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Envisioning the Open Road: Automotive Designers Creating the Cars of Today & Tomorrow

By Damian McKnight
Designschools.com Contributing Writer

It can be argued that no design career is sexier than that of the Automotive Designer. Today’s designers embody the styles and culture of today while contouring the style of tomorrow. They utilize product design principles and emerging technology to create commercial, yet innovative, designs for new automobiles, motorcycles, trucks, buses, coaches, and vans. Often working in tandom with a large team of engineers, designers work to ensure that their concepts are appealing to consumers, can actually lead to functioning automobiles, and are environmentally friendly and affordable. Not to mention…..sexy.

History

In the United States, automotive design reached a critical juncture in 1924 when the American national automobile market began reaching saturation. To maintain sales, General Motors pioneer Alfred P. Sloan Jr. suggested annual model-year design changes in the hope that car owners would want to buy a new replacement each year. His strategy succeeded and was later adapted by rest of the industry.

The most celebrated American auto designer is probably Harley Earl,who brought the tailfin and other aeronautical design references to auto design in the 1950s. Earl is joined among legendary auto designers by Gordon Buehrig, responsible for the Auburn 851 and iconic Cord 810 and 812. Another notable designer who had a markedly different style was Chrysler group’s designer Virgil Exner, an early pioneer of Cab forward (a.k.a.Forward look) design in mid-1950s. Exner is also credited with introducing the pointed tail fins in the 1956 Plymouth Belvedere later adapted by all other Detroit studios.

The Work

The tasks of a car design team are usually split into three main aspects: exterior design, interior design, and color and trim design. Graphic design is also an important aspect of automotive design; this is generally shared amongst the design team as the lead designer sees fit. Design focuses not only on the isolated outer shape of automobile parts, but concentrates on the combination of form and function, starting from the vehicle package. Here is a breakdown of the design elements:

Exterior Design: The stylist responsible for the design of the exterior of the vehicle is the one who develops the proportions, shape, and surfaces of the vehicle. Exterior design is first done by a series of digital or manual drawings, and clay (industrial plasticine) models are developed from those drawings. 3 and 5 CNC Milling Machines are utilized in creating the clay model of the final design.Even in modern times with 3d software and virtual models on powerwalls, the clay model is still the most important tool in evaluating the design of a car and therefore used throughout the industry. The data from these models are then used to create a further mockups of the final design.
Interior Design: The stylist responsible for the interior design of the vehicle develops the proportions, shape, placement, and surfaces for the instrument panel, seats, door trim panels, headliner, pillar trims, etc. With the interior, the emphasis is on ergonomics and the ultimate comfort of the passengers. The design process with the interior design of the car is the same as with exterior design (sketch, digital model and clay model).The aesthetic value of the interior will need to correspond to ergonomic functionality and utility features as well. In particular, vehicular electronic components and parts will give more challenges to automotive designers who are required to update designs based on the latest information and knowledge associated with emerging vehicular gadgetry, particularly dashtop mobile devices, like GPS navigation, satellite radio, HD radio, mobile TV, MP3 players, video playback and smartphone interfaces.
Color and Trim Design: The color and trim (or color and materials) designer is responsible for the research, design, and development of all interior and exterior colors and materials used on a vehicle. These include paints, plastics, fabric designs, leather, grains, carpet, headliner, wood trim, and so on. Designers work closely with the exterior and interior designers and draw inspiration from other design disciplines such as: industrial design, fashion, home furnishing, architecture and sometimes product design.
Graphic Design: The design team also develop graphics for items such as: badges, decals, dials, switches, kick or tread strips, liveries. Concept sketching
Clay modeling
Class A surfaces
Scale model creation
Prototype development
Computer-aided design
Computer modeling
Powertrain engineering
Manufacturing process design

The Development Process

Includes the following steps:

Education

Automotive design is practiced by designers who have art backgrounds and degrees in industrial design or transportation design. Careers related to Auto Design include product design, automotive engineering, and electrical engineering. Successful designers need to be creative and should have strong math, drawing, and science skills. They must also have strong skills in computer-aided draftingand communication.

Since Automotive Design is a very competitive field, a high level of academic achievement is beneficial when looking for an entry-level job. Courses such as industrial design, electrical engineering, mathematics, environmental science and computer-aided drafting are often required for designers looking to break into the industry. An automotive engineering degree program can provide simulation training and hands-on experience in the field. An internship or work study program is often a necessary component of many automotive engineering colleges, and this can provide immediate job placement after graduation.

The following schools of higher education are recommended:

Academy of Art University San Francisco, CA
Art Center College of Design Pasadena, CA
The Art Institutes
College for Creative Studies Detroit, MI
Humber College Toronto, Canada
Lawrence Technological University Southfield, MI
Pratt Institute New York, NY
Savannah College of Art and Design Atlanta, GA
University of Cincinnati – School of Design Cincinnati, OH

Outlook

Despite the stagnant growth of the automotive manufacturing industry, careers in automotive design is still projected to grow as fast as the average for all occupations through 2014. There is still a high demand for skilled engineers who specialize in technology and computer-aided processes and a focus on an increasing fuel-efficient economy offer valuable opportunities for a successful automotive engineering career.

The National Association of Colleges and Employers reports that starting offers averaged $48,585 for those with a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering. However, salaries for car designers varies greatly depending on experience, employer and location.

Article also available at http://www.designschools.com/careers-jobs/automotive-designer.html

Data released from government agencies revealed that from 2003 to 2006, the nation saw a dip in overall vehicular theft – 11 percent, in fact. That still left thousands upon thousands of cars taken in the night (or broad daylight) and resold as legitimate used vehicles, shipped overseas or dismantled for their parts.

According to respected experts on vehicle theft, positive results are being seen from owner-applied theft deterrence and recovery systems. With automotive engineers focusing more on technological advancements, vehicle theft in the United States could continue to be greatly reduced. In the meantime, organizations dedicated to preventing car theft recommend a multi-tiered approach to safeguarding vehicles.

(1) Don’t Make It Easy

Do all you can to make sure those “little things” don’t add up to an easy take. Remember to remove your keys, lock the doors, close the windows, park in well-lit areas and hide all valuables. Thieves are experts. These kinds of mistakes provide them with encouragement to hop in your ride and, well, ride off with it. Plus, most insurers won’t cover the costs of a stolen vehicle if the keys were in or around it.

(2) Use Warning Devices

Any indication your car is protected can act as a deterrent. A thief may be less likely to target your property if you advertise it is protected in some way, either via audio alerts, Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) scratched into the windows, or prominent stickers advertising an anti-theft system.

(3) Immobilizing Devices

Immobilization devices prevent the bypassing of the ignition in order to hotwire the vehicle. Examples include smart keys, fuse cut-offs, kill switches, starter/ignition/fuel pump disablers and wireless ignition authentication.

Some of the best immobilization systems will use an electronic code transmitted from a transponder located in the vehicle’s ignition key to allow or disallow the engine management system to start the vehicle. When the correct electronically-coded signal sent by the transponder to a coil located near the ignition is received, the car will start. Such systems can have as many as one trillion fixed codes or a rolling code with encrypted algorithms, making it virtually impossible to crack. As a bonus, some of these systems will also allow the driver to personalize certain features, like seat and mirror position and keyless entry.

(4) Telematics Tracking Devices

Tracking devices are also excellent defenses against car theft. They may, in fact, herald a new era of auto theft protection. Tracking devices use telematics, which can combine a Global Positioning System (GPS) with wireless technology to monitor a vehicle’s location. If thieves realize a particular vehicle can be easily located at any given moment, they may be (should be) far less likely to snatch it. And if they do – well, bad news for them.

Telematics modules may offer more than just vehicular tracking, as well, by virtue of their technological capability. Some in-vehicle systems will also integrate a phone, a global position satellite receiver and digital signal processing to enable communication between a vehicle and a response center. This will provide navigation assistance, remote diagnostics, collision detection and call center notification, hands-free call center communication and remote door lock/unlock.

Other anti-theft devices include steering wheel and ignition locks, audio alerts, keyless vehicle systems, remote keyless activation and ultrasonic interior protection with inclination sensing. The last is, perhaps, one of the more interesting innovations. In an attempt to combat annoying and neighbor-riling false alarms often associated with ignored audio warning systems, certain manufacturers have created theft deterrents designed to sense activity within the vehicle. When interior movement is detected or a change in inclination is sensed, the system will trigger an alarm regardless of the park position. Lifting a vehicle in order to deactivate certain systems is a common trick used by thieves. Inclination sensing combats this technique and ultrasonic protection soothes once-friendly neighbors weary of those midnight false alarms.