Improved dashboard storage solutions for VCC

Abstract: This project has been preformed as a master degree thesis in the
engineering program Ergonomic Design and Production at Luleå University of
Technology (LTU). The project was assigned by Volvo Car Corporation (VCC)
in Gothenburg and carried out at Cross Design AB. The purpose of the
project was to investigate how storage in the front part of the Volvo
models S80, V70, XC70 and XC90 could be improved and optimised. The project
should result in one storage solution concept.

The procedure of the project was based on a combined methodology of the
Sirius Masterplan Design Process and Systematic Problem Solving. To find
the existing needs in car storage a survey was performed on a group of 20
car drivers who represented the target group of potential buyers. To make
sure to receive extensive information both questionnaires, interviews and
observations were carried out. In order to incorporate inspiration and an
overview of the range of products on the market the team carried out a
benchmarking of most of the leading car makes in Sweden. Related
technologies were also studied to find new angles of approach and to
increase the number of ideas. An analysis of how the car will be used in
the future was performed as well as a general trend analysis of peoples
life styles and habits. In the surveys it was found that people are
spending more and more time in their cars and that it is becoming important
to provide for other needs than the traditional. The studied cars are often
used for longer trips at work or on vacation. This creates a need for
possibilities for storing office equipment and to have easy access to
beverage and food.

The idea generation was carried out through the methods of brainstorming,
categorising and and adjusted form of the Delphi method and resulted in a
wide range of storing solutions. To narrow down the project it was decided
to focus only on the glove compartment, the area in the middle of the
dashboard, and on the area behind the centre stack. Several concepts were
put together for each of these areas on the basis of the previously
developed ideas. It was decided to proceed with the development of the
glove compartment concepts. These were to be applied on the coming XC90
which has the largest glove compartment volume of VCC’s cars. The glove
compartment concepts were compared to previously stated product demands and
wishes as well as to each other. The ones with the most innovative ideas
and best scores were extracted and supplemented with good ideas from other
concepts. The selection specially focused on flexibility, organisation and
individualisation possibilities as well as innovation. A combination of
concepts ended up with a notch and a case concept, which both could be
supplemented with a so called sleigh for easier access. Since both concepts
and combinations lived up to the demands the final concept choice was based
on calculated scores as well as which was considered to be the most
innovative. On these grounds the case concept, called the Glove Compartment
Case (GCC), was elected. The GCC consists of two removable cases: one
cooling unit and one organised unit. The concept fulfils the wishes of
flexibility, organisation and individuality since it allows the user to
organise the glove compartment after occasion and stored items.