Speculative design
Racing is a popular sport enjoyed by millions each year. We were tasked with designing a cockpit solution for both Virtual Racing and real-life setups, catering to the conscious racer. This led to the creation of Velocity.
Team
6 MEMBERS
Time
2023 JAN - 2023 MAY
Role
Concept designer, Visual Effects (VFX) Artist
Tools
Blender
Unreal 5
After Effects
The client - Lynk & Co.
Lynk & Co is a Chinese-Swedish car manufacturer with a design department in Gothenburg, Sweden. Simple and easy car ownership is one of Lynk & Co’s key ideas. The Lynk & Co 03+ model competes in the World Touring Car Cup through the Cyan Racing Team where they have become world champions several times. Lynk & Co now want to design the next racing experience for the customers, drivers and fans that are proud of the racing and sporty heritage of the brand, without forgetting the reality we live in.
Background
“Racing is a popular sport enjoyed by millions of people each year. But Making it accessible for everyone would have a cost and an impact that we couldn’t ignore.”
Purpose
Therefore we were asked to do the following; Design a cockpit solution that fits both a Virtual Racing and IRL Racing setup. The cockpit solution should be suitable for the conscious racer. From this, we created Velocity.
Process
Phase 1 - Understanding the project
Phase 2 - Concepts and interation
Phase 3 - Development
Understanding the project
At the beginning of the project, our primary focus was to understand the type of experience we aimed to create. To achieve this, we needed to explore the future, the Lynk & Co brand, and the world of racing.
Brief in just words
How might we design the next Lynk&Co experience for the customers, drivers, passengers and fans that are proud of the racing and sporty heritage that the brand sports, without forgetting the reality we live in. Develop and practically demonstrate an immersive experience representative of a 2030(ish) future to be presented to the Lynk&Co team. Please welcome the Conscious Racer.
How we interperted the scenario
“We want to design an immersive racing experience that seamlessly blends virtual and real-world racing, offering a new and exciting experience for all members of the racing community, from common drivers to professional racers., While exploring new opportunities in technology. The final concept should aim to be a tool to enrich the experience for the conscious race.”
Visit and interview at cyan racing
In order to understand what is important in a racing experience a interview was held with one of the drivers at Cyan Racing. This was held at the headquarters of Cyan Racing in Gothenburg. This gave insight of the most important factors of a racing experience when creating a simulated version.
CONCEPTS & ITERATION
In Phase 2, we developed concepts based on Phase 1 scenarios and briefs, prioritizing key aspects for the desired experience. Using Bartel’s player types of gamification, we created dedicated concepts: Lynk & Quest for Explorers, Lynk & Club for Socializers, and Lynk & Competitive for Killers.
Lynk & quest
Lynk & Quest was a concept for a driving experience using AR technology to transform the world around the car. It presented players with a story-driven adventure game in a virtual city where they completed missions to save the city from danger. The concept encouraged teamwork and social interaction through friendly competitions like time trials and online races. Lynk & Quest was later split into two separate concepts: The Tourist and Lynk 4 Speed.
Lynk & Club
Lynk & Club allowed users to own and customize digital Lynk cars, with customizations shared in an open-source library. Members could book racing events and enjoy perks. At the Club, users connected their digital car via an AR racing helmet to experience races in a "racing room" with physical controls and AR visuals. The Club also hosted events, showcased new Lynk cars, and held virtual racing leagues.
Lynk & competetive
Lynk & Competitive focused on competitive racing at Lynk & Co’s racetracks in China. Unlike revolutionary experiences, it aimed to enhance existing racing elements with heightened customization. In addition to AR customizations, users could design their own interiors using 3D printing and open-source platforms, distinguishing it from Lynk & Club.
As the project progressed, Lynk & Quest was split into The Tourist and Lynk 4 Speed. Lynk & Competitive was dropped due to design challenges. Lynk & Club remained unchanged. The Tourist was later eliminated, and Lynk 4 Speed merged with Lynk & Club to form the final concept, Velocity.
Current Lynk & co clubs
Incorporating community-centric features from Lynk & Club, Velocity integrates existing clubs as hubs where enthusiasts can rent equipment and connect with fellow drivers. This community aspect enhances the social dimension of the experience, fostering camaraderie and shared participation.
Built-in racing simulators
Velocity transforms Lynk & Co cars into racing simulators equipped with specialized features like a race-mode switch and transparent screens instead of traditional windows. These adaptations make it distinctively tailored for immersive virtual racing experiences. The concept is not only available for purchase but also through leasing or rental via Lynk & Co's subscription-based ownership model.
Stationary racing
Races in Velocity take place while the car is stationary, utilizing virtual environments modeled after real-world locations. Users can initiate races either at specified starting points globally or by selecting from a diverse database of user-generated tracks. This approach empowers the community to contribute and expand the racing experience organically.
Development
In this phase, our primary focus was developing the concept of velocity using digital tools and recording real footage in order to visualize our concept. To accomplish this, we first needed to create a storyboard, which laid the foundation for our work on the short film.
