Cars will be driving themselves by 2050, according to Michael Robinson, the former Lancia design chief and the founder of start-up design firm Crossover Creative Consortium. At the Interior Motives Europe conference held in Turin, Robinson predicted automotive technology will allow cars to drive autonomously.
Such innovations may also allow for a significant reduction in safety equipment, translating into lower weight as well as a reduction in traffic accidents, which usually occur due to human error.
The biggest issue to emerge from the event was the industry’s move towards zero-impact cars, with lighter materials, better aerodynamics and fewer elements in vehicles all representing steps towards designing the ultimate ecological vehicle. The majority of car manufacturers are now undertaking research into the integration of sustainable technology into car interiors.