AUTOMOTIVE DESIGN

(Redirected from Automobile design)


'Automotive design' is the profession involved in the development of motor vehicles or more specifically road vehicles. This most commonly refers to automobiles but also refers to motorcycles, trucks, buses, coaches, and vans. The design and development of a modern motor vehicle is typically done by a large team from many different disciplines. Automotive design in this context is primarily concerned with developing the visual appearance or aesthetics of the vehicle, though it is also involved in the creation of the product concept. Automotive design is practiced by designers who usually have an art background and a degree in industrial design or transportation design.

Contents
Design elements
Exterior design (styling)
Interior design (styling)
Color and trim design
Graphic design
History of automobile design in the US
Development process
See also
Art & Design schools with degree courses in automotive design
External links

Design elements


The task of the design team is usually split into three main aspects: exterior design, interior design, as well as color and trim design. Graphic design is also an 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.
Exterior design (styling)

The stylist responsible for the design of the exterior of the vehicle develops the proportions, shape, and surfaces of the vehicle. Exterior design is first done by a series of digital or manual drawings. Progressively more detailed drawings are executed and approved. Clay (industrial plasticine) and or digital models are developed from, and along with the drawings. The data from these models are then used to create a full sized mock-up of the final design (body in white). With 3 and 5 axis CNC Milling Machines, the clay model is first designed in a computer program and then "carved" using the machine and large amounts of clay (industrial plasticine). Even in times of high-class 3d software and virtual models on powerwalls the clay (industrial plasticine) model is still the most important tool to evaluate the design of a car and therefore used throughout the industry.
Interior design (styling)

The stylist responsible for the design of the vehicle interior develops the proportions, shape, and surfaces for the facia, seats, trim panels etc. Here the emphasis is on ergonomics and the comfort of the passengers. The procedure here is the same as with exterior design (sketch, digital model and clay model).
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. Color, contrast, texture, and pattern must be carefully combined to give the vehicle a unique interior environment and personality. Designers work closely with the exterior and interior designers.
Designers draw inspiration from other design disciplines such as: industrial design, fashion, home furnishing, and architecture. Specific research is done into global trends to design for projects two to three model years in the future. Trend boards are created from this research in order to keep track of design influences as they relate to the automotive industry. The designer then uses this information to develop themes and concepts which are then further refined and tested on the vehicle models.
Graphic design

The design team also develop graphics for items such as: badges, decals, dials, switches, kick or tread strips, liveries, flames, racing stripes, etc.
History of automobile design in the US

In the USA, automotive design reached a turning point in 1924 when the American national automobile market began reaching saturation. To maintain unit sales, General Motors head Alfred P. Sloan Jr. devised annual model-year design changes to convince car owners that they needed to buy a new replacement each year. Critics called his strategy planned obsolescence. Sloan preferred the term "dynamic obsolescence". This strategy had far-reaching effects on the auto business, the field of product design, and eventually the American economy. The smaller players could not maintain the pace and expense of yearly re-styling. Henry Ford did not like the model-year change because he clung to an engineer's notions of simplicity, economics of scale, and design integrity. GM surpassed Ford's sales in 1931 and became the dominant player in the industry thereafter. The frequent design changes also made it necessary to use a body-on-frame rather than the lighter, but less flexible monocoque design used by most European car makers.
Another turning point came in 1935, when automotive engineers abruptly dropped aerodynamic research after discovering, among other problems, aerodynamics would tend to produce one single optimal exterior shape. This would be bad for unit sales, and for GM it would obviously work against their new strategy of market differentiation. Style and engineering went their separate ways, and all body shapes underwent cosmetic changes every year, whether or not the underlying automobile had changed.
Since 1935 automotive form has been driven more by consumer expectations than by engineering improvement. Form still follows function, but the primary function of the car was to get itself sold.
The most famous American auto stylist is probably Harley Earl, who brought the tailfin and other aeronautical design references to auto design in the 1950s. He is joined among legendary designers by Gordon Buehrig, responsible for the Auburn 851 and iconic Cord 810 and 812 (hence also the Hupmobile Skylark and the Graham Hollywood).

Development process


Includes the next steps:

★ Concept sketching.

★ Computer modeling.

Drive train engineering.

★ Scale model creation.

Prototype development.

★ Manufacturing process.

See also



Alternative propulsion
Automotive suspension design
Coachbuilder
Car safety
★ is a list of automotive designers
Computer-aided industrial design
Concept car
Ecodesign
Giugiaro

Industrial Design
Internal combustion engine and engine design
Machine design
O2 Global Network
Open content
OScar (open source car)
Pininfarina
Pre-production car
Prototype

Series production
Solid freeform fabrication
Wind tunnel

Art & Design schools with degree courses in automotive design


Academy of Art University (USA) Undergraduate and Masters Degree in Transportation Design.

Art Center College of Design (Pasadena) Undergraduate Degree in Transportation Design.

College for Creative Studies (Detroit) Bachelor of Fine Arts Degree in Transportation Design.

Coventry University (UK) Masters Degree in Automotive Design.

Coventry University (UK) Various undergraduate Transport Design courses.

Créapôle (Paris) Masters Degree in Transportation Design.

Elisava Escola Superior de Disseny (Barcelona) Masters Degree in Transportation Design.

IAAD - Istituto d'Arte Applicata e Design (Turin) Bachelors and Masters Degrees in Transportation Design.

ISD - Institut Supérieur de Design (Valenciennes) Masters Degrees in Transportation Design.

Pforzheim University of Applied Sciences (Germany) Master of Transportation Design.

Royal College of Art (London) Masters Degree in Vehicle Design.

Strate Collège (Paris) Masters Degree in Transportation Design.

The Cleveland Institute of Art (Cleveland) Bachelor of Fine Arts in Industrial Design with Automotive Emphasis

Umeå Institute of Design (Sweden) Masters Degree in Transportation Design.

University of Cincinnati (USA) Undergraduate Degree in Transportation Design.

University of Huddersfield (UK) Undergraduate Degree in Transport Design.

External links



howstuffworks: How car design works

Auto&Design Magazine An archive of the leading print magazine for automotive design

Car Design News News and resources for the international automotive design community

Car Design Online Automotive design from concept to production

Chrysler Design Institute Insight into Chrysler's design studio processes.

Design Council Automotive Design Design Council UK's one stop shop information resource on Automotive Design by Chris Clements.

ConceptCar.co.uk Automotive design information, news, reports & directory

Designerspace

DesignerTechniques Free resource where you can learn the techniques and skills of auto designers

How to design and build an electric car

Foresight Vehicle British automotive R&D programme and Knowledge Transfer Network

Tarus Products Inc., Detroit, USA, CNC Machines for Clay Modelling in Automobile Design Styling Studios

Kolb Group, Hengersberg/Germany and Michigan/USA, CNC Machines for Clay Modelling in Automobile Design Styling Studios, clay & styling tools

Vehicle safety and modification information - includes guidelines, vehicle standards information and information on the Australian Design Rules.

Massachusetts Institute of Technology (USA) MIT Media Lab Smart Cities Concept Car

Bionics

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