Last week’s Car of the Year 2021 verdict came as a surprise. The Toyota Yaris is an excellent product, which has matured since its first Car of the Year award in 2000. The jury recognized its efficient 3-cylinder hybrid system and its refinement in safety, perceived quality, and comfort. What’s particularly interesting is that this Japanese-brand, French-made, combustion-engine car won out over EVs like the Fiat 500 and VW ID.3—vehicles widely liked and praised by governments, industry leaders and media. The Yaris is a regular, normal vehicle with a regular, normal interior. New norms are busily being built, as you can read each week here in the DVN-Interior Newsletter, but the old norms still have a lot of tread left on their tires. Automotive disruption is coming, but maybe not all that fast.
Meanwhile, innovations carry on apace. Driver monitoring systems are on the front line of essential automotive features. They’re of key importance even with regular, normal, human-driven vehicles. This week’s in-depth report looks at infrared technology as one of the most cost-effective methods of keeping electric eyes on the driver.
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