Here we are, already at the top of DVN-I’s second newsletter! We’ve got news and views this week from the WardsAuto Interior Conference recently held near Detroit. And our in-depth article looks at the takeaways of the recent Shanghai auto show, as a preview of our full auto shows DVN-I Report to be released next month.
The panoply of relevant events DVN-I covers present a wide array of products from production cars that can be bought today, through to exotic previews of what transportation might look like in the near (or far) future. All of this is in context of rapidly changing topography in the world of automotive transportation: established automakers feel increasingly urgent pressure to prove they are relevant, leading runners in the race for new mobility. New participants in the field, including digital outfits, want to be recognized for the innovative products and services they offer, while meanwhile the popular perception, perhaps fuelled by popular media, is that fully autonomous, self-driving cars are just around the corner, coming soon—of course, the reality is very different.
Most of the SUVs presented at the Shanghai auto show, as well as the WardsAuto 10 Best Interior award winners, are reflecting an industry incrementally integrating technologies and design elements of the future. With interiors adding amenities, features, and capabilities but mostly not yet containing new-generation HMIs, life for the vehicle occupant isn’t getting simpler—it’s getting more complicated, and sleeker and more elegant designs aren’t enough to foster real ease and peace of mind.
So our long way to disruption is slow and incremental for the time being and the foreseeable future, and industry must take care not to overload and overwhelm consumers, or there could be a general backlash that would slow down acceptance and demand for new equipment. For that reason, this issue of DVN-I also looks at how interior design can better respond to consumer demand, such as by enhanced audio and personal-technology integration, easier mobility, and new alliances and services.
We’ll continue our globetrotting tour with the Stuttgart interior event, and you’ll be able to read about it here in DVN-I.
Happy Reading. We’re glad you’re here with us. Onward and upward!
