Design Challenge - June 2010

Amos Boaz

Tractors vibrate for several reasons – the diesel engine, lack of suspension, travel over rough terrain and the towing of an implement. Adding conventional suspension would be of little help as the back axle needs to remain rigid during work mode.

That led to the idea of ‘floating’ the cab and detaching it from the main tractor body. Brainstorming with a car-engineer colleague of mine, Assaf Katzir, resulted in two main ideas, the first being a flying cab. Although cool and futuristic, it would be too extravagant as the cab would become a helicopter and the driver a pilot!

However, an electromagnetic rail solution, similar to the Maglev train, would supply float without requiring special skills of the driver. Sensors would read the terrain and direct the magnet according to the need: a soft hold on rough terrain, or tight hold on flat roads, eliminating vibrations because there is no contact between the cab and the tractor. The cab would also be able to move forwards or backwards along the rail, improving visibility and efficiency across a range of operations. To make this work, the tractor would need to be a small power station, supplying electricity, so we settled on a fuel-cell system running on hydrogen. Because this would work with electric motors and cylinders, it would further reduce vibrations.

As for the styling, I gave it a futuristic yet practical look. I wanted it to look strong but smart so I used a design language that combined soft-stream surfaces that meet in a hard edge. I sliced the turn lights out of the whole shape to emphasise the technical look – as part of the front grille, and sharing the same thickness, which is not easy to achieve, they reinforce the impression of quality. The grille is unusual and increases the aggressiveness and mystery of the whole tractor – you are not sure what technology it is running on!

As for the cab, I wanted to deliver a luxury-comfort image, hence the large area of dark windows. I used softer surfaces with round edges to deliver comfort; this contrasts with the main body design and emphasises the float of the cab and its height.

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BIOGRAPHY

Amos Boaz is a specialist in industrial design and styling of high-performance vehicles. He also lectures in the Bezalel Academy of Art and Design, Jerusalem

CONTACT DETAILS

Email: amosboaz@netvision.net.il

Website: www.amosboaz.com