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AUTOMOTIVE DESIGN
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Designed to be the vehicle of the future, Canada’s fi rst zero emissions concept vehicle features innovative technologies and parts never before seen in a vehicle. Let’s take a look at the key design elements behind the sleek ride
irst unveiled in June at the Collision Conference in Toronto, Canada, the country’s fi rst zero emissions concept vehicle is designed to
showcase what vehicles of the future could potentially look like. Called Project Arrow, the concept vehicle is the cumulative work of around 60 Canadian companies that have each contributed technologies, parts and features to the vehicle – some of which are being debuted for the fi rst time. Project Arrow is the brainchild of
the Automotive Parts Manufacturers’ Association (APMA), the organisation responsible for bringing together the various companies to provide parts and components for the vehicle. T e project is reportedly the biggest industrial collaboration project in Canadian automotive history. Ontario Tech University was selected as the lead academic institution to bring Project Arrow to life, due to its research and academic expertise in automotive engineering, aerodynamics, electrifi cation,
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energy storage and cybersecurity. T e school’s ACE core research and testing facility also provided a unique space to test the durability of the concept vehicle; its Climatic Aerodynamic Wind Tunnel has the capacity to simulate extreme cold and powerful windstorms and helped test the vehicle under a full range of harsh weather conditions.
INNOVATIVE DESIGN Andrew Genovese, a fourth-year automotive engineering student from Ontario Tech who worked on the build for Project Arrow, shares some of the key design features that went into the concept vehicle. “T e design of the vehicle was not only to look stylish and sporty, but also to be aerodynamically effi cient,” he says. “T is starts off with having the windshield wipers hidden under the back of the hood and no traditional side view mirrors – but rather, what we call wing cameras – no door handles, and lastly, low drag style rims.”
In terms of technology, Project Arrow is loaded with a lot of new types of technology. Genovese worked on the installation of body panels, subframes, suspension systems, brake lines, motors, and more. He was also involved with the manufacturing of parts, as well as the logistics of shipping parts for the project. “From the top down, you can see
a solar powered sunroof on top of the vehicle, a 3D printed chassis, and smart textiles from Myant built into the steering wheel,” he adds. “Also included is technology from Axcessiom, which uses gesture control and facial recognition technology to allow those with disabilities to drive the vehicle. AI powered sensors from Pontosense are also included, which measures presence, passenger localisation, and classifi es occupants within a vehicle. In addition, there are seats to detect the heart rate of the driver and passengers, speakerless audio system through the use of transducers, graphene enhanced battery pack to increase the thermal insulation,
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