Research Article
aCar - A Vehicle Concept for Sub-Saharan Africa
@INPROCEEDINGS{10.4108/eai.20-6-2017.2269976, author={Martin Soltes and Sascha Koberstaedt and Markus Lienkamp and Simon Rauchbart and Fritz Frenkler}, title={aCar - A Vehicle Concept for Sub-Saharan Africa}, proceedings={EAI International Conference for Research, Innovation and Development for Africa}, publisher={EAI}, proceedings_a={ACRID}, year={2018}, month={4}, keywords={conceptual design design engineering participatory design user centred design vehicle concept}, doi={10.4108/eai.20-6-2017.2269976} }- Martin Soltes
Sascha Koberstaedt
Markus Lienkamp
Simon Rauchbart
Fritz Frenkler
Year: 2018
aCar - A Vehicle Concept for Sub-Saharan Africa
ACRID
EAI
DOI: 10.4108/eai.20-6-2017.2269976
Abstract
A team of researchers and students from Nigeria, Ghana and Germany has been working together since 2013 to design a new vehicle concept for Sub-Saharan Africa. This paper aims to analyze the mobility needs deriving from the vehicle concept fulfilling regional requirements at the very early stage of the aCar project. With Nigeria, Ghana and Kenya as a case study, the challenges have been shown to be the poor road conditions, road safety and the affordability of the vehicles. These countries showed the same picture of a huge mobility gap in rural areas, since a suitable vehicle that meets all requirements does not currently exist. The result of the research and design process is a vehicle concept that meets the needs of the people living in rural areas of Sub-Saharan Africa