Mate - Commuting for kids

Mate is a vision of an interior inviting kids to commute by themselves, questioning how an autonomous vehicle could be designed. It is inspired by interior designs for kids intended for creativity and fun.

Mate is intended for future child friendly cities and how they could incorporate fully autonomous zones which would allow for less safety requirements and lead to more freedom in the design of the vehicle. Looking at how companies today have services for commuting kids and what is needed for parents and childs to feel safe using these was also a vital aspect.

After understanding the future context of the vehicle, the design process started with exploring different concepts for the interior. This led to a chosen concept which then were checked in a package. A revision of this package led to new design restraints which enabled new ideas to spur. It became apparent children's different heights were a major factor for the interior seats. A mock-up was made both in real life and in 3D. Therefore, the design was changed to accomodate different heights leading to the final idea which was visualised in vision renderings leading up to the final 3D development.

The Mate is a small autonomous shared vehicle for 2040 which fits 4 kids, age 8 to 13. Its interior is in colors which reflect a younger audience. Its shapes are soft and help reflect safety and fun. The seating is placed in the window areas which allows for new ways of enjoying the outside view but also talking with the other occupants. The seats are able to fit the kids different heights and allows for two different seating positions. Lights show the kids where to be seated while also having sound to accommodate the kids getting off and on at the right place. Mate also communicates with the parents and allows for the kids to be autonomous.