An exciting idea brings plenty of questions about what it could do. Building it also means asking how it could go wrong and what needs to happen when it does.
Safety has been part of our early work on TanksALot, alongside accessibility and the experience we hope to create.
We’ve been exploring ways for the planned vehicles to detect nearby obstacles and respond to them. That raises practical questions about slowing down, stopping and giving the person using the vehicle clear control.
Even a seemingly simple decision needs thought. If something is in front of a vehicle, preventing forward movement may help. But the user may still need a way to move away from it. Those details matter when turning an idea into something people can use.
Sensors are only one part of the picture. We also need to consider controls, stopping arrangements, the setting where an activity takes place and the support someone might need to participate.
Different people will have different needs. A control that feels comfortable to one person may be difficult for another. An arrangement that works in one setting may need reconsidering elsewhere.
This work is still in development. Exploring safety features does not mean the finished system has been proven safe or is ready for public use.
It does mean we’re giving these questions attention early, while there is still room to change the design.
As TanksALot develops, we’ll share what we learn and what still needs work. We want people to understand the thinking behind the project as well as the idea itself.
If your experience of outdoor activities has highlighted something designers often overlook, you can tell us through our Beach and Woodland Access Survey.