Although it might seem to be an area of the automotive industry much less innovative than propulsion or software, car interior design is also subject to technological trends and significantly impacts driving comfort and safety. What is currently keeping interior designers busy?
Car interior design is a field that is constantly evolving and changing to meet the needs of increasingly demanding drivers and passengers. Currently, the main challenges in the industry are improved safety and an emphasis on the use of eco-friendly materials. How designers are approaching these issues is discussed in the following article by Marcin Bilut, Competence Centre Director,Interior at Endego.
Minimalism has become a prevalent trend, not just for vehicles. Modern cars are designed to reduce unnecessary elements. When creating the interior concept, care is taken to ensure that it is not only aesthetically pleasing but also functional. Minimalist car interiors are characterised by simplicity and elegance. Everything is designed to the smallest detail, and every element has a specific practical function. There are no unnecessary buttons in the cars that could distract the driver, contributing to driving safety. Essential functions such as air conditioning, navigation, or radio are controlled via a touchscreen or gestures in the latest models. The designers working at Endego realise that minimalism in car design is not only a way to have stylish and elegant interiors but also safe driving and innovative solutions.
Ambient light is another prevalent car design trend involving additional lighting inside the vehicle. This solution makes it possible to create a pleasant atmosphere in the car. Nowadays, LED technology makes it possible to form the LEDs into any desired shape, which designers very often use to emphasise the stylish lines of the car body and highlight the high quality of the interior finish. Lighting of this kind can be controlled in terms of intensity, colour, or hue, allowing the settings to be tailored to the individual preferences of the driver and passengers. However, using additional lighting in the car interior is not only a visually attractive addition but also a practical solution. Adjusting the lighting to the weather conditions improves visibility and increases road safety. For more on car lighting, see this article.
Seating and driving comfort form the basis for a positive driving experience for drivers and passengers. Therefore, ergonomics is an essential aspect of automotive interior design. Interior designers, therefore, focus on developing seats that provide a comfortable position and optimal support for the spine. Modern car seats have adjustment functions in more than a dozen levels that allow them to be tailored to the user’s preferences, and ‘high-end’ car models are equipped with gadgets such as heating, ventilation, or more than a dozen massage programmes
With the goal of reducing the carbon footprint, sustainability and the circular economy are trends that are steadily gaining ground. With increasing environmental awareness, car manufacturers are striving to create interiors that are made of eco-friendly materials, generate as little pollution as possible during production, and are easy to dismantle and recycle at the end of their life cycle. Manufacturers are racing to develop new substitutes for common materials in car manufacturing. A good example is ‘leather’ seat upholstery made from olive tree seedling extract, and this is just one of the many eco-friendly solutions. Some OEMs also focus on recycling, producing interior trim from recycled PET plastic bottles.
Using some materials is dictated by the need to reduce the car’s weight, which increases fuel efficiency. One example of this is the use of carbon fibre in seat frames. All this is done to make cars and their production increasingly environmentally friendly.
At Endego, safety is among the critical aspects influencing customers’ purchasing decisions. Out of concern for the lives and health of drivers and passengers, manufacturers are increasingly adopting solutions to minimise the risk of accidents and serious injuries. One popular solution is using more airbags, even in substandard cars. Today, most vehicles that leave the production lines are equipped with airbags to protect the driver’s and passengers’ heads, chests, and hips. Additional airbags are also fitted in the side door panels on some models. This minimises the risk of injury from a side impact with the car. A popular solution for door panels to improve passenger safety is using EPP (Expanded Polypropylene) elements, which absorb energy and minimise the impact of forces acting during a side impact. This makes the car safer every day, making its occupants more likely to emerge from a collision unscathed.
Today’s technologies allow the design of ever more advanced solutions to make cars safer, greener, and more stylish. Designing car interiors is a complex process that requires considering many factors, such as ergonomics, technology, ecology, and safety.
Endego’s specialists have extensive experience designing vehicle components that meet the above criteria. Our team is involved in the comprehensive management of the project, from concept and preliminary design to preparation for series production. The knowledge and experience of our company’s specialists allow us to create products that meet the highest quality standards and satisfy the needs of even the most demanding customers, such as leading car manufacturers.
Our experience and skills allow us to offer customers comprehensive assistance at every stage of the design and production of vehicle components. We provide aesthetically pleasing, safe, environmentally friendly, and functional products. If you would like to find out more, please email us today.
The exterior elements of a car, such as the bumpers, sills, or spoilers, play a key role in shaping the vehicle’s appearance. They are what we focus our attention on when we are first confronted with a particular car model.
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