Fünf concept by Erick Martinez, Mexico

2007: Sharing the Road.

Drawings on Display at Michelin Challenge Design™

Biography:

Erick Alejandro Martinez Gomez, 27, was born in Mexico City but grew up in Monterrey, Mexico. The automotive industry has been a passion of his since his childhood when he used to attend local motorsports races and car shows with his father. This obsession with cars continued as he educated himself through automotive magazines about the latest releases and innovations in the industry. When he was 12 years old, he began to work with car modeling and arts and crafts.

In order to pursue his passion, he went to college to pursue a mechanical engineer degree but after three semesters he switched to industrial design. In 2000, he began focusing on school projects in car design and other car design contests around the world.

In January 2003, I.T.E.S.M. selected him to be involved in a special program with Volkswagen. In that summer (June – September) he had an internship with Volkswagen Mexico. Later that year he went to Germany for an internship with the Volkswagen design studio in Wolfsburg for six months. During this internship he was able to assist wit the Frankfurt Auto Show.

In March 2004, he moved to Hamburg in order to work one semester in the Applied Sciences Division of the Airplane and Car Construction Division at Haw-Hamburg University.

In July 2004, Erick went back to finish his studies in Monterrey. He subsequently received an Honorary Mention at the Latinamerican Cardesign and Engineering Congress Design Contest. In May 2006, Erick completed his studies as an Industrial designer and was working on his designs for the 2007 Michelin Challenge Design.

Erick currently works at Ficosa Northamerica in Monterrey, Mexico.

Description:

The Fünf concept is a combination of security semantics in car styling, combined with materials and technology that makes this semantic a real statement in security.

Based on the tough and protective shape of bank trucks, the Fünf is powered by a TBDI (Turbo Bio-Diesel Injection) Engine. Its aluminum-carbon fiber space frame and cockpit gives maximum protection for the occupants. Just like f1 cars, the Fünf cockpit is a “security cage” protecting the user’s physical integrity at all times. The vehicle also has a sunroof, airbag and other standard features such as ABS, an anti-roll system, traction and steering control and frontal and side airbags.

Pedestrian casualties are the second fatal cause after the car occupants in a crash. Therefore, the Fünf has a raised profile and front-end to reduce pressure in the impact area. Featuring a long hood prevents an immediate wind shield pedestrian impact as well as external airbags have been added on the hood which provides cushion on critical injury areas.

The front bumper is composed of a different density elastomer layers with the hardest density elastomer inside and the softest facing outside. This unique feature provides less injury risk in case of pedestrian frontal impact.

Below the car’s floor, the seats are attached to a PULL – PUSH shock, in case of a frontal collision or a collision from the back, the shock absorbs the seats energy from the crash, reducing the force transmitted to the occupant body.

The PSS (Proximity Sensor System) consists of proximity sensors which detects when another vehicle gets closer at a determinate speed. The computer has a speed/distance relation to activate the system sending a warning alert to the car’s computer and to the approaching vehicle’s computer. It also activates external side-lights and increases tail lights and lamps luminance as visual warning.