CROWDCAR - automotive development & construction

The image shows the Crowdcar development and test vehicle. The test vehicle is designed as a small and lightweight single-seater electric car and falls into the EC type class L7e as a light passenger car (unladen weight, approximately 400 kg without batteries). The chassis consists of a tubular space frame with a fiberglass body mounted on it. In addition to individual (sometimes modified) parts and assemblies from production cars from well-known manufacturers, the vehicle incorporates various in-house developments. Visual appearance and design initially play a subordinate role; the focus is on technological developments, their testing, and subsequent demonstration.

Research Context

The Crowdcar project was embedded in a broader research context focusing on motorsport and automotive development as real-world environments for the analysis of complex socio-technical systems. The project was accompanied by analytical and methodological work conducted within the framework of Racing Research, an independent research platform dedicated to the investigation of technology, organisation and data-driven decision-making under high-performance conditions.

In addition, insights from related research activities, including a research project on digitalization and track safety , contributed to a broader understanding of how digital infrastructures, prototyping approaches and interdisciplinary collaboration can support innovation, validation and knowledge transfer in demanding automotive and motorsport-related contexts.