Reimagining The Future of Automotive

The automotive industry is developing at an exhilarating pace.

Advanced technologies coupled with changes in mobility are forcing the sector to evolve, adopting new processes and adapting to changing markets.

The pandemic has merely accelerated the developments that began several years ago.

The question of what the future of automotive holds has become a great divider for many. Indeed, these are uncertain times, but we believe there is a window of opportunity for brands to secure and strengthen their unique place within the automotive industry.

"It couldn’t be a more exciting time to work in the industry."

I sat down with Mike Baird, Creative Director at The Future Collective, to find out what the trends and technologies to watch are in 2021 and beyond.

Mike loves pushing clients right out of their comfort zone, never scared to suggest a more active approach. He‘s most proud of the ideas that, through a careful focus on behaviour in contemporary society, have created a real impact on people and culture.

Working for global design agencies for over 15 years, Mike specialises in the creation of award-winning experiential brand spaces, having previously worked with a number of highly influential clients including Lexus, McLaren and Miele.

Firstly, can you tell us a bit about yourself and what you do?

Originally I studied Product and Industrial Design at Central St.Martins, which focused a lot on behaviour and the importance of design when looking at any situation.

I've led a number of award-winning projects, alongside some of the world's most inspiring brands. I'm excited to be part of The Future Collective, especially at this point in time, because we're poised to tackle the issues that we are currently faced with and structure a more confident future.

I'm at my best working on projects that require specialists from a number of different industry disciplines. From strategy to interior architecture, graphics and identity and the forefront of digital, to name just a few.

Bringing all disciplines together is the way forward and I'm always looking to connect the right people. It's essential in providing solutions that fully challenge all aspects of a compelling design response. 

What exciting developments are coming to the industry?

There's been a drive towards rendering engines that utilise the ‘real-time’ graphic card power of the computer as opposed to the CPU which has been key to enhancing the Virtual reality experience. Higher resolution in terms of material texturing and lighting, now allows a VR experience that brings consumers very close to their intended purchase, lending itself to an infinitely more sophisticated approach to configuration.

VR is something that has now become a key device in and out of the store, to vastly enhance consumer experience and bring people closer than ever before to visualise and appreciate the product or environment they are looking for.

The digital side of experiencing new vehicles, perhaps to create a more solid, structured path to purchase, now has way more scope through this virtual tech. It will develop to give ‘dealerships’, pop up spaces and online investigation a much-needed layer of information in a very rich, visceral sense. The key here is how companies utilise the data that is collected moving forwards.

Automotive brands are also looking at questions that can be solved with the environment. The current pandemic has had a positive impact regarding climate control and air quality and most improvements were seen in the CBD areas of major towns and cities.

With the push to electric power, automotive manufacturers have a bigger challenge in how they are affecting the quality of the air we breathe. We are now hearing about brands looking to improve and completely ‘purify’ the air we are breathing inside the vehicle itself. It is an allergen repellent? Does it have the ability to neutralise odour and is it able to neutralise anything similar to a virus given its specific compound nature? 

Electric automotive bringing change?

We are now seeing expensive real estate, owned by energy companies intermittently on highways, making a fast change to electric power. Along with more appropriate areas for the momentary increase in 'dwell time' during charge.

What they become and how they shift to electric ‘charge’, either remotely at transport hubs or at home, is something people have given considerably more thought to than you can imagine. Not to ‘plan’ here is to plan to fail...and outsiders, alongside the major fuel providers, are now poised to bring these facilities ideas into play as we speak.

Shell has just launched advertisements showing the world it’s new ‘electric-only’ service centres that will launch this coming year, alongside a number of other competitors.

All standard new electric cars come with a 120-volt charging cable that can charge the battery from a household socket as a standard included feature. But sooner or later, most battery-electric car owners will want a 240-volt (Level 2) home charging station that can add more charge and work as much as four times faster.

Energy companies are working tirelessly to create ‘rapid charge’ systems to make charging ‘on the move’ as quick as generic refuelling in these new to open stations. Lithium-Ion Batteries are going to reduce drastically in size and, in turn, allow recharging to happen much faster. 

In terms of performance?

I owned a pair of ’Technics 1210's’, some of the first record playing turntables to truly master a direct drive mechanism, allowing the record to play, (within a split second of hitting the contact switch), given full pick up on the plate and spinning the next record exactly where you wanted it to play, immediately running at the full rpm and at the exact point in the record to mix on from the existing track.

In the same way, the power sent from the battery in an electric car is sent directly to the drive system allowing instant torque to the wheels. This ability to provide (tempered) yet almost direct power allows an increase of torque and in turn acceleration that standard fuel-based vehicles cannot begin to match. Some Tesla models, (running two separate motors, front and rear), can reach 60mph in 2.4secs. A standard fuel vehicle takes on average 8-10 secs due to inefficiency in how the power is sent through the drivetrain. It also struggles to maintain power and torque through the drivetrain whilst manoeuvring etc.

Smoother cornering, through constant traction to the wheels and the knowledge that you are utilising a much more productive and sustainable power source, means electric vehicles are more effective at allowing the user to arrive at their destination relaxed and aware.

Will the shift in energy consumption have an impact on other industries?

The industries that surround automotive have been adapting quickly for the last few years, looking to work in parallel with the growing demand for a cleaner energy supply. Service centres and forecourt shopping areas can now look to provide a food offer within their on-site stores, that entertains the idea of buying fresh produce for 'scratch cooking', without the hygiene issues that fossil fuels have presented. 

How do you feel the automotive industry will change over the next 10 years?

As they negotiate and navigate the current crisis, automotive leaders can gain an advantage by reimagining their core organisational structures and operations. Not just in terms of the business and customer service model provided, but the product efficiency itself.

Social and political movement will push manufacturers in line with the availability and cost-efficiency of green electricity.

We’ll also begin to see serious development regarding the first self-driving fully automated solutions on the road.

What do you believe is the biggest challenge for the automotive industry?

Radically focusing on digital channels, shifting to recurring revenue streams, optimising asset deployment, embracing zero-based budgeting, and building a resilient supply chain.

There are a lot of issues to consider and some manufacturers excel in certain areas. This is an opportunity for individual manufacturers to bring their unique 'key product benefits' to market, having had time to fully refine their offer.

The key will be to stop focusing on the pandemic. Each manufacturer must use this time to reassess a more succinct product that truly reflects the behaviour of the user. 

Tell us about your favourite project?

Building strong relationships with all my clients is when exciting things happen. For example, discussing the success of the 200 plus dealerships we’d built across Europe with Lexus, I suggested that it would be interesting if we could merge their strength in experience, hospitality and customer service, to consider something really challenging. It started as a 'what if' but I was excited to push them to create the world's first airport lounge that was led from an 'automotive' brand perspective.

An environment that showed the full sense of ‘Omotenashi’ (inviting someone into your brand, as you would to your home), knowing all about them before they arrive and suggesting immediately what they might need, creating comfort and trust... allowing consumers to really ‘lean’ into the moment.

Without any vehicles on show, the lounge was a perfect opportunity to convey the true opinion and culture of the brand, with Lexus sponsored design projects making up the majority of the space.

The VR tech teams, whom I've worked closely with, excel in displaying high-end virtual renditions of the rich key benefits, interior finesse and performance of the products, playing a series of very high definition, interactive experiences in this growing discipline. People in the specific 'VR Area' were drawn in to fully explore new design ideas in upcoming models, without leaving the comfort of the lounge. Exploring bodywork, engine technology and richly textured interior design concepts.

This ‘first automotive lounge in Brussels’, has been awarded the World Travel Award, for the top airport lounge in Europe for 2019 and now 2020. Proving that automotive manufacturers have to stay very much on the ‘front foot’ in order to differentiate their offer and survive in today’s market. 

As designers and creatives, we love to share our thoughts and fresh thinking about the intersection between design trends and consumer culture. We’re globally recognised for our future trends and innovative thinking. If you would like to find out more, we would love to hear from you.

Contact: georgia@future-collective or [email protected]

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