The automotive industry has come a long way since the days of the Model T, and the changes are still ongoing. Car companies are competing like never before, struggling hard to see the future and understand the trends that are coming their way.
From traditional car companies like Ford and Chevy to newcomers like Tesla, the automotive marketplace has never been more saturated, and that is good news for buyers around the world. In the future, car buyers will have many more choices, and a number of unique designs. Here are some of the trends that are influencing automotive design now and in the future.
Fuel Economy Requirements
Fuel economy has always been an important consideration, and its influence on automotive design continues to grow. Look for vehicles that are designed more aerodynamically, so they cut through the wind more efficiently and achieve higher and higher levels of gas mileage.
Some of these fuel economy requirements are mandated at the state and federal level, while others come from the manufacturers themselves. No matter where they come from, fuel economy requirements will continue to drive automotive design.
Electric and Hybrid Vehicles
The market saturation of electric and hybrid vehicles is already underway, and it is likely to grow in the future. As more and more drivers opt for electric and alternate fuel vehicles, automotive design will follow suit.
From electrical outlets that make plugging in electric vehicles easier to more stylish designs for hybrid vehicles, these changes will continue to appear over the next couple of decades. Vehicles in the future may look far different from the ones we drive today.
Passenger Safety
No matter what else is included in the automotive design, passenger safety is always the number one consideration. As safety technology continues to improve, the design of vehicles will change as well.
We already see things like side curtain airbags changing the design of the doors, and front airbags altering the look of the dashboard. These trends are likely to continue, all with the goal of reducing deaths and injuries behind the wheel.
Small and Large
There have been two different but interrelated changes in automotive design in recent years, each involving the size of the vehicle. Tiny cars are suddenly in vogue, from the sporty Fiat 500 to the ultra-compact Smart Car. These tiny cars are often bought by single drivers, and their fuel efficiency and the ease of parking are real selling points.
At the other end of the spectrum are giant SUVs, large vehicles designed for equally large families. Those trends in vehicle size are likely to drive automotive designs in the future, essentially giving every driver exactly what they want.
Understanding the trends in automotive design is not always easy, but you can extrapolate a lot from the current marketplace. Some of the trends listed above are already well underway, while others are likely to play a bigger role in the future. Either way, your next vehicle is likely to look a bit different than the one you drive now.
