Within the ongoing automotive transport revolution bringing connected, autonomous, shared, and electric vehicle, mobility use cases are changing drastically—and car interiors are becoming a stronger-than-ever product differentiator, facilitating new activities for vehicle occupants: relaxing, working, phoning, watching movies, and other suchlike.
That being so, the interior is one of the fastest-evolving areas of the vehicle, with endless new technologies being launched in interiors with new features, new apps, new configurations, new materials, new designs, and whole new concepts. That’s the scope of DVN Interior: we’re building a community of car interior experts with DVN-I Reports, DVN-I Workshops, and a twice-monthly DVN-I newsletter, all aimed at consolidating and presenting pertinent news and analysis to help DVN-I members stay efficiently and easily informed and up-to-date without having to chase widely-scattered, difficult-to-find articles in dozens of sources.
CES showed us tomorrow’s autonomous mobility, and how to better use occupants’ captive time during transport. Geneva was focused on EVs, with no real focus on interiors except the obvious need of different acoustics due to silent motors. Shanghai’s auto show showed a strong focus on all kinds of EVs. Whatever the next events bring that’s relevant to the vehicle interior community, DVN-I will find out and present it. (WardsAuto Interiors Conference Novi, Mi, Auto Interiors Expo Stuttgart,)
This edition of DVN-I confirms that luxury remains key to premium auto brands’ attractiveness and differentiation, with specific significant examples from Mercedes, Porsche, and Aston Martin. And recognition of the Jaguar I-Pace as the Car of the Year as it combines EV technology with classic elegance confirms that luxury will endure as a strong level, whatever the underlying technology of the car.
Commercial vehicles are not left out; the interiors of new LCVs like the Renault Master range provide plenty to scrutinise and talk about. Meanwhile, safety is another key topic; in this issue we look at Volvo’s new occupant monitoring and IIHS concerns for rear occupants. We also take a look at the value of scent and aroma in a car, including various makers’ approaches to using and eliminating them in deliberate new ways.
We’ll always work to link the automotive market, new technology, and new mobility services to present and explain relevane in the car interior realm. Technology and services are serving an occupant experience, and that’s where interior and mobility overlap. Mobility service providers will of course brand and promote their services, not least by creating a unique customer experience—from ordering with a click, to relaxing into a mobility tool. Here again, the interior is a major pillar of this experience, so new mobility will drive new interiors, and vice versa.
We’re glad you’re here with us. Welcome on board!
