Automotive Architecture & Packaging
Only for Academic Use
Vehicle Architecture & Design
Purpose
1. To make design students understand importance of packaging , process & their role in the process.
2. To make them aware that much automotive design innovation is routed in clever packaging .
3. The goal is to prepare UG and PG students for automotive industry which is complex and competitive
Design & Architecture
Archite
Design
cture
strategy, structure and purpose implementation and practice
towards the abstract. towards the concrete.
Gross packaging Packaging in detail
Both architecture and design are essential.
Vehicle Architecture Vehicle Design
Layout Size
Dividing the whole in Modules Shape , Style
Human fit
Placement of various modules to
achieve certain function
Function and features
One architecture – many products
Use & Usability
In automotive field it is called : Platforms
CMF & Customization
Exterior Packaging
Product Planning
Corporate Plan aligned Product
Market Research
with corporate vision. Opportunity
User Study Product
Definition 1
Packaging
Product
Definition 1
Engineering Design
LOGIC EMOTION
Capacity
For a successful product the concept
Performance
Regulations
Needs to be driven by both logic and
Functions emotion & that is art
Reliability
Manufacturing
ICE Systems
Body
AC
Steering Seating
Passenger cell
Infotainment
Power Train Storage
Battery
Exhaust
Cooling
Braking
Chassis
Suspension Transmission
Lighting Wheels
AC Body Steering Seating
Passenger cell
Infotainment
Storage
Suspension
Braking
Lighting
Chassis
Wheels
Transmission
Packaging
Packaging is a Exercise of
Selection of various automotive systems & deciding their location within the vehicle
Providing required comfort and space for occupants and their storage
Deciding space division between man and machine & how human will interact with machine.
While
Remaining within the size and cost indicated in product definition
Respecting regulatory , manufacturing and operational needs
Meeting expected performance
& aspirations of the customer.
> Proportions are everything in design
> “ Appealing designs have great proportions and great proportions are
result of judicious packaging work “ Ralph Gilles , VP design , Chrysler Motors
> No perfect car : Every car has some compromise
> Great cars minimize these compromises
Proportions
Design is @ Proportions
2
0.6 3 – 3.5 0.9
Proportions Surface Detail
What matters from distance ? What matters when you go close ? What matters when you go
around the car and seat inside ?
Height to width ,
FOH vs ROH ,
Wheel size & location
Glass inclination
Tumble home
Driver posture
Glass to metal
Two Extremes
Comfort Performance
Max interior space Minimum frontal area
Ease of ingress Lowest height
Maximum safety Popular Minimum weight
mass production cars
Max Man Max machine
Iconic Design
Most provoking
Emotional Logical
Yet
Design package
Most Practical
Created by designers who have mastery over packaging ,
who can manipulate the balance of compromises in their favor
Automotive Development
Ford Model T : 1912 Smart fortwo : 1990
Size
First affordable mass production car Safe, Inexpensive
Using IC engine Easy to park
Commuter car
Features
Art of Packaging
Packaging is ART
It is a creative exercise of achieving fine balance between performance and aesthetics.
It is a process of careful negotiation between various stakeholders to create win-win situation .
Stakeholders
1. Engineers
Body , Chassis , Electrical , HVAC, Powertrain,
2. Designers
3. Management
Packaging is crucial in creation of a successful product.
& innovative packaging can create new product segments
1959 : Maximizing interior space with minimum overhangs , use of transverse engine mounting to
maximise interior space
MINI
Renault Espace
BMW mini
Aston Martin
Became ICON of Classic British style
Classic British style in low cost and small size
It broke the class barrier and everyone could have fun and get freedom while motoring MINI
1930 : People car : Project commissioned by Adolf Hitler & car designed by Ferdinand Porsche
Affordable , Practical and reliable + Classic Curvy design
BEETLE
First Mono-volume people carrier
Similar dimensions like full size estate but much more spacious and multipurpose
Comfortable, spacious, flexible people carrier that drives like a car, not a bus.
ESPACE
2020 : Tesla Model S : Disruptive packaging based on new powertrain technology & compact battery pack
Battery pack as structure
Inspired by the aerospace innovation of building airplane wings as fuel tanks instead of building
the fuel tanks inside the wings, Tesla decided to build a battery pack that acts as a body
structure, linking the front and rear underbody parts.
Major subjects in packaging
Occupant Postioning & posture
Space efficiency
Foot print
Comfort
Performance
Powertrain w.r.t. to occupant
Occupant positioning and his posture
affects his safety and comfort
Boundaries
Overall dimensions, proportions acceptable to styling , Visibility lines
Guidelines for aggregate packaging
1. Ground clearance and TCD
2. Preferred approach / departure angles and ramp angles
3. Preferred weight distribution / axle reactions
4. Assembly sequence ,fitment and service access.
5. Static and dynamic clearances
6. Heating and cooling clearances
7. Safety guidelines
8. Regulations
Drivers of occupant packaging
1. Creature comfort
2. Road visibility
3. Survival space
4. Safety guidelines
5. Reach to controls
6. Egress and Ingress
7. Perceived safety.
8. Roominess.
9. Tumble home and shoulder room
Vehicle Package layout : Engg
Packaging and Engineering (PAT)
Accommodation & Usage
Vehicle Performance Attributes
Design & Appearance
Performance, Economy & Drivability
Perceived Quality
Human Machine Interface
Driving Dynamics
Quality, Durability & Reliability
Comfort and Convenience
Cost of Ownership
Noise, Vibration & Harshness (NVH)
Environmental Impact
Thermal & Aerodynamic Performance (TASE)
Weight
Safety & Security
Attribute Engineering
It is becoming increasingly necessary to capture and understand customer concerns, such as needs,
motives, and values in order for automotive products to stay relevant.
It is important to identify which vehicle attributes are important to customers
and influence their purchase decision
Attribute engineering focuses on the desired characteristics you would like your vehicle to have,
which are in line with your customer needs and your brand identity
PAT and PALs framework will help you to decide priority while making design / engg decisions
PALS PAT
Performance Attribute triangle
10 % Better than the Best
Accommodation
& Usage
Design & Appearance
Performance, Economy & Drivability
Perceived Quality
Within top 3 Human Machine Interface
Driving Dynamics
Quality, Durability & Reliability
Comfort and Convenience
Cost of Ownership
Noise, Vibration & Harshness (NVH)
Competitive
Within top 50% Environmental Impact
Of competition Thermal & Aerodynamic Performance (TASE)
Weight
Safety & Security
Packaging and PAT
Accommodation & Usage
Attributes affected by packaging
Design & Appearance
Performance, Economy & Drivability
Perceived Quality
Human Machine Interface
Driving Dynamics
Quality, Durability & Reliability
Comfort and Convenience
Cost of Ownership
Noise, Vibration & Harshness (NVH)
Environmental Impact
Thermal & Aerodynamic Performance (TASE)
Weight
Safety & Security
Benchmarking & competition study
Best in Class / Industry – Benchmarks
Competition – Core & Adjacent
Product positioning
Product positioning is a strategic exercise that defines where your product fits in the
marketplace Or what gap exists which can be occupied .
Refined
A
B
Features/ Content
Economical Expensive
Price
Robust
Polarizing attributes
Lowest price Good on road performance
Highest quality Good off road performance
Best design Sophisticated
Best performance Robust built
Highest safety Most spacious
Low on maintenance Best cargo volume
Good to get in & out Lowest operating cost
Positioning Map
Pickup most important and valid attributes to the class of vehicle you are packaging
The attributes should be opposing each other but also desirable by users
Eg. -- Good off road performance may not give good high way performance Z
Choose set of opposing attributes to map the competition
Eg – High way performance – Off road performance – X axis
Compact --- Spacious --- Z axis
X
Packaging Mission
Mission for design based on
Who is the customer , persona
What is the trend ,
What is the gap in market
What is your design language
Mission for size and rominess
Size drives weight
In general weight drives performance and cost
Rominess drives class
Mission for performance
What is your competition offering
What is your customer need
Packaging Mission should be aligned with the desired product positioning
Packaging in Steps
Wheels selection 1
Function Aesthetics
Performance
Proportion
Cost
Style
Durability
Wheels selection
Commercial Vehicle Passenger Car Sports Car
High Aspect Low aspect
Support Load Accurate cornering
Provide cushion on bad roads Perfect handling
Provide traction High traction
Wheels specification
215 65 R16
Width Aspect (% of width ) Rim dia (inches )
GRID ALIGHMENT WITH VEHICLE HARD POINTS 2
Front wheel center is X0
Floor level is Z0
CENTRE OF FRONT AXLE
200
100
VEH FLOOR LEVEL
Z=0
-100 GROUND
-200
-500 -400 -300 -200 -100 100 200 300 400 500
X=0
GRID ALIGHMENT WITH VEHICLE HARD POINTS
VEHICLE CENTRE
Vehicle center is Y0
VEH FLOOR LEVEL
Z=0
Y=0
Occupant Packaging 2
H-point: The H-point is
the Pivot Center of the
torso and thigh on the
Two-or Three-
Dimensional devices
used in defining and
measuring vehicle
seating accommodation.
Occupant Anatomy
H Point
Car manufacturers use the SAE J1100 standard, named Motor Vehicle Dimensions (SAE International, 2009), to define the most
relevant dimensions of the vehicle interior that are used for determining important benchmarking and regulatory parameters.
One of the most important points that are defined in this standard is the one referred to as H-point, in the document the
following four definitions of this reference point are presented:
1. H-point: The H-point is the Pivot Center of the torso and thigh on the Two-or Three-Dimensional devices used in defining and
measuring vehicle seating accommodation.
2. Design H-point: The Design H-point is located on a drawing by the H-point on the twodimensional drafting template placed in
any designated seating position. If the designated seating position can be adjusted, the path of the Design H-point through the
full seat adjustment establishes the Design H-point travel path, and can be dimensionally described by coordinates relative to
the three-dimensional reference system
3. SgRP: The manufacturer's design reference point is a unique Design H-point which: o Establishes the rearmost normal design
driving or riding position of each designated seating position which includes consideration of all modes of adjustment,
horizontal, vertical, and tilt, in a vehicle, o Has X, Y, Z coordinates established relative to the designed vehicle structure, o
Simulates the position of the Pivot Center of the human torso and thigh, and o Is the reference point employed to position the
two-dimensional drafting template with the 95th percentile leg described in SAE J826.
4. Actual H-point: The actual H-point is located in an actual vehicle by the H-point on the three-dimensional H-point Machine
with the 95th percentile leg installed in any designated seating position per instruction in SAE J826 and can be dimensionally
located by coordinates relative to the three-dimensional reference system.
Occupant Anatomy
##
(AHP)
## Effective Headroom Point – Point of intersection between 8deg line and headliner
7deg
5 deg
Forward Direct Visibility Regulation for M1
Mannequins to be used in automotive design
1. The vehicle must accommodate drivers whose stature varies from a 5th percentile
female to a 95th percentile male
2. Height of 5th percentile female – 1525 mm height
3. Height of 95th percentile – 1865 mm height
4. For third row you may use 50th percentile
Locate front wheel 3
Mark Floor level at Z0
Mark ground considering desired floor level from ground
Mark wheel at X0 touching ground ( you may assume some tyre compression )
X0
Z0 Floor Level
Stepping height
Ground
Locate driver 4
Place occupant (driver ) , with its AHP at right location w.r.t. wheel envelop
X0
Wheel Envelop
Z0 Floor Level
Ground
Place power train 5
Place powertrain w.r.t. wheels while maintaining ground clearance of oil sump.
X0
Z0 Floor Level
Ground
Mark overall size limits 6
Now mark the FOH and length , place the rear wheel , mark the height considering head clearance
X0
Z0 Floor Level
Ground
Place rear occupant 7
Now place rear occupant while maintaining right clearance w.r.t. driver
X0
Z0 Floor Level
Ground
Define visibility requirements 8
The front &rear , upper &lower visibility requirements should be marked based on benchmark study
Upper Visibility
Lower Visibility
X0
Z0 Floor Level
Ground
Mark Approarch, Ramp and Departure angles 9
Upper Visibility
Lower Visibility
X0
Z0 Floor Level
Approach Angle Ramp Angle Departure Angle
Ground
For M1 Class of Vehicles : Upward visibility angle – 7 deg
Lower visibility angle --- 5 deg
Deciding Elbow room
10
Decide the location of driver and co driver in rear view considering inboard and outboard elbow room
Veh. height
H Point H Point
Y=0
Floor Level
Ground
Vehicle Width
Define tumble home
11
Decide tumble home . Spaciousness , Frontal area & car width are deciding factors for tumble home.
Tumble Home
Shoulder Room
Y=0
Floor Level
Ground
Vehicle Width
Key Attributes / USP
Always remember the attributes in which the brand
wants to lead & the USP of the product.
Product USP is sometimes defined in product
definition or it develops as the project develops
Key dimensions
With key dimensions you can keep control over product attributes
Source : H point Book
Key dimensions
SAE conventions for key dimensions : Universally Known and used
Source : H point Book
Car Body Types
Interior Packaging
Vehicle Interiors
Vehicle relationship with users
Role of interiors in sensory perception
Purchase
Exterior Point Interior
Interest /
Level of
sensory
perception
10 Sec 10 Min 10 Days 10 Weeks 10 Months
Vehicle Exposure
Exterior design brings the customer to the showroom,
but the Interior Design has to do the work of converting him in a brand loyal.
Factors driving interior packaging
Safety ----- Safety of occupants & pedestrians
Comfort – Comfort of all occupants
Experience – Ambiance
Features – Functions
Usability – Ease with which the features
can be used.
HMI – Human Machine interface
Safety
Passive safety system
1. Protect the occupants of the vehicle in case of a crash
2. Reduce the impact of accident and level of injury
3. Mitigate consequence of accident during and after the accident
Passive Safety features to mitigate
the effect of collision
Seat Belts
Survival space
Location of airbags
Reach to controls
Exterior visibility
Instrument visibility
Exterior Visibility
Thro w/s glasses
Thro’ mirrors
Thro’ cameras and screens
Obscurations
Screen washouts
Comfort
Seat comfort
Climate control
NVH
Experience
Vehicle interior ambience is increasingly
influenced by other
domains such as architecture, furniture
design, (house) interior design,
fashion and cosmetics.
Features
1. Vehicle manufactures provide number of standard and optional features to attract customers .
The number of features offered are ever increasing
2. All these features require space and interface to use them . Packaging of so many features is complex.
3. More and more high end electronics is deployed to reduce the requirement of packaging space
Usability
HMI : Human Machine Interface
HMI allows users to interact with their vehicles in more and more natural way using following inputs and
receiving visual feedback.
Electromechanical controls
Touch screens
Voice Input
Gesture Input
Interior Packaging process
Step 1
With respect to the 95th percentile male driver define primary controls steering position , Gear shift / auto shift mode
lever , parking brake & foot pedals.
Step 2
Now define the seat front & back travel which makes steering and pedal access easy for
5th percentile female ( H point is rear most point in seat travel , you need to decide seat travel ahead of it )
Step 3
Decide steering tilt range which makes holding steering comfortable ( for long duration ) for both 95 th male &
5th female .
Step 4
Now locate the Primary instruments & warning lights like speedometer , odometer , tachometer and tell tales
by confirming their visibility to driver .
Step 5
Decide seat backrest angle adjustment range based on type of vehicle being designed
Interior Packaging process
Step 6
Develop hand reach envelop to locate secondary controls like AC controls , facia switches etc .
Step 7
Locate infotainment screen for least distraction . Infotainment screen should be angled to avoid sun washout .
It should be located [Link] in such a way that info can be read by driver without taking away attention from road.
Step 8
Now locate the Primary instruments & warning lights like speedometer , odometer , tachometer and tell tales
by confirming their visibility to driver .
Step 9
Locate AC vents
Step 10
Decide primary door controls like door opening latch which is within reach of both 96th male and 5th female.
Also define armrest / grab handle location which is comfortable for both.
Interior Packaging process
Step 11
Now locate the sun visors which do not violate the upper visibility limits
Step 12 ( This is very complicated engg exercise )
Locate the IRVM which gives view thro rear glass . Define ORVM location ( LH & RH ) which meet regulatory
requirements . Define location of seat belt top and bottom fixing points
Step 13
Define door control locations for rear passengers.
Step 14
Establish boot volume and make sure that luggage can be loaded and unloaded easily by 5th percentile female
Step 15
Decide opening angles of all closures ( doors , bonnet , rear hatch / trunk lid )
