There’s a new car in town, and it isn’t made in some factory in Windsor, Detroit or Tokyo. It’s 3D printed. The new car from the company OSVehicle (Open-Source Vehicle) aims to bring sustainablitity and access to cheap transport across the world. These vehicle platforms from OSV affectionately named “Tabby” are open-source meaning you can download the design files directly from the internet for free, then print out the vehicle yourself. Once the parts are all printed out, assembly takes about 45 minutes, and then you’re ready to drive!
The ability to fabricate and assemble this product on-site rather than in a factory allows local jobs to be created, while also being more sustainable for the environment as you no longer have to ship fully assembled cars all over the country. And in the cases where the customer doesn’t have access to a 3D printer and the car does have to be shipped to them, it can be shipped in small, tightly packed boxes which save on space and therefore energy. The customer can then assemble the car themselves.
The modular nature of the OSV also sets it apart from both contemporary cars and newer electric cars alike. The fact the OSV is modular allows you to replace outdated, or broken components with newer designs or parts without having to throw away things that are still working. It also allows for a greater amount of cusomisation which allows the end-user to have a greater sense of ownership for the vehicle, as well as increased versatility, allowing them to drive it as a city commuter for the majority of the time, but easily converted to an off-road worthy vehicle should your adventerous side call.
All in all, while it may take some time for the OSV to catch on it is a great new product and idea which will surely help shape the future of transportation all over the world.
