Shape-changing omnidirectional AVs
Jilez Aelbers, Bart Arts, Carlos Bernad Thomas, Max Crutzen, Jesper Kapteijns (2020) coached by Marieke Martens![](https://mobility-squad.com/assets/img/2020-shapechangingav-1.jpg)
Description
This project is an explorative research about different ways of communicating directions of vehicles in a future with fully vehicle autonomy. Being able to anticipate the direction of a vehicle is key in traffic. We propose the possibility of using shape-change to indicate the direction a vehicle is going in. To explore the possibilities of shape-changing on vehicle, origami was chosen as a possibility. Material research was done and a prototype was created that would be able to fit the needs of a vehicle. This research was moderately successful and with more time, resources and funding, a full-scale version can be created. The potential of shape-change to indicate direction was tested through user research, initially with a questionnaire, and afterwards with semi-structured interviews. A preliminary conclusion can drawn that shape-change, along with other visualisations can potentially indicate direction successfully.
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