Upclose America # 207 #207 / April 28, 2023 (Fri) / Confidential |
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Let's discuss the garage, a space that holds immense importance in the house but is not included in its official size. Its absence or detachment from the house can significantly reduce the value of the property. Although it's not a living area, it's frequently used for storing tools, washing machines, refrigerators, and other miscellaneous items. The garage is also the space through which people move in and out of the house the most.
It's fascinating to note that the word "garage" originates from the French word "garer," which means "to shelter." In the United States, garages have a strong association with cars and their history. They evolved from barns that were used to park cars, particularly after the popularization of affordable cars like the Ford Model T in the early 20th century.
Garage sizes increased as cars grew larger, and the addition of garage door openers in the 1970s maximized their functionality. People began using garages for various purposes, such as car repairs, woodworking, and even as a temporary office or studio.
Garages also serve as the primary storage space for households, leading to the tradition of garage sales where unwanted items are sold at discounted prices. More than 82 million households in the United States have garages, and 2 or 3-car garages are common.
The garage is also the main entrance to the house for many Americans, with 71% entering their homes through the garage side door. Since the garage door can be closed, people do not need to lock a separate front door, adding to the convenience of the space.
Garages appear to have a significant impact on the proliferation of electric vehicles. Typically, clothes dryers are situated in garages or nearby laundry rooms with 220-240V outlets. Using a compatible Gen 2 charging adapter (which costs approximately $40-50), you can charge your vehicle at a rate of around 37km per hour. Recently, I purchased an electric car and am charging it with a Gen 2 charger, which is connected to the laundry room outlet. The cost of installation was $400, and the charger cost $200, which is a fantastic price. To keep the long charging cable tidy, I connected it to the ceiling rather than letting it lie on the floor and roll around. I believe that the ability to quickly connect to charging equipment like this makes it easier for electric cars to be adopted compared to other countries.
The Homelink feature is crucial to maximize garage accessibility and should not be overlooked. Tesla provides Homelink for $350, and it is highly sought after by consumers. The Homelink system, which employs Geofence, is a necessary feature for Americans who value garage access above all else.
In conclusion, let me share some garage statistics.
- Approximately 36% of Americans choose not to park their cars in garages because they find them too cluttered.
- 85% of Americans see a well-organized garage as a source of pride.
- Garage activities include DIY projects (53%), car maintenance and home upgrades (41%), parties (33%), and furniture making (26%).
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🤭 April 28th Newsletter Summary
1. Trend - A fitness app featuring Thor and Loki? Marvel Move uses storylines to get fans running
2. Product Design - A Bed That Doubles as Your Cremation Coffin
3. Automotive News This Week
- 2024 Lincoln Nautilus
- GM to Drop Chevy Bolt
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Trend - A fitness app featuring Thor and Loki? Marvel Move uses storylines to get fans running
Hollywood's renowned director, Martin Scorsese, once mentioned that "Marvel movies are theme parks," and to some extent, I agree. With the expansion of various universes, numerous characters have been introduced to the point where it's hard to remember all their names, and the stories are incredibly diverse. A fitness app based on Marvel movies, featuring these diverse characters, is set to be released in mid-2023.
Marvel Move is a mobile fitness adventure set to launch in mid-2023, with a focus on narrative-driven workouts that bring Marvel stories to life. Featuring popular characters such as Thor, Loki, Hulk, and the X-Men, the app offers audio prompts and encouragement to help users engage in exciting exercise experiences.
The app allows runners to become the main characters in storylines while being guided and assisted by Marvel heroes in achieving their fitness goals. Users can customize their runs by selecting their desired time or distance, and can track their activity whether they are outdoors, on a treadmill, or in a wheelchair. Additionally, the app provides training programs for various race lengths, such as 5K, 10K, half-marathon, and marathon.
Consumers are increasingly seeking opportunities to immerse themselves in alternate realities and have fun, blurring the lines between fiction and reality. Brands that excel in storytelling have a unique opportunity to engage with this trend.
Marvel and Six to Start have capitalized on this trend by creating a mobile fitness adventure that blends entertainment and exercise. With fan-favorite characters such as Thor, Loki, Hulk, and the X-Men, users can become the main characters in their own storylines and achieve their fitness goals with the help of their favorite Marvel heroes. This innovative approach to fitness has the potential to inspire a new generation of fans to take up physical and mental wellness. As a brand, how can you use fandom to help your audience achieve their goals?
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Furniture Design - A Bed That Doubles as Your Cremation Coffin
There is nothing that you cannot buy at Costco. They even sell coffins, with the cheapest option starting at $1,149.99. The average cost of a casket in the United States ranges from five to ten million won. But... would the deceased feel comfortable?
After witnessing her mother's burial, an industrial designer came up with a concept that combines a bed with a casket. The product, called A Lifetime, saves time, material, and costs by serving as a bench-style bed that can later be transformed into a casket. The bed used by the deceased can be converted into their burial casket, offering the advantage of saving material consumption, production time, and costs for the bereaved. |
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Automotive News - 2024 Lincoln Nautilus
In 2024, the fully redesigned Lincoln Nautilus, which will be released in the global market including the US and Canada, was unveiled, showcasing the pride of the Detroit company. Compared to midsize SUVs such as the Audi Q5, BMW X3, and Mercedes GLC, the Nautilus features a well-proportioned design without the awkward effect of some reduced dimensions. It also exhibits design similarities with the Corsair and Aviator, showing a distinct identity. |
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The handcrafted grille of the Lincoln Nautilus, set to be released in the global market, including the US and Canada in 2024, showcases the pride of the Detroit company. The Lincoln logo in the center of the grille gradually expands and extends its wings outward, creating an elegant illumination show that maximizes its width and emphasizes its presence. The wings extend in a straight line until they reach the tail lamp, which features a shape that makes it look as if the wings are fluttering downward.
The black treatment above the beltline visually lowers the body, creating a satisfying proportion. Although the door handle is concealed by the beltline, it provides aesthetic satisfaction. The handle has a button located on the inside that gives a sturdy feeling and ensures stable door operation.. |
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The Lincoln lettering is crafted in a sculpted shape inside the glass and when lit, it reveals a 3D shape, completing the very minimalist yet elegant rear design. |
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The climax of the design is in the interior. They introduced the widest band-type screen in this class. In the middle, there is a center screen that controls an 11.1-inch band-type display. It may seem redundant, but it appears as if they've taken the controls previously on a luxury car's center console and turned them into a screen. |
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Interestingly, this band-shaped digital screen form looks recent, but Lincoln has tried it before. In that sense, is it Design Heritage? 😊
The front screen is displayed as close to the road as possible to prevent obstruction while driving, and the shape of the steering wheel is also made flat at the top to avoid interference with screen visibility (tested for ergonomics).
Another noteworthy point is that the top part of the surrounding door panel is decorated with a lighting panel that resembles a screen, rather than a digital screen. This gives the entire area a screen-like appearance.
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Attached is a video that demonstrates how easy it is to rearrange screen areas using drag and drop. I think this will be an attractive feature for consumers who want to customize the functionality to their liking.
While I'm not sure how effective the minimal yet highly functional built-in screen will be during driving, it does seem to have enough design differentiation to make the regular IP appear outdated. |
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Automotive News - GM to Drop Chevy Bolt
GM plans to end production of the Bolt EV and EUV by the end of the year, and the Orion plant in Michigan that produced the Bolt will be retooled to produce Chevy Silverado EVs. The Bolt has already been stigmatized as a problematic car due to the LG battery defect that led to fires, and battery prices have not fallen as expected, causing some battery manufacturers to struggle financially.
According to GM CEO Mary Barra, the company plans to triple its workforce and produce 600,000 electric trucks annually starting in 2024. Although the sedan and SUV markets have been dominated by Tesla, GM aims to take the lead in the electric truck market before the release of the Cybertruck and is focusing on cutting unnecessary models. It is also possible that GM's decision to produce only profitable models is driven by factors such as the ongoing price cuts by Tesla and the difficulty in securing raw materials for batteries. |
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Kia Design Center America
Written by Jenna chwee
Email: jchwee@hatci.com
101 Peters Canyon Rd. Irvine, CA 92606
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