1 00:00:00,000 --> 00:00:04,680 Thank you for meeting me. 2 00:00:04,680 --> 00:00:05,680 Oh, not a problem. 3 00:00:05,680 --> 00:00:07,600 Your aunt was telling me about your assignment. 4 00:00:07,600 --> 00:00:09,960 She said you're doing research into future transportation. 5 00:00:09,960 --> 00:00:10,960 Right. 6 00:00:10,960 --> 00:00:13,600 We're researching what transportation will look like in 100 years. 7 00:00:13,600 --> 00:00:19,240 Well, I can't predict the future, but I can tell you it should be very exciting. 8 00:00:19,240 --> 00:00:21,360 Wow! 9 00:00:21,360 --> 00:00:23,600 This is incredible! 10 00:00:23,600 --> 00:00:26,400 Are you accepting applications for test drivers? 11 00:00:26,400 --> 00:00:27,400 Not exactly. 12 00:00:27,400 --> 00:00:29,880 But you can check it out. 13 00:00:29,880 --> 00:00:31,320 What kind of car is this? 14 00:00:31,320 --> 00:00:32,760 This is GM's Autonomy. 15 00:00:32,760 --> 00:00:37,840 It's a concept car designed around fuel cell and bi-wire technology. 16 00:00:37,840 --> 00:00:39,760 Fuel cell technology? 17 00:00:39,760 --> 00:00:41,040 What's a fuel cell? 18 00:00:41,040 --> 00:00:45,980 Fuel cells are like batteries, except as long as they're fed fuel, they keep producing energy. 19 00:00:45,980 --> 00:00:48,720 They don't go flat or need recharging. 20 00:00:48,720 --> 00:00:53,920 This particular type of fuel cell converts hydrogen and oxygen into water and produces 21 00:00:53,920 --> 00:00:58,560 electricity and heat in the process. 22 00:00:58,560 --> 00:01:01,440 So this car uses hydrogen for fuel instead of gasoline? 23 00:01:01,440 --> 00:01:03,280 Yes, it does. 24 00:01:03,280 --> 00:01:05,560 So how did you come up with the idea for the Autonomy? 25 00:01:05,560 --> 00:01:11,280 Well, ideas for new vehicles can come from breakthroughs in technology, from formal processes 26 00:01:11,280 --> 00:01:17,320 like consumer research, or from very informal processes like discussions in the office or 27 00:01:17,320 --> 00:01:20,320 even ideas that pop into your head while you're driving. 28 00:01:20,320 --> 00:01:22,040 Sounds a lot like brainstorming. 29 00:01:22,040 --> 00:01:23,040 It is. 30 00:01:23,040 --> 00:01:24,120 We brainstorm all the time. 31 00:01:24,120 --> 00:01:28,360 When we hear customers talk about what they love about their vehicle or what they wish 32 00:01:28,360 --> 00:01:32,520 it could do differently, it automatically makes us start thinking about solutions and 33 00:01:32,520 --> 00:01:33,520 new designs. 34 00:01:33,520 --> 00:01:36,440 Dr. D told us about the design process. 35 00:01:36,440 --> 00:01:41,200 It seems like once you have brainstormed solutions for the problem, you have to do a lot of research. 36 00:01:41,200 --> 00:01:43,720 It's really the scientific method in action. 37 00:01:43,720 --> 00:01:49,160 To develop an idea into a vehicle, it's really just a long series of solving problems. 38 00:01:49,160 --> 00:01:52,840 Before you can start solving those problems, you have to make sure you have all the data, 39 00:01:52,840 --> 00:01:55,200 knowledge and information that you need. 40 00:01:55,200 --> 00:01:59,360 For example, I need to make sure I'm not violating any of the laws of physics. 41 00:01:59,360 --> 00:02:02,520 So you have to know about things like gravity and friction. 42 00:02:02,520 --> 00:02:03,520 That's right. 43 00:02:03,520 --> 00:02:07,680 And sometimes in the auto industry, we do consumer research to make sure that what we've 44 00:02:07,680 --> 00:02:10,240 designed is really what people want. 45 00:02:10,240 --> 00:02:13,020 One way to do that is to build a concept car. 46 00:02:13,020 --> 00:02:15,040 So this is a concept car? 47 00:02:15,040 --> 00:02:16,040 Right. 48 00:02:16,040 --> 00:02:21,100 A concept car is a one-of-a-kind vehicle that helps engineers and designers study and learn. 49 00:02:21,100 --> 00:02:22,600 What have you learned from this concept car? 50 00:02:22,600 --> 00:02:23,680 A lot. 51 00:02:23,680 --> 00:02:28,640 We learned that when you use fuel cells and bi-wire technology to drive a vehicle, you 52 00:02:28,640 --> 00:02:33,880 no longer need an internal combustion engine, an automatic transmission, a gas tank or any 53 00:02:33,880 --> 00:02:37,440 of the mechanical linkages that we have in cars today. 54 00:02:37,440 --> 00:02:40,600 Those are really big parts that take up a lot of room. 55 00:02:40,600 --> 00:02:44,300 Without them, the car doesn't have to look the same anymore and you're free to design 56 00:02:44,300 --> 00:02:47,760 it differently inside and out. 57 00:02:47,760 --> 00:02:51,320 Does it take a long time to develop a car from an idea to a real car that people can 58 00:02:51,320 --> 00:02:52,320 buy? 59 00:02:52,320 --> 00:02:57,920 In GM's concepts, the Pontiac Solstice went from concept to production in just about two 60 00:02:57,920 --> 00:02:58,920 years. 61 00:02:58,920 --> 00:02:59,920 And that's really fast. 62 00:02:59,920 --> 00:03:04,120 But with a really futuristic vehicle like the Autonomy, it's different. 63 00:03:04,120 --> 00:03:07,200 We're going to learn so much more before we're ready to produce it. 64 00:03:07,200 --> 00:03:11,560 So the first fuel cell vehicles that are sold probably won't look like this. 65 00:03:11,560 --> 00:03:16,080 It really depends on technology, on the purpose of the concept and what the public thinks 66 00:03:16,080 --> 00:03:17,320 about it. 67 00:03:17,320 --> 00:03:19,320 So not all concept cars are built? 68 00:03:19,320 --> 00:03:20,320 That's right. 69 00:03:20,320 --> 00:03:23,520 It takes a lot of people, time and money to build a concept vehicle. 70 00:03:23,520 --> 00:03:27,920 So we try to make sure that we build the ones that are the best use of our resources. 71 00:03:27,920 --> 00:03:32,000 The ones that are going to help us learn the most about technology, about our customers 72 00:03:32,000 --> 00:03:33,720 and about our own capabilities. 73 00:03:33,720 --> 00:03:37,440 It sounds like research is just as important in the design process as it is in the scientific 74 00:03:37,440 --> 00:03:38,440 method. 75 00:03:38,440 --> 00:03:39,440 Thank you. 76 00:03:39,440 --> 00:03:40,440 You've been very helpful. 77 00:03:40,440 --> 00:03:41,440 You're welcome. 78 00:03:41,440 --> 00:03:43,080 And don't hesitate to call if you need anything. 79 00:03:43,080 --> 00:03:46,320 So can I borrow the keys to the Autonomy for research? 80 00:03:46,320 --> 00:03:48,320 Do you have a driver's license? 81 00:03:48,840 --> 00:03:52,560 I'll have to get back to you on that one in like six months. 82 00:03:52,560 --> 00:03:53,560 Okay Tony. 83 00:03:53,560 --> 00:03:54,560 Tell your aunt I said hello. 84 00:03:54,560 --> 00:03:55,560 I will. 85 00:03:55,560 --> 00:03:56,060 Bye.