Identity and Experience: Exploring Urban Car Culture

Setting out to explore the drive behind many trends in urban car culture, I've discovered that a marketable product aimed at those with a passion for this area of interest would be best catered, if it's focused on both their identity and experience.

Identity

Magnus Walker, well known for his extensive Porsche collection and unlawful practice of speed on LA streets. 

In terms of identity I've discovered that those who take part in such a trend see their cars as an extension of themselves, not just something that get's them from A to B.

Wekfest; a Japanese car show featuring multiple urban trends.

As an extension of themselves, this is how their taste's and personality are represented through their cars; just like how someone might wear designer clothes and follow certain trends in fashion. People who are part of an urban car culture trend will take their car and modify the look and performance using aftermarket parts, to suit their tastes. Your reputation in such a trend is based on what you've done to your car and how you drive; just like how someone might be judged by what they wear and how they might act in a social environment.

Need for Speed; a 2015 reboot of a hugely popular franchise that focuses on real world
urban car culture and feature multiple icons from the automotive world.

What you do to your car and how you drive is a form of self expression. Those involved in the urban car scene are often misunderstood; I'll set out to find what is most important in this lifestyle from top automotive icons to those involved in more underground trends.

Modifying your car is very expensive, could it be possible for users to preview parts their car before they actually purchase them? There are other products such as games like Need for Speed that allow you to customise select cars with limited modifications; could something like this be pushed further to create an unlimited selection of cars and modifications?

Experience

Formula 1: One of the most popular racing sports in history. Also among the fastest and most dangerous.

Of course cars have function, they're not just pretty mechanical objects. Since the dawn of the automobile there have been thrill seekers, seeking speed, adrenaline and just having a good time and showing off how they drive! I'll set out to explore the drive behind pushing cars to their limits and how risky racing has been through history and explore what products could potentially bring the user closer to experiencing the real thing without actually having to do it.

The Forza Motorsport 6 AutoVista pays attention to every nook and cranny in over 460 cars. 

There are simulators out there that push for realism when it comes to racing. A racing simulator game like Forza Motorsport even goes as far as simulation how much fuel goes into the cylinders with particular upgrades and even down to how tire pressure can affect your traction on the road.

Could this game simulation be used in conjunction with the real world so that users could test performance modifications on their own car?

NASCAR; a very dangerous high speed American motorsport; with many fatalities. 

Racing isn't all about winning and being the fastest. Many are in it for the thrill of what could happen if something goes wrong, the danger can attract people. No matter how much health and safety implications there are, things can always go wrong. This is also a part of racing simulation; how is your car affected when it's damaged. Though could it be possible for the user to experience the geforces or even pain of a high speed impact if they were to play a game that simulates such events?

Technology

The VOID: Virtual reality theme park.

To create a marketable product, I will have to look at possible future developments in technology that would make my IP marketable to the appropriate audience in the near future.

The SimXperience racing simulator rig. Operated by hydraulics to simulate G-forces and perfectly realistic control response.

I will set out to explore technology that could potentially combine both the important aspects of identity and experience in urban car culture and racing. The most feasible technological developments thus far that could make for a very immersive and interactive experience are virtual and augmented reality platforms.