What is good design? That’s an eternal question; it can never be answered once and for all, because all the moving parts keep moving! Needs, wants, and preferences exert new pulls all the time. Regulations and rating systems exert new pushes all the time. And technology and technique evolve to steer the works.
Through it all, good design of a machine – such as a car – is centered around the humans interacting with the machine. An interior that looks lovely but gets in the way of being able to use the car can’t be called a good design. Sometimes the candy-store effect of nifty new technology makes it hard to keep in mind that machines have to be designed for compatibility with human beings as we are, not as we might wish we were.
And that’s probably why physical controls like buttons, knobs, switches, and dials are coming back. The Tesla-driven rush to pure-touchscreen interiors was clearly a collective error, but nobody’s interested in banishing screens altogether. It’s not either/or, it’s both-and, so this week we take a look at some of the ways vehicle interiors are being designed with thoughtful balance for beautiful design and easy usability.
We also look at an intriguing new EV concept from Dacia, BMW’s advanced OTA capabilities, and the Chinese AI agent being built into Mercedes models for sale in China.
In just two weeks’ time, the Shanghai DVN Interior Workshop on 29 – 30 October will bring together the global interior community under the theme HMI, CMF & Interior Lighting Shape Next-Gen Interiors.
From driver monitoring systems to printed electronics and intelligent lighting, participants will talk, hear, see, learn, and experience how these technologies will shape cockpit design. Don’t miss this opportunity to connect and exchange with leading OEMs, tier-1s, and design experts. Onward and upward!
