Car content keeps increasing as a result of regulations; technology, and marketing. Recent new-vehicle introductions have been presenting with large increases in interior content; two examples we present this week are the Mercedes EQS and the Toyota LQ. This week’s in-depth article looks at in-cabin sensing, and there’s news about new mandatory driver-assistant systems. Fine and well, but alongside the obvious safety improvement, vehicles are increasingly exceeding something of a price acceptance threshold, above which most potential buyers will feel excluded.
Market competition and increasingly stringent regulations are pushing for innovation and technology (realized as in-car content). We all talk about improving user experience with amazing comfort, personal cocoon, ultrapremium lighting and sound and HVAC and infotainment systems; ever-fancier materials and controls and displays. But whose safety is really improved if nobody can afford to buy these amazingly-equipped cars? The sky might be limit technically, but cost is the limit practically!
The interior community has to play its role, and to foster the industry to set up maximum acceptable cost per function, especially in the domains of HMI/UX and sustainability where regulations and marketing are raising the bar.
That’s part of what we’ll address at the DVN-I Seminar, planned for 29 November in Köln, Germany. Please continue to send us your thoughts to support event preparation.
Sincerely yours,
