AV Communication Panel

2018 || LED panels, delrin, SLS nylon, polycarbonate

At drive.ai, I led the mechanical design of the external communication panels featured on our publicly deployed autonomous vehicles (AVs) in Texas. The purpose of these panels is to share the vehicles’ intent through animated messages, helping to establish trust with other drivers and pedestrians. The ultimate goal of this project is to better enable the public to feel more comfortable with increasing numbers of AVs on the road. The LED panels used in the design allow us to iterate quickly over different types of messaging based on internal surveys and user study feedback. The Cooper-Hewitt Smithsonian Design Museum currently features one on display in The Road Ahead: Reimagining Mobility exhibit.