potent. According to UP.FIT if there is a keen interest in the vehicle, they can also modify it for military, tactical, and search-and-rescue operations by adding things like prisoner partitions, K9 enclosure and weapons storage compartments. We hope the police skin is a multilayer paint coating on the surface and not just a decal. But the question is whether the Cybertruck will be a reliable chaser in real-life conditions given its rusting issues and stability hiccups. Since we are talking about bystander safety, any driving misjudgments could lead to collateral damage. Will police authorities around the world choose the Cybertruck over a Lexus LC500, Ford Interceptor, Jeep Grand Cherokee or BMW i3? Only time will tell. For now, we’ll enjoy the larger-than-life persona of the Tesla’s MUV.

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