The
Slip
Door
By Victor Son, Sebastian Esteva, Seth Rhodes, Odommoly Tranin
Built in collaboration with the Volkswagen Innovation and Engineering Center California, for VW's Future of Entry challenge
It's hard, dangerous, and anxiety-inducing for mobility-impaired drivers to enter and exit parked cars — especially where a conventional hinged door often can't fully open.
Vehicle boarding and alighting injuries affect ~217,000 Americans every year, with adults 65+ injured at nearly twice the rate of younger drivers and hospitalized more than 5x as often. Found through need-finding interviews — with our grandparents and staff at two senior living communities — backed by published safety research.
Four coordinated subsystems — a push-pull actuator, pivot arm, chain-and-sprocket mechanism, and alignment actuator — circumvent traditional front-door challenges.
Built as a fully operational, full-scale prototype — real electrical and motor-drive systems included, not just a mockup.
Automatic van-style sliding front door increasing entrance volume by 253% in a standard parking spot, so drivers can exit/enter easily.
