GM CO.
DESIGN
DYNAMICS
minimalistic cars. The interiors
would become more like a blank
movie screen that lights up
when drivers bring in their own
iPod or other handheld device.
That would light up customized
dashboards, radio station presets
and maps personalized to the
driver. They’d also be easier to
clean in between drivers.
Automakers would design
shared cars with the idea that the
interior was a blank slate that
would be customized later by
the user. A study done by PWC
showed that younger car buyers
HUFFINGTON
06.24.12
are very interested in customizing
their vehicles — and this kind of
idea could answer that desire.
While a lot of car design
discussions focus on the car’s
exterior, automakers have realized
that customers really prioritize
comfortable, easy-to-use, quality
interiors. So interior design has
become equally important to the
industry. “I like to say it’s very
similar to dating,” says Michael
Arbaugh, chief designer of
interiors for Ford. “You might lust
after the exterior of a car, but like
a relationship with a person, it’s
the inside that counts.”
Ford has already spent time
making their interiors very high-
Futuristic
models like
the EN-V
are designed
to alleviate
traffic
troubles and
improve air
quality.