Minimum Viable Product

Feature Set

Our prototype currently contains:

1. Generic brake light for commercial trucks and trailers that already exist

2. LED lights placed beside generic light that light up as more electric connections are being completed due to slowing down (simulates finished product that has an accelerometer), shown by hand.

Our prototype in the near future:

1. Same generic brake light that has been fitted with LED lights

2. Accelerometer/Momentum Switch from phone that tells individual lights through circuitry to light up as the vehicle slows down.

Prototype Approach

DBS will be employing a “mock up demo” approach for the Minimum Viable Product. By creating a physical demonstration to show our target customers, it will inform them of inherent benefits, as well as keep our costs very low, as prototype manufacturing is rather expensive. It will also allow us to iteratively expand and create new, more functional devices after analyzing surveys of our target group. This approach will best demonstrate what our product does, and as for right now, costs do not need to be wasted on a finished product; as there is still much more research to conduct as the “build-measure-learn” tactic will prove beneficial.

Another reason for this approach is it will give customers an all-encompassing idea of what the product actually does and the benefits that go along with it (insurance reduction being the main benefit, with higher safety standards and CSR as an inherent externality). We can show customers in perhaps a video of our mock up, from where we came from up until now and the iterations we went through to create a better and better product. Also, as for now, specialized parts are quite expensive, so Karan is making do with parts from other electronics devices to gain the same effect of a fully functional, polished product.

This minimal product, albeit a very rough, physical draft, shows very effectively how the product will work which our customers will realize instantly.

The surveys that were done recently had some very good feedback, and as long as the price is kept relatively similar (with benefits in mind) to the current model, there shouldn’t be a lengthy adoption period to get these items in our customers’ vehicles as it is literally a plug and play item. With this in mind, a different approach may have to be implemented.

Because our customers have very tight margins in every day business, a physical presence, or free concierge service might be our best bet at convincing target customers. We could go to these companies and install the product for free just to show them our intent. After some time hopefully the product would be noticed as an incremental safety product for their line of vehicles. It would also fulfill the itch of possible early adopters at the company would appreciate. It would put their business and CSR at the top of their industry and perhaps create a trend that would further the DBS light. This may also start a snowballing effect and appeal to a much broader base than originally intended as other commercial, or even personal, potential customers would see its advantages.

Ideally it would be best to get in with the insurance companies first. This could possibly create a new mandate with resulting reductions in insurance costs and become mandatory. If this were the case, the customer base would explode. However we are still working on the finer nuances of this endeavour.

Stay tuned.