SHANGHAI, June 30, 2022 /PRNewswire/ — Wavemaker China, a GroupM agency under WPP, and Tongji University’s School of Design & Innovation FABO, a pioneer in experimental creative design, have jointly announced the first episode of a new documentary series named "UNSEEN" about the future, The Third Space, available to watch on Youtube for international audiences and Youku for China.
The 45-minute-long documentary is the first of its kind in China to dive into the topic of Third Space, and will include the insights of university professors, students, automobile industry experts, and media veterans. The sharings are part of the Unseen program initiated by Wavemaker China and Tongji D&I FABO that looks into the value and ecosystem transformation trends in light of the global push for artificial intelligence (AI) and sustainable development.
"You need to step out of the day-to-day, you need to create the space to challenge conventions and to challenge obvious thinking, thinking about the challenge 3 days ahead, 3 years ahead," said Jose Campon, CEO of Wavemaker China.
Shared mobility is not a new concept, but a vital aspect of history. As automotive enterprises now take the path of internet-driven and oriented strategies, pivoting to become future mobility service providers, it is time to rethink the definition of automobiles for the future.
"Mobility goes beyond merely traveling. What have changed are space, time, mental status, and our life. The design of space in mobility in the future will become a kind of artistic practice, that will represent how our culture and behavior evolve," said Linna Zhao, producer of the documentary and Head of Thought Leadership at Wavemaker China.
Future Mobility: Revolution To Reshape the Space of Traveling
The first episode of the UNSEEN documentary series dives into the broadening scope and vision of Third Space and explores the strong social and cultural foundations in China that will present unique advantages in shaping the future of mobility.
Intelligent and new energy vehicles are the future, but the trend is falling behind the automobile industry’s expectations. With NEVs not being able to deliver true value to customers, the discussion of bridging the gap between automakers’ products and consumer demands requires further insights and input.
The future of cars is much more than serving as the vehicle of mobility. Looking beyond, marginalized groups such as the elderly and people with visual impairments can also become potential consumers. In addition, for the diverse groups such as Gen Z, cars can be more playful, imaginative and figurative representations of personalities.
A fresh start from a human perspective – centering on the needs of "people" and combining policies and trends – will help foster the brand-new concept of Third Space.
Although clean energy, technology and intelligence are the advantages of new energy vehicles, consumers today are still concerned mostly about the basic factor of safety. According to a Euromonitor survey, 39 percent of the respondents to its Mobility Survey were concerned about the safety of riding in an autonomous/self-driving car in 2022, easily the most pressing worry. It is time to change people’s minds, reimagining future mobility, and redefining the role of transportation and vehicles.
The concept of Third Space is an extension of a brighter future, where apart from offering an enhanced driving interface and passenger space, smart vehicles will also shoulder psychological demands and become the mobile Third Space.
"Transportation contains more than a functional meaning that carries people from one place to another. It needs to be considered via the dimensions of cultural evolution such as time and space," noted Jeff Ding, associate professor in practice of Tongji University, College of Design and Innovation.
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About Tongji D&I FABO:
Tongji University continues to rise in the global QS Art and Design ranking – from 26 in 2017 to 13 in 2020 and 2021, positioning first in Asia for four consecutive years, in addition to being selected as the "double first-class and building a world-class discipline"; All three undergraduate majors of the university have been deemed as national first-class disciplines; in 2015, it led the first "IV peak discipline" in Shanghai.
Fablab O (FABO), is a member of the global MIT centered Fablab open-source laboratory network – a first in China. FABO is dedicated to building China’s maker innovation system, condensing the backbone of local social sustainability and economic reform, while realizing China’s quantum leap from "Manufactured in China" to "Created in China". FABO is known for its cross-field joint innovation efforts as it continues to lead active exploration and practice in education, distributed manufacturing and intelligent innovation industries.