Lexus And Royal College of Art in London Collaborate To Conceive Luxury Urban Transport Design For 2040

The world of luxury cars needs a rethink. Not only in terms of design & looks but a holistic one at that.

Lexus challenged twenty postgraduate students from the Royal College of Art's Institute of Intelligent Mobility to develop new vehicle designs that are tailored to the changing lifestyles of European cities. Simultaneously, the manufacturer has invited them to envision Lexus's future place in this imagined, futuristic transportation scene.

Lexus sponsored the initiative and provided mentoring from top creatives at the European Design Development Centre, ED2, in southern France. This gave pupils a better understanding of the automobile business and provided an opportunity to examine real-world model designs and construction procedures.

The response by RCA students with their ground-breaking visions of what future luxury mobility might look like in the year 2040 was nothing short of sensational.

The six brilliant shortlisted concepts include a color-changing car that evokes the spirit of changing seasons in an urban setting, highly personalised Vtols (vertical take-off and landing) that dock within buildings, and tessellation-enabled pods that connect seamlessly to ensure transportation fluidity and thus add the luxury of experience to your daily commute.

Check them out below:

Bangning An's Vision In-season

Vision In-season is inspired by the Japanese notion of 'Ichi-Go, Ichi-E,' which refers to the importance of noticing daily events. The car adapts to the seasons via the use of an intelligently designed roof that regulates the amount of sunshine that enters the cabin, creating an immersive seasonal experience. Additionally, the colour pattern of the vehicle would vary as the seasons progressed.

Zhenyu Kong's #Units 

#Units is a platform dedicated to the future of digital personalization. It makes use of digital technology to strengthen bonds between people and groups, while also leveraging social media for the exchange of ideas and emotions. The car may connect remotely, acting as a projection device, allowing for virtual attendance at concerts and events. Additionally, the inside may be customised using blockchain technology, allowing for the transportation of NFT artworks.

Richard Newman's Alto

Alto is a vertical take-off and landing vehicle meant to provide a luxury experience that transfers into everyday celebrations. The hydrogen-powered vehicle resembles a hybrid between a plant terrarium and a hot-air balloon, with an aerial design like a necklace, or a piece of sky jewellery. The vehicle's top may be customised in the same way as a ring is, with various'stones.' Its construction would have a single cladding system that would enable the vehicle to dock on the side of buildings.

Benjamin Miller's Crucible

Another hydrogen-powered car, the Crucible is a fully customizable vehicle, with interiors that can be customised everyday for individual drivers. Users may choose a different car for weekdays and weekends when they wish to explore and meet new people. Miller reworked the Lexus spindle grille, creating a light and airy car that is simple to enter and exit, with reclining seats for added comfort.

Jan Niehues' Neko

Neko is a micromobility idea inspired by Japanese culture. It is modelled like the exoskeleton of an insect. The car is battery-electric and has two modes of operation: autonomous driving and sharing. It has sensor cameras and an intelligent recording device that captures scenery from prior excursions and plays it for passengers when sharing mode is enabled. Additionally, the vehicle has 4D technology for enhanced ergonomics and is capable of doing traditional Japanese bowing, while microbots provide total mobility in metropolitan environments.

Maxime Gauthier's 'UrbanSwarm'

UrbanSwarm infuses regular urban travel with a feeling of elegance, ensuring more fluid movement. This modular and seamless mode of transportation combines the flexibility and convenience of micromobility with the efficiency of mass transit networks through its tessellation feature, which allows it to connect to other 'pods' while maintaining complete inclusiveness for everyone.

The four-month initiative, which started in October 2021, allowed students to do research and generate concepts for future automotive designs. The top six designs, along with those of other students, will be shown on March 15, 2022 at the RCA's new iconic Battersea site in London, where the three winning proposals will be unveiled.

Given the times that we are living in, these pupils are not simply conjuring up images of vintage high-end automobiles. Luxury is a nebulous notion that has been misused and exploited by the world of sales & marketing. If there was ever value in having the best, rarest of items, the old world concept of luxury has lost its foothold in today's tangled consumer world (especially in light of socioeconomic inequity and our planet's vital health).

Rather of being exclusive or costly, exceptional and even shared experiences are the new luxury and the new generation has nailed it on the head.