Developing of an innovative off-road vehicle improved by IDeS

The development of the off-road vehicle in this paper is the result of the application of IDeS method (Industrial Design Structure). This method is characterized by a strong engineering approach to design and industrial development, powerful in the automotive sector. Most of the project took place at Lawrence Technological University (LTU) in Southfield, MI, USA, a prominent center in the global automotive industry. The main objective of this paper is to design an off-road vehicle capable of competing with the most robust models on the market by introducing highly innovative elements. Specifically, the focus was on features that could transform a simple off-road car into a versatile 360-degree travel vehicle, providing the ability to convert the cabin into an environment suitable for multi-day expeditions, including overnight stays. Following a thorough market research, guided by tools such as Quality Function Deployment (QFD), Benchmarking, and Top/Flop Analysis (TPA), the foundations and objectives were defined: an electric vehicle that embodies the spirit of adventure and environmental respect with innovative characteristics. The vehicle architecture was then determined through the selection of technical features. In this regard, it was estimated interesting to implement decisions through the TRIZ method (Theory for Inventive Problem Solving), directing choices towards specific parameters to optimize the process. The second part followed the Stylistic Design Engineering (SDE) method, employing freehand drawing processes, the production of blueprints, the modeling of the vehicle's external surfaces, and the simulation of some technical parameters using appropriate software. This approach conceded satisfactory results, ensuring the possibility of obtaining a scale prototype through 3D printing and the use of augmented reality to advance to the pre-production phase.