The Future of Automotive Design - Essay Example

“Automotive design is complex. As strange as it sounds, having to have four wheels on a car makes it difficult: it demands a complex shape, and so the form must follow function” (Lewin and Borroff, 26).

When an automobile is being designed the customer’s taste and expectation plays a very important role, as it affects the market and the sales. The competition in the automobile industry is growing day after day. Every company is trying hard to out beat the other in providing the customer with the best possible design and engineering. The future of automotive design will see different kinds of automobiles, such as eco-friendly vehicles, custom-made vehicles, and vehicles that are not too heavy on the pocket and suit the lower-middle-class section of society.

Eco-friendly vehicles are on the rise. Moving away from the traditional form of fuel, that is petrol and diesel, vehicles are being designed to run on gas. Gas is not only cheaper than petrol and diesel; it is also fuel efficient and gives the vehicle better mileage. Designing fuel-efficient vehicles is on the rise as people are looking for vehicles that are cost-effective and easy to maintain. Another advantage of vehicles that run gas or electricity is that they are eco-friendly and produce less pollution.

Another design feature that is growing is the start-stop. In cars that have this feature, the gearbox is designed to cut off when one is at a traffic signal or in slow-moving traffic, it re-starts itself when you take your foot off the brake.

The demand for customized vehicles is growing as people prefer to buy vehicles that show off their personality and lifestyle. Many futurists that this is one trend that is here to stay. Many big companies offer customization. Smaller companies however strive on providing as many standard options as possible to satisfy the customer.

Other developments in the automobile design industry are the use of lithium batteries and nanotechnology. Lithium batteries are cost-effective an eco-friendly which makes them very adaptable for the consumer.

The automotive industry has a lot to offer in terms of design and technology. Cost-effective cars are the future of the industry. One such example is the TATA Nano in India. Many companies are working on satisfying the mass market by offering a variety of options at a reasonable price. With so much competition in the industry, companies need to focus on the needs and expectations of the consumer, which makes the automotive design industry very competitive and exciting.