Imagined Future Scenarios
Augmented Reality, Probable Futures, Medium Term (3 - 5 years)
Scenario Generated from 'Breaking Barriers: Inside Boom XB-1’s Game-Changing Supersonic Flight Design' - Yanko Design
Future Arc and Implications
Grow Arc
Social Impact: Increased reliance on AR for navigation leads to decreased spatial awareness and social dependence on technology.
Technological Impact: AR windshields become ubiquitous, driving innovation in sensor technology, display quality, and AI-powered driver assistance systems.
Ecological Impact: Increased vehicle production and electronics manufacturing contribute to resource depletion and electronic waste.
Economic Impact: A massive market develops around AR windshields and related services, creating new jobs and economic opportunities.
Political Impact: Governments regulate AR windshield technology to ensure safety and prevent distracted driving.
Narrative: AR windshields become a standard feature in every vehicle, leading to safer and more efficient transportation systems, while simultaneously raising concerns about digital dependence.
Collapse Arc
Social Impact: Widespread system failures of AR windshields lead to accidents, distrust of technology, and social fragmentation.
Technological Impact: Disruptions in supply chains and technological breakdowns render AR windshields unreliable, halting development and deployment.
Ecological Impact: Resource scarcity hinders the production and repair of AR windshields, exacerbating existing environmental problems.
Economic Impact: The AR windshield industry collapses due to economic recession, system failures, and lack of consumer confidence.
Political Impact: Governments fail to maintain infrastructure, leading to the abandonment of AR windshield systems and a return to traditional navigation.
Narrative: A cascade of failures across infrastructure, supply chains, and economic stability cripples the AR windshield industry, resulting in widespread technological abandonment.
Discipline Arc
Social Impact: AR windshields are used for surveillance and social control, monitoring driver behavior and enforcing traffic regulations.
Technological Impact: AR windshields become highly regulated and standardized, with limited user customization and mandatory safety features.
Ecological Impact: Sustainable manufacturing practices are enforced for AR windshield production, reducing environmental impact.
Economic Impact: Government subsidies support the development and deployment of AR windshields for public transportation and emergency services.
Political Impact: Strict regulations are implemented to ensure data privacy, prevent distracted driving, and maintain cybersecurity of AR windshield systems.
Narrative: AR windshield technology is tightly controlled and used to optimize traffic flow, enforce regulations, and improve public safety under a centralized system.
Transform Arc
Social Impact: AR windshields evolve into personalized interfaces that enhance human-machine symbiosis, leading to new forms of collaborative transportation and mindfulness practices while driving.
Technological Impact: Advancements in brain-computer interfaces allow for seamless integration of AR information, creating subconscious driver assistance systems.
Ecological Impact: AR windshields enable optimized route planning for electric vehicles, maximizing energy efficiency and reducing carbon emissions.
Economic Impact: A circular economy emerges around AR windshields, emphasizing repair, reuse, and recycling to minimize waste and maximize resource utilization.
Political Impact: International collaborations establish ethical guidelines for the development and deployment of AR windshields, promoting responsible innovation and data governance.
Narrative: AR windshields revolutionize the driving experience, fostering sustainability, enhanced awareness, and a deeper connection between humans and their environment.
