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FCA unveils new design center in Brazil

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FCA DESIGN CENTER OPENS NEW STUDIO AND BECOMES MULTIBRAND
One of the novelties of the new space is the UX lab, the first in the automotive sector in Brazil.
Fiat Chrysler Automóveis (FCA) inaugurates the new Design Center Latam, located at the Betim Automotive Polo in Minas Gerais. Considered the largest automotive design studio in Latin America, with about 150 professionals responsible for creating new projects, the space is the result of investments of around R $ 11.4 million. In an area of 2,700 square meters, divided into two floors, the new Design Center brings in the know-how of 17 years of full activity, during which more than 15 new models and eight concept cars were developed, all branded. Fiat for the Brazilian and Latin American markets.
“We were born as the Fiat Style Center of Brazil in 2002. It's 17 years of an area that now becomes multibrand and faces the challenge of also experimenting with new ideas, shapes and materials for the Jeep and RAM brands for Latin America,” he says. Latam Design Center director Peter Fassbender. “The new Design Center is proof of the evolution and recognition of our history. We are prepared for the new challenges, ”he adds.
For FCA World Vice President of Design, Ralph Gilles, who was in Brazil recently to see the new space, the Latin American team has the best tools to create. “When you put so many talented people together in one space, amazing things happen,” he said. Still according to Gilles, designers are the guardians of brands: “We are constantly looking for new ideas and magic is the people you hire for it. It's about putting the most creative people in a space and letting them dream, ”he said.
All FCA products are collaboratively developed by global teams. With a multidisciplinary team of designers, engineers, sociologists, psychologists, among others, Latam Design Center maintains an intense exchange routine with FCA's development centers in North America, Europe and Asia. “These are Brazilian professionals who participate in immersions at FCA studios abroad and vice versa. These are interactions that allow the diversity of eyes to inspire new ideas, ”says Rafael Peixoto, Interior Design leader.
USER EXPERIENCE
In addition to the large and integrated space, the new Design Center brings technology as its differential. The User Experience (UX) lab has simulators, specially designed to test the usability of interface and connectivity solutions, as well as insights into vehicle internal and external design. “FCA is the first in the automotive industry in the country to invest in the creation of a UX lab. With these tools, we ensure that the user experience look is within the development process. The challenge is to understand the customer in-depth interactions with the car, from a usability and safety perspective, ”explains UX area leader Leandro Alvarenga. In the lab, designers and researchers work together, making the design cycle more agile and efficient.
Developed by FCA in partnership with an innovation company of the Campinas Technology Hub, the simulator creates an environment that seeks to realistically represent varied driving conditions. Interaction with traffic, such as car overtaking and pedestrians, is synchronized to vehicle signals such as acceleration and braking through Artificial Intelligence. Everything is tailored so that usability testing of instrument panels and infotainment systemsoccur in the nearest real environment. “We stand behind the mirror room, assessing people's reaction to certain inputs. Feedback from what works and gaps in user experience occurs in real time, ”says Leandro Alvarenga. The platform is modular, allowing for quick replacement of components from either Fiat, Jeep and RAM.
Another tool from UX Lab is the virtual reality simulator, to evaluate internal and external finishes, such as colors and textures. The tool is widely used in the initial phase of projects, before the construction of physical models.

INTEGRATED SPACES
In addition to UX Lab, the new Latam Design Center has the Virtual Room, which has as its differential the advanced technology laser projector, the result of an investment of over R $ 1 million. With the new equipment, the full-size vehicle and specific texture details are designed in excellent resolution. This feature provides assessments closer to reality.
Integrated with the Virtual Room and UX Lab, the Showroom is the space where the presentations of the various phases of projects under development take place, until the final approval. Diffused lighting enhances the shape and colors of models. Also located on the ground floor, the Integrated has 674 square meters, divided into two environments. The areas are intended for the construction of claybulk models , with the integration of Design and Engineering teams that actively participate in the development of a particular model.
On the second floor are the work areas. The architecture of the space is open to promote creativity and unite the diverse teams. “On the second floor, we designed and designed the cars. Down there, we prototype, test and validate the results, ”explains Daniel Gerzson, Exterior Design leader. The second floor connects to Integrated through a glass mezzanine, allowing designers to maintain permanent eye contact with the model under development.
According to Peter Fassbender, a new wave of investment is expected in the coming years to build a second building, next to the current one, to house the machining equipment, 3D printer, and other spaces.

FCA PRESS


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