ENROUTE: Mobile Personal Premium Workspaces

ENROUTE project’s challenge is to create a personalised executive mobility service that is part of a sharing system for the year 2060. The goal was to design an interior and service that respects status, privacy and makes the user feel valued. Creating confidence of no interruptions. The user has to trust the service provider with his personal data in exchange for expected services. Other users in the vehicle or system are occupied with their own private work. The three key words for ENROUTE are Private, Productive and Relaxing. The question was, how can you create an exclusive environment in an inclusive system? The theme is based around the idea of privacy within a shared system.

We designed a user interface for the interior of the vehicle, showing how the user would interact with and distinguish between the different interior modes. These interactions would let the user choose their preferences for the environment, such as sound, lighting, smell and more. There would also be a clear UI when entering privacy mode whilst working. Privacy mode creates a secure and direct line between the vehicle and the company, meaning the user can work with confidential information without worrying about outside surveillance.

Shown in Figure 41 is the user in the work area, with a blue lighting running around the interior to match the UI. Once the user turns the vehicle to relax mode, the interior shifts with the lighting changing from blue to green and the couch opening up to lounge on. Figure 42 shows the user having a meeting. The couch is rotated 90 degrees to face the user and the lighting shifts to a pale orange. Extra surfaces are able to open up when needed for food and beverages.

Fig 41. ENROUTE final render of a user in various modes for working and relaxing

Fig 42. ENROUTE final render of a user in interacting with a client in meeting mode

< Previous Chapter: Design Concepts (MOSEY)

Next Chapter: Design Concepts (spareVROOM) >

What does “MORPH” mean to you? We’d love to hear from you. Share your story on LinkedIn or on Twitter @RCA_IMDC.

To access the full report, please enter your details below.

This helps us understand the impact of our research. Your information will not be shared with third parties.

MASTER Report Download Form
MASTER Report Download Form

This form is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.

Research Team and Acknowledgement

The MORPH core research team includes Dr. Jiayu Wu, Dr. Sheila Clark, Ashley Kennard, Daniel Quinlan, Katrine Hesseldahl and Sam Johnson. The service designers are Hyojin Bae and Nayoon Lee. The concept designers are Patryk Musielak (NANO), YoungJae Kim (MOSEY), Jiaheng Wei (ENROUTE) and Dinesh Raman (SPAREVROOM). 

MORPH was sponsored by Hyundai-Kia. The financial support enabled the Intelligent Mobility Design Centre of the Royal College of Art to conceive and explore new areas in transport experiences, vehicle design, digital technology integration, mobility systems and other research topics. We would like to thank Hyundai Motor’s German and Korean offices for their involvement in feedback and review during the research.

Special thanks to Dr. Cyriel Diels, Professor Stephen Boyd Davis and Professor Dale Harrow for reviewing and providing feedback during the research and for the final report.

Finally a special thank you to William Renel for designing the MORPH website, Jane Savory, Hannah Adeuya and Lulu Ishaq for managing the finance and logistics.

Launched in 2016 at the Royal College of Art, the Intelligent Mobility Design Centre (IMDC) leads research at the intersection of people, mobility and technology within a complex and changing urban and global environment.

The Royal College of Art is ranked the No. 1 art and design university by the QS World University Rankings, 2021.

© 2021 Royal College of Art