I had time to reflect after working in car design industry for a while. I think everybody agrees that industry is at the verge of massive change, perhaps biggest change since a combustion engine and steering wheel was invented. This is very exciting to see how major brands will adapt to new emerging technology trends and build their design and business propositions around it. Next to technologies there are services and end-to-end experience delivery. The brand which will tick all these boxes well will be the winner. There is a question whether a new disruptive start-up or a major brand will succeed?
I have designed an aspirational automotive sculpture(below) which is reflecting a new thinking around automotive design. When we are talking about smart cars and cars with electric engine, we are talking about completely new architecture and power trains. This enables us to think more about people their habits and comfort while travelling instead of safety constrains, fitting huge combustion engine and so on.
When automobile is designed around user with end-to-end experience in mind we should see propositions that brake old dogmas of how car is made which been unchanged for a century.
While designing this sample I thought of couple of things:
- electric powertrain is much more flexible then combustion engine one
- 3D printing technologies can make assembly easier and be reliable
- customisation with 3D printing manufacturing is easier to achieve
- interior and seating becomes key selling point
- lightweight structure which blends exterior and interior with engineering seamlessly
TOMAS IVASKEVICIUS DESIGN 
its only a power change….and Tesla has already shown what can be done to simplify the form.
Owning an electrically powered vehicle, there is no doubt in my mind that the change to electric power is a huge step forward in reducing pollution but also in simplifying the mechanicals and making the box surrounding the occupants safer. No need to get radical with the form just because you are changing the power source.
It’s true, i am thinking about next steps and that would be making it more familiar and accepting. Next to electric power train we soon have AI driven vehicle, which means interior doesn’t not have to be designed around steering wheel anymore. Thank you for your comments Frank, made me think.
its not only a power change, it is a chance to break away from the testosterone fuelled streamlined, ‘mine is faster than yours’ look! Why not take a fresh look? Most journeys are short family type trips, so design it around a family, with children, buggies, pushchairs, and several friends! There is no need for streamlining as not many cars actually travel fast enough around town to even consider it!