UD Gemba Voices: A passion for beauty and the driver

A passion for beauty and the driver

Toshio Shiratori, the Product Design Director of UD Trucks, led the team who designed the striking exterior of All New Quon, and a stylish interior to match. The newly styled cabin interior is an intrinsic part of the unmatched driving experience provided at the wheel of All New Quon.

What were your objectives when you designed the interior of All New Quon?
The existing Quon interior was well liked and we wanted to retain what customers admired about it while improving it functionally and aesthetically. We aimed to go the extra mile on UD’s core value of “Excel on the essentials”, and truly reflect “Innovation that puts people first,” – the very idea behind the creation of All New Quon. In the design we wanted to proudly emphasize our Japanese origins, and the traditional UD hexagon that consists of six aspects: smart, caring, tough, harmonized, supportive and distinctive.

What are the highlights of the new interior?
The general shape of the dashboard and the shape of each detail, the way they interact with each other, have been designed to provide a feeling of harmony. We also reworked the materials, their texture, their colors and the contrasts to create a harmonious and high quality feeling. We think this interior displays a contrast of energy and harmony typical of Japan, and perfectly matches the striking exterior design of All New Quon.

Why do you have such passion for the driver?
In Japan, as well as in many countries, we have a shortage of drivers. We focused on improving operability, our goal was to design a characterful interior that’s attractive, comfortable and functional, a pleasant place to be for the drivers.

How was the UD gemba involved in the design?
Different departments in the company including FVV (Features Verification and Validation), Cabin Engineering and Sales and Marketing were invited to view prototypes of the interior in Touch and Feel sessions, so their comments could help to perfect the end result. These sessions helped us to mature the details.