Mobility & Transportation

Pininfarina can serve the client right from the earliest stages of defining the strategic positioning of a brand, even before it takes on a visual definition. This service, which involves contributions from both designers and User Experience specialists at Pininfarina, is sought after by both start-ups due to their inherent nature and established companies that need to launch new brands or reposition existing ones.

In particular, the Pininfarina team develops the following content:

• Analysis and concept research to define the strategic brand positioning.

• Design of the brand identity and logo.

• Application of the brand identity across all brand touchpoints (products, stores, dealerships, exhibition booths, corporate offices, etc.).

Pininfarina's design services cover the entire creative and product development process, including all the following stages:

• Styling benchmarking & Trends analysis

• Ideas (Sketches & Renderings)

• Colour & Trim

• Virtual Surfaces (CAS, C Class, B Class, A Class)

• Virtual Movies

• Physical Modelling (foam, clay, resin, 1:1 and scale models)

• Virtual Reality

From a methodological perspective, some aspects are of particular interest to our clients, ensuring the quality of the work developed by the Pininfarina team:

• The rigorous application of a convergence process - involving all aspects contributing to design development, whether they are stylistic, technical-functional, or related to technological and industrial feasibility.

• This convergence process utilizes the most advanced virtual and physical development and verification methodologies throughout the entire project maturation process, from initial style research, through development, style freeze, to industrialization.

• The flexibility to establish a collaborative working model with the client's design team, if present, based on engagement rules defined on a case-by-case basis according to the client's requirements and the project's evolution.

In the realm of HMI (Human Machine Interface), Pininfarina begins by defining the architecture in collaboration with the styling department, focusing on physical ergonomics, functionality, and new methods of interaction with the intended touchpoints. “Form follows function” thanks to our combined expertise and capability in interaction, UX (User Experience), and interior design. 

Once the HMI architecture is defined, the dedicated UX/UI team works on the visual and motion design aspects of the interface. We handle all types of interfaces that the vehicle will offer to its occupants: from physical UI to graphic UI to voice UI. 

The UI design process starts with initial thematic design concepts and progresses to production design. Through design sprints, we create various mock-ups and prototypes for the evaluation and usability testing of proposed solutions. 

The process concludes with the design of a dedicated design system to enable software development and integration of the desired interface of the vehicle. 

Among the design services offered by Pininfarina is the possibility to develop and create physical demonstrators of various types, including:

Static "Show-vehicles" fully representative of the exterior and interior design of the project.

"Functional demonstrators" with functional features defined based on the client's specifications and required performance. Construction can be based on a chassis developed and built specifically by Pininfarina or using a rolling chassis or electric skateboard provided by the client.

In the creation of physical demonstrators, Pininfarina is able to provide all of the following services:

• UX design

• 2D Styling research

• Colour & Trim

• Virtual surfacing (3D CAS)

• Virtual reality

• HMI design

• 1:1 scale Exterior and Interior

• Engineering for show-vehicle construction

• Dynamic show-vehicle construction

The construction of physical demonstrators takes place at the Pininfarina facility in Cambiano, following a process that integrates all the necessary work in dedicated departments, including

• Models Shop

• Milling Shop

• 3D Additive Shop

• Paint Shop

• Upholstery Area

The Pininfarina Wind Tunnel represents a cutting-edge strategic tool for automotive OEMs, enabling them to achieve high-level standards in vehicle performance, energy consumption, and overall comfort through aerodynamic and aeroacoustic testing and validation. The centre primarily operates on 1:1 scale automobile in the aerodynamic and aeroacoustic sectors.

• Aerodynamic forces and moments 

• T- BELT for the simulator of Car to Ground relative motion up to 250 km/h 

• Turbulence Generation System (TGS) 

• Wake measurement 

• Cooling flow/ brake discs cooling 

• Soft top deformation 

• Visualization “smoke” and laser light 

• Maximum capacity of the balance: 3500 kg

• Maximum wheel diameter: 23”

• Internal and External Noise

• Planar beam forming frontal, lateral and overhead. 

• Acoustic Heads for the interior noise 

• VisiSonics internal beamforming device with 64 microphones & 5 cameras 

• 3D VR visualization of internal beamforming

• Microphones for the noise infiltration 

Pininfarina supports the client in introducing the product to the market with various services, including the design of retail spaces, booths, and experiential environments. Additionally, Pininfarina can create photorealistic renderings and animations that can be used as marketing materials. There is also the opportunity to leverage the Pininfarina brand and create synergies in the organization of events.

In implementing Brand Licensing, Pininfarina goes beyond granting rights to the Pininfarina name and brand. Pininfarina proactively provides comprehensive support to clients and projects, leveraging the power of the Pininfarina image and brand. The focus is on co-creating an effective marketing and communication strategy, also leveraging Pininfarina’s media platform and assets, to successfully market the project.