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Autodesk Collaborates With Volkswagen Group on Generative Design in Electric Showcase Vehicle
Last week, to mark the 20th anniversary of its largest R&D center outside Germany, Volkswagen Group introduced a classic VW Microbus retrofitted with cutting-edge tech they believe will shape the future of the automotive industry. Focusing on maximizing strength while minimizing weight, Autodesk partnered with Volkswagen's newly renamed Innovation and Engineering Center California (IECC) to reimagine various components of this electric-infused showcase vehicle.
"We're blending a timeless Volkswagen design with fresh ideas and innovative technologies from our collaborators like Autodesk," said Nikolai Reimer, the center's executive director. "It's an exhilarating chance to explore what we can achieve and to craft a cool concept car as a nod to everything we stand for."
When designing electric vehicles, reducing weight is crucial since lighter cars require less energy to move, translating into longer ranges per charge, a key factor for many consumers. Enter generative design.
Generative design played a key role in reshaping the wheels of the 1962 Type 2 11-window Microbus. By applying this technology, the IECC team was able to rethink the wheel structure entirely. Lighter wheels not only decrease the vehicle's overall weight but also reduce tire rolling resistance. These new wheels are 18% lighter than standard ones, and the entire design-to-production process took just months instead of the usual 1.5 years.
"With generative design, we can create structures that would be impossible for us humans to design conventionally," noted Andrew Morandi, senior product designer at Volkswagen Group. "Seeing how much material we could strip from a typical wheel design was astonishing. When the final rims arrived, it felt like Christmas morning for the whole team."
Generative design also influenced the steering wheel, the rear bench seating support structure, and the external side mirror mounts.
"A steering wheel isn't particularly heavy, but it's the main point of contact for drivers. People aren't used to touching mounts or supports," explained Erik Glaser, principal product designer at Volkswagen Group. "We wanted to incorporate generatively designed elements where people would interact with them, not only for their intricate beauty but also to demonstrate their strength."
Beyond aiding in design exploration and creating lighter, stronger parts, generative design fosters faster workflows that empower designers to make better-informed decisions.
"I view this project as a test run with generative design," said Morandi. "We're gauging its potential. I hope in about 10 to 15 years, we might see entire vehicle frames generated this way. This could transform not just the products we produce but also how we operate as manufacturers."
Last spring, General Motors utilized generative design in a proof-of-concept project to develop a lightweight seat bracket prototype for future electric vehicles. Similarly, NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory showcased a generatively designed interplanetary lander prototype capable of transporting payloads over 350 million miles from Earth in November.
"The full scope of generative design's potential remains untapped today. Over the next few years, we'll discover how human engineering paired with AI can yield lighter, smarter, and more sustainable products," said Reimer. "This will not only transform the products we create but also the ways we work."