Project
Rental pedal cars
Client
The Driveway Club
www.thedrivewayclub.com
Year
2021
Attraction Start-up Design Case Study | Industrial Design
The Belgian Coast
Safety vs Experience
On busy coastal promenades, shared by pedestrians and pedal go-karts, safety is a critical concern. Frequent low-speed collisions often involving children highlighted the need for a solution that reduces impact without compromising the experience.
The Series 01 addresses this with an integrated soft nose, designed to absorb contact and significantly improve safety in crowded public environments. This feature allows for worry-free use while maintaining the durability required for high-traffic rental contexts.
Beyond safety, the design draws inspiration from the expressive forms of 1960s Formula 1, translating this heritage into a contemporary, highly visual product. The result is both functional and culturally resonant: a go-kart that appeals to children as a playful ride, and to adults as a collectible, design-driven object fit for today’s image-conscious landscape.
Designed for the specific needs of the Belgian rental businesses
Built for Extreme Longevity
A key challenge in this project was meeting the durability demands of a rental business operating in harsh coastal conditions. Continuous exposure to salt air, UV, and intensive daily use required a solution engineered for long-term performance and minimal maintenance.
The Series 01 was developed with a robust, corrosion-resistant metal frame specifically adapted to highly aggressive environments. Every design decision from material selection to construction methods was made to ensure reliability over years of operation.
With a lifespan measured in decades rather than seasons, the product is built to endure, requiring only limited maintenance even after extensive use. The design was also closely aligned with the manufacturer’s technical and logistical capabilities, ensuring efficient production without compromising on durability or quality.
Prototyping & User-Centred Design
The development of the Series 01 was driven by an intensive prototyping process, grounded in real-world use and stakeholder feedback. The challenge was to balance the diverse needs of a complex ecosystem within the pedal car leisure industry.
We adopted a user-centred design approach, considering not only young drivers, but also accompanying adults, rental operators, and local authorities. Each iteration was tested and refined to address usability, safety, maintenance, and operational efficiency.
This process resulted in a solution that performs reliably across all touchpoints delivering an intuitive and enjoyable experience for users, while meeting the practical and regulatory demands of professional rental environments.
