‘smartchitecture’ is a driverless aluminum car with circular cabin and round transparent roof

Yida Li’s driverless aluminum car aka smartchitecture

For his Bachelor’s degree thesis, sponsored by Mercedes-Benz Design, designer Yida Li conceived the concept driverless aluminum car ‘Smartchitecture’ that makes use of the Smart car, a vehicle under a division of Daimler AG, which is Mercedes-Benz’s parent company, transforming the typical mini car into a multipurpose vehicle that may combine aspects of a moving tent, RV, and architecture all at once. The concept vehicle features a circular cabin topped with a smaller round transparent roof to provide passengers panoramic views wherever they look.

During his degree show at CongressCentrum Pforzheim in February 2024, Yida Li brought out a 1:4 scale model of his driverless car with an aluminum exterior for visitors to view and learn more about his concept vehicle. The model allowed them to take note of the sofa-like seating inside the round cabin, which is curved to follow the car’s body shape. The wooden floor features grilles that can help with interior ventilation, and the headrests are tucked into the seats, suggesting they can be manually or automatically adjusted, depending on the technology employed.

images courtesy of Yida Li

concept vehiclE inspired by bauhaus architecture

With the way the round transparent roof is designed, Yida Li’s Smartchitecture, its scale model shown at the CongressCentrum Pforzheim, may have buttons to lift it up and bring it down, adjusting to the height of the passengers and offering uninterrupted views whenever they want. The primary material used throughout the vehicle is aluminum, visible as well in the geometric-shaped rims of the tires. The wheel arches appear large to accommodate the sizable tires, and aluminum grilles wrap around the concept vehicle for aerodynamic performance and ventilation.

Yida Li’s driverless aluminum car remains a concept for now, its design drawing inspiration from Bauhaus architecture and the term ‘yuanlin,’ which translates to ’round forest’. The influence of Bauhaus design is evident in the vehicle’s soft forms and gentle curves, seen in the exterior, wheel arches, and cabin design. The concept of the ’round forest’ is reflected in the interior color scheme, the transparent roof, and the use of wood for the floor. Smartchitecture was Yida Li’s bachelor thesis project for the school year 2023-2024, sponsored by Mercedes-Benz Design.

front view of Yida Li’s Smartchitecture