HERNDON, Va. -

Volkswagen Group of America announcedit has concluded a study that looked at the future of mobility for long-distance traveling in a creative way. VW teamed up with Academy of Art University for a student design project designed to study just that.

VW's Innovation and Engineering Center California (IECC) recently drew to a close its first-ever “Long Distance Mobility and Living Space” project. This project was presented as an Academy of Art University class which collaborated with firms to deliver immersive and hands-on professional experiences for its students.

Thirty students from the Academy’s school of industrial design, interior architecture design, graphic design, fashion, advertising, and web new media, took a deep dive into future mobility concepts for long-distance travelers. These students were split into five teams to “holistically design a seamless mobility experience inspired by the vast American landscape,” delivering presentations that wrapped up what they had studied at the end of the term.

Five individual students in the class, each from one individual major across all teams, recieved part of a scholarship fund donated by VW. 

“This was a tremendous opportunity for our students to learn from – and alongside – industry experts at Volkswagen Group of America who are paving the way for technology and mobility,” said Antonio Borja, director, School of Industrial Design; Tom Collom, capstone coordinator, School of Interior Architecture Design; and Claudia Dallendoerfer, instructor for New Web Media, at Academy of Art University, in the press release. 

IECC is VW's dedicated center for researching innovations in mobility, applied artificial intelligence and autonomous systems, the company pointed out, and this recent the collaboration with the Academy offered fresh insight into the future of transportation.

“We’re fortunate to be able to work with Academy of Art University and their talented students from all over the world,” said Alexander Ksoll, senior staff designer at Volkswagen Group of America.  “Mobility is multifaceted, and requires a more dimensional approach to its design. This project gave us exciting perspectives and showed outstanding achievements in a fully virtual classroom setting.”

The following teams and concepts were presented and reviewed by a special guest panel comprised of representatives from different industries upon the class conclusion, VW shared: 

  • Kinship: Global team across disciplines with an overarching vision for the project, developing voice, brand strategy, website, and graphic layout for all design concepts.
     
  • Orbis: Designed with purpose for business travelers, looking to achieve a holistic work-life balance. The vehicle travel experience was reinterpreted to help passengers decompress and eliminate post-arrival fatigue.
     
  • Outreach: A lifestyle approach to road travel for the modern nomad looking for a vehicle as adaptable as themselves. This concept blurred the lines between vehicle and home, so passengers can roam where their heart desires.
     
  • Urban Cowboy: This project reflects the team’s passion for adventure and admiration for cowboy culture to demonstrate sustainable long-distance travel at its best.
     
  • X Hubs: Flipping the notion of forgotten, stale rest areas on its head, this concept offered an eco-conscious and family-friendly safe stop for road trippers to recharge and connect along their journeys.