Vision Urbanetic: Painting a vision for autonomous mobility and logistics

Storytelling, Interface Design

Vision Urbanetic is a study by Mercedes Benz to show how autonomous fleets can improve urban mobility in the future. The concept is built around the idea of a modular vehicle that can transpose itself between being a passenger cell and a cargo space. A vehicle that moves people in the day and transports cargo by the night is not only inherently efficient but it also reduces the stress on inner city infrastructure. But an autonomous fleet is made of many more parts than just its vehicles – mobility providers also need a software ecosystem to operate their fleet.

Together with Mercedes-Benz Vans, we designed a vision for a fleet control center aimed at showcasing the operating mechanisms of autonomous fleets of tomorrow and to also create a tangible experience of the possibilities of the future mobility solution.

Designing with scenarios

In order to make the interaction between the passenger, mobility provider and urban infrastructure tangible, we showcased aspects of the fleet ecosystem through three individual stories based in Copenhagen. Each of these stories highlight a certain layer of the control system.

Scenario 1: Vehicle blocking the route

Operational Layer

Scenario 2: Stop! I need to go back

People Layer

Scenario 3: Smart Demand Management

Fleet management Layer

Constructing the interface

We derived the key elements that we would need to construct the control center interface. These features were aimed at showcasing the control system accurately at at the same time supporting the story that was to be portrayed.

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Early on, we explored the nature of the visuals that would best portray this concept, and augment the storytelling for the concept.

Approach 1: The product becomes the frame

Approach 2: Enriched story

Approach 3: Product as actor on the stage

The Final Interface

STORY 1:

Connected vehicle rerouting

A busy city presents a simple but important challenge for an autonomous fleet: unpredictable situations that are happening during the trips of the vehicles. For a carpooling service, it is important to asses these situations quickly and correctly to avoid delays for the passengers. This scenarios illustrates how the entire fleet can react to unplanned obstacles detected by a single vehicle.

STORY 2:

Smart Demand Management

Not only does the fleet always getting our customers to their destinations in the most convenient and fastest possible way and provide great customer service,  the ride hailing service also works harmoniously and sustainably with the cities they operates in. Through the fictional scenario of a pop up event in the city, this scenario shows how the fleet ecosystem helps solve the problems that cities are facing like reducing inner-city traffic and making underutilized areas more desirable by connecting them to the existing public transit system of the city.

STORY 3:

Stop! I need to go back

Having an intelligent and connected ecosystem alone, doesn’t necessarily make for a good travel experience. Being there for our passengers, to make sure they’re having the best travel experience possible, is another important factor. This story illustrates how operators  can react to the needs of the passengers.

Impact

The concept for the control center was presented as a part of the Vision Urbanetic world premiere in Copenhagen 2018.