Open-source is a term most commonly applied to software and it refers to a set of principles and practices whereby the design and production information is shared openly, without the normal restrictions encountered when developing software within a commercial environment where intellectual property is closely guarded.

Open-source software is therefore developed by individuals working incrementally or by groups of individuals working collaboratively and concurrently. One of the key enablers behind open-source software has been the internet, which makes sharing information so much easier. Firefox, Openoffice.org and Linux are three examples of open-source software, and Wikipedia is perhaps the best known application of open-source principles.

In Europe, the Netherlands Foundation for Nature and Environment and the three technical universities of Delft, Eindhoven and Twente have been collaborating on c,mm,n (pronounced common, and sometimes written as CMMN). It is claimed that c,mm,n is the first open-source car, though the design data has yet to be made available on the c,mm,n website (www.autoindetoekomst.nl). Three full-size mock-ups of the c,mm,n car were exhibited at the Amsterdam AutoRAI exhibition in March 2007 (Fig.1). It is a sustainable, zero-emissions 2+2 family car, powered by a hydrogen fuel cell that generates electricity to charge the batteries and power the four hub-mounted motors.

In addition, c,mm,n makes extensive use of communication technology to optimise personal mobility through various forms of co-operation between drivers and vehicles. For example, routes can be planned collectively, and vehicles can warn each other of delays or hazards. The design even includes community boxes in the doors; these small luggage areas are accessible to people who have been authorised by the user – for example, an online shop that can make a delivery while the user is away from the car.

The c,mm,n project was initiated by the Netherlands Society for Nature and Environment, an environmental non-governmental organisation, which challenged the three technical universities to develop an attractive, sustainable car. TUDelft worked on the concept, the interior and the exterior design of the car, while TU/e delivered the powertrain and suspension design. The University of Twente (UT) delivered the future concept for 2020 and the communication technology.

Although c,mm,n was presented as ‘the first open-source car in the world’, it appears that the mock-ups shown at AutoRAI had been developed by conventional collaboration between the three technical universities and a number of other participating companies.

Meanwhile, another car development project, known as Oscar, has been applying stricter open-source principles – to the extent that even the software tools to be used should be open-source. However, partly because of the democratic nature of open-source developments, the project is progressing more slowly than the original 1999 manifesto had estimated – three years from concept to prototype. It is currently at version 0.2 and some of the most active forum threads on the Oscar website (www.theoscarproject.org) relate to the merits of three and four wheels, which gives an indication of the project’s early stage of development.

The Oscar Project is led by Markus Merz in Dingolfin, Germany. Whereas the c,mm,n car is likely to make use of state-of-the-art technologies, Oscar is intended to be a simple and functional concept to spread mobility, with form following function. Furthermore, Oscar is said to be about new ways of mobility and expanding the open-source idea from its existing realm of software to the real (physical) world.

For an open-source development in which individuals can collaborate concurrently on different aspects of the design, it is important to divide the overall project into modules, with clearly defined boundaries (and interfaces). Oscar’s main modules have therefore been defined as board (floorpan), body, engines, power systems, safety systems and information systems. These main modules are then subdivided into smaller modules. The board, for example, is subdivided into mainboard, body mounting, security frame/cage, engine mounting, coupling attachments, and docking attachments. As with any open-source development, one of the challenges is to find people with the skills – and the time available – to work on all of the areas requiring design input.

Based in the USA but with significant European input, another open-source car project is making better progress. The Society for Sustainable Mobility (www.osgv.org) is steering the design of a vehicle for which technical design and test data is shared through a public license. Product structures are managed via web-based product data management (PDM) systems.

The SSM describes itself as a ‘borderless’ non-profit automotive engineering group whose focus is to apply an open design philosophy to revolutionise the development and deployment of eco-friendly transportation. Established in 2005, SSM soon expanded its charter from the original Open-Source Green Vehicle (OSGV) project to include other forms of sustainability research activities. SSM says it currently has over 140 volunteers worldwide and a core group of elite automotive and aerospace engineers, many of which are based in Los Angeles, California, USA. Contributors are Rotterdam University Department of Automotive Engineering, Rugged Electric, Fabulo Design and the International Humanities Center. Progress to date has been sufficiently encouraging that SSM has announced that it will enter a specially configured version of its Kernel hybrid-electric vehicle in the AutomotiveX-Prize competition in 2009 – and proceed to production by 2011.

One of the key features of the Kernel concept is that vehicles can be built to utilise any fuel sources, including petrol (gasoline), diesel, biodiesel, hydrogen fuel cell, ethanol, natural gas – or anything else, provided a suitable electric generator can be sourced that conforms to the Kernel specification.

Design activities are said to be progressing well since the start-up meeting was held at Rotterdam University in February 2007, which followed the completion of Stage 1 conceptual packaging design in January (Fig.2). The schedule dates for the Preliminary Design Review and Critical Design Review were June and October 2007, respectively, though by August 2007 no date had been finalised for the PDR. A prototype will be built after the completion of the CDR and the implementation of all design changes (Fig.3).