Every now and then I encounter something outside the world of cars that nevertheless feels like it was at least inspired by cars. Sneakers, for example; I was once told by an auto design professor at Art Center, one of the leading auto design schools, that the the auto design students that don’t end up working for carmakers usually go into athletic shoe design, and you can kind of see it. And it sort of makes sense: shoes are just vehicles for your feet, right? Or at least tires. But sometimes I’ll encounter something that feels oddly automotive but really has nothing to do with cars. I just happened to learn of such a thing, and it’s so car-like for a very non-car thing that I’m genuinely baffled.
This thing has nothing to do with cars or transportation or anything. In fact, it’s a bit of hospital equipment. Now, I‘ve noted some hospital equipment-car crossovers before, but I think this is the most obvious and inexplicable example I’ve ever seen.
Happily, this time I didn’t actually have to be in a hospital to see it; I encountered it through that other major public health institution, Reddit:
Next to my bed in hospital
byu/Happy_Grapefruit_923 inwhatisthiscar
This was in Reddit’s whatisthiscar subreddit, and holy crap, that piece of hospital equipment looks just like the back of some recent-ish generic SUV or minivan. I mean, look at it! It seems to have a rear window, taillights, a license plate housing, bumper, everything. I’m very happy this user spotted this remarkable visual congruency, and I hope they’re out of the hospital soon. It’s no fun.
It’s shocking how much this thing looks like the back of an SUV, because it’s about as far from an SUV as you could imagine, in the grand spectrum of machines. It’s an Argus 707 V Infusion Pump:
Just look at the damn thing? How can you look at that and not thing it’s about to swing upward and someone is about to load a dozen Target bags into the interior?
I’m not exactly sure which SUV I’d say this was modeled after, as it resembles a great number of them, but there do seem to be some special affinities with Toyota/Lexus products:
It’s not exactly a RAV4 or Sienna or Highlander or Lexus RX 350, but it’s also not far away from any of them, either.
As you can see in the diagram the “taillights” are the global alarm, the “rear window” is the display, and the license plate area flips down to reveal various sensors and detectors.
The parent company that makes these infusion pumps, CODAN, also seems to use the same housings for their Volumetric Infusion Pumps, but with more advanced dot-matrix screen and the “taillights” switched from red to bluish-white lamps:
Without the red lenses and with the rectangular white-backlit displays, these look a bit less automotive, but the basic shapes are still there.
The question is was this deliberate? Was there some designer at CODAN that was so taken with the tailgate of their minivan or SUV that they had to re-create the experience in molded plastic for the benefit of the many patients who would be stuck looking at these things from their hospital beds? I really want – maybe need – to know. The company is Swiss and I’m not too hopeful about them getting back to me, but I’ll try. Who knows what other automotive-inspired medical equipment is on the drawing boards as we speak? A blood pressure monitor that looks like an overhead view of a Renault Dauphine? An IV bag holder that strongly resembles a Grand Cherokee? An ultrasound machine that reminds you of a Ford Pinto?
After seeing this, I think anything is possible! They have to know this thing looks like the back of an SUV, right? Right? Or do I have it backwards, and SUV designers are sneaking peeks at medical equipment for inspiration? At this point, I’d believe either story.
I find that the rear of quite a few cars look like anime faces.
Mazda most of all manages to make combos of lights and boot lids look like robot faces. But there is also the little delighted look on the rear of a Fiat 500, especially when the rear lights are on.
As the owner of a ’21 Highlander Hybrid, I can say both the exterior and interior were designed by 12 blindfolded committees who all hated each other.
The pump looks much better.
The best industrial designer I ever worked with started in the automotive world, but wanted to live on the (East) coast so he jumped to general industrial design where he worked on a LOT of medical devices. Although he would only do this type of subversive design if the customer specifically asked for it. And I think he would have pushed for a taller, narrower aspect ratio because this thing will likely be mounted to a pole.
I see the Stay-Pufft marshmallow guy.
An LDV D90 is the closest I can think of for a match.
Looks like a 70’s era robot face to me…..
Shouldn’t the labels be printed backwards?
Just noticed the glow from the readout in the original post is strongly reminiscent of a chmsl.
Definitely think it was designed after a vehicle, not the other way around. The wrap around portion of the taillights is just too coincidental and really serves no purpose. I wonder if the designer spent enough time parked behind one or more of the vehicle examples, perhaps during lunch breaks, that the correlation set in. And after that it was like ok let’s have some fun. Even getting clear tails for the same product in another market.
Kinda like bath toy designers, you need an air vent, so many seem to place it at the butthole.
Bath toy designers know what kids want. They want butt jokes.
“HEY! MY REAR WINDOW IS UP HERE!!!”
The licence plate area needs to hold a second screen, preferably with alphanumeric codes
I’m just sincerely glad Jason isn’t writing this because he’s in the hospital and hooked up to this device.
the last one looks kind of like a first gen Ford Focus.
Not to mention the infernal beeping. As if your bed is in danger of being backed over.
Whoever*
thank you. Changed to “whomst”
I wouldn’t expect any less! Thanks!
I can’t imagine there was so much pressure to make a stylish housing that this is a complete accident. Making those red lenses two different parts (rather than the same part flipped) implies there was some style budget. And due to the swoopy nature it probably wouldn’t look as unified of a design without the unique right/left parts. But still, it’s hard to believe no one stopped to point out that the protrusion at the top and those taillights looked like the ass end of a Sienna.
Or maybe it’s convergent evolution in taillight and medical fluid pump lights.
It’s highly likely that the designer was bored and wanted to see if he could slip the design through review. Of course he knew. Ya gotta have a little fun, after all. It’s perfectly functional for its purpose, so who could object? And if they do, claim he hadn’t noticed, or perhaps that patients will find its familiar shape comforting.
Jason, you got it backwards. The auto industry copied the rear of the SUV from the medical device.
But does it have amber turn indicators?
Only in Europe.
Would be fitting. Amber for a routine warning, red for a really bad warning.
Gotta imagine the banter at the taillight bar over the weekend went wild with this one.