From buttons to screens, from levers to buttons to screens.
Have you ever stopped and thought about the progress made in car interior design? The car interior has evolved from a small seating area for human occupants to a safe, spacious and comfortable environment that we now take for granted. Ford Europe conducted a deep dive into the interiors of their cars, starting with the Model T and ending in the futuristic Mustang E.
Cars were primitive machines when they first arrived on the roads of the world. If they had any glass, cars used household windows and operated with a complex set of levers. The steering wheel, which is a crucial piece of interior trim, has not been altered by modern technology.
Car interiors started to imitate the most thrilling forms of transportation, starting with the bomber cockpit-inspired designs that eventually gave way to gauge clusters inspired by the space race. Customers wanted to see it on TV so that their cars could follow the example.
After the advent of video games, and an increase in digital platforms use, cars began to integrate screens and add buttons. The 2000s saw the peak of car interiors, and many consider them the most user-friendly.
The current car interior trends favor a minimalist approach. They integrate touch screen controls wherever possible. Car companies looking to reduce costs and reduce the amount of parts required to build a car will find that touch screens are an ideal solution. One simple unit replaces a dozen buttons and can be spun by the marketing team to become a modern feature.
Today’s cars are able to show the difference between the demand and supply of buttons. This is based on how many buttons customers desire versus how many automakers can supply. This design refinement is a sign that we are close to creating the most beautiful car interiors.