What – or, How Will the Cars of the Future Look Like: When Technology Meets Aesthetics

As an important aspect of the automotive production, vehicle aesthetics and the evolution thereof represent a major challenge for manufacturers. It is crucial that the design of a new car takes fast-changing tastes and trends into consideration. Indeed, depending on the region, the potential customers and the position of the brand on the market, an updated design along with safety can be the basis for success stories and competitive advantages.

This section will present some of the newest upcoming trends in terms of auto design, which are either already on the mind of every car designer and most likely to appear on the next version of your favorite model. This includes the hottest trends in interior and exterior designs as seen at automotive shows around the world.

Exterior design: between elegance and purity

The shape of a car is the first feature that people notice (there are even museums dedicated to specific brands and models like Corvette). Therefore, manufacturers are taking into consideration demand within the automotive business as well as existing trends in other industries:

• According to The Coolist, the dream car of 2020 will be broader, lower and lighter in terms of weight. Thanks to a design reshape and the use of new, lighter materials, cars will have a better power-to-weight ratio, an improved aerodynamics and a broader vision from the driver and passenger seats. The universal shape will be more “curvy” and sharp angles are likely to disappear in all future models.
• The Globe and Mail suggested that several changes would be made to wheels and headlights. Wheels will increase in size, as it seems to be the designers’ preference, while headlights will become brighter and more aggressive in design.
• Examples of adaptation to the target group are numerous. Honda for instance released its Civic Type-R to attract younger buyers. Another example is the release of the new generations of Mazda MX-5 announced by the company to attract amateur of sport two-seat roadster.

Interior design: simplified with a higher degree of automation

While the exterior design appeals to the observer, the interior is important for the driver. Here, a handful of new trends are noticeable:

• A simplification of interior design is slowly gaining ground, as opposed to complicated, aircraft cockpit-like systems of the past. Modern designs aim to make the driver feel comfortable and in total control of the vehicle.
• Panoramic roofs are booming in popularity with customers from all around the world. They create a sense of freedom and make the inside of the car look more spacious.
• Finally, there are fewer manual transmissions in production than ever before, with the manual gearbox slowly losing ground to the automatic gearbox as the transmission of choice.

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