Technology Archives

Aero and Design – Is the Mercedes EQS the Future of the Automobile?

Eric Gallina — Thu, 06 May 2021 10:20:54 +0000

The Mercedes EQS is the flagship of Sindelfingen’s new electric model line. It’s also the most aerodynamic production car to date. But at what cost has this achievement come? Aerodynamics is becoming increasingly important in automobiles, especially in light of the electric revolution. In many European countries, the decision to ban sales of petrol- and diesel-powered vehicles by 2030 has ignited the need for electric vehicles that can go further for longer. The more aerodynamically efficient a vehicle is, the […]

The post Aero and Design – Is the Mercedes EQS the Future of the Automobile? appeared first on Form Trends.

Mercedes MBUX Hyperscreen – Good or Bad?

Eric Gallina — Mon, 22 Mar 2021 13:03:00 +0000

Mercedes-Benz has revealed the Hyperscreen, the latest version of the company’s MBUX human-machine interface that will feature in the upcoming EQS flagship. The MBUX Hyperscreen is a collection of three screens wrapped in a 56-inch long panel. Is it necessary in a car application? Sam Livingstone of Car Design Research and Eric Gallina of Form Trends discuss the merits of this new device.

The post Mercedes MBUX Hyperscreen – Good or Bad? appeared first on Form Trends.

ISD Rubika 2020 Degree Show – The Visualization Masters

Pierre-Paul Andriani — Wed, 13 Jan 2021 09:00:00 +0000

Google, Toyota, Louis Vuitton and Tata Motors walk into a digital room. Welcome to the ISD degree juries. Every year the Institut Supérieur de Design in Valenciennes, France, holds its year-end degree show. It is arguably the best place for OEMs to recruit digital artists and 3D modelers. The main school is in the north of France with a sister school in India. Each student must present their work to industry professionals and in English. This presentation counts for 30% of their final grade. The added difficulty […]

The post ISD Rubika 2020 Degree Show – The Visualization Masters appeared first on Form Trends.

The California Startups Showcasing Forward Momentum for Mobility Design

Eric Gallina — Wed, 23 Dec 2020 12:00:00 +0000

This year has seen a number of new car reveals, but only a handful of these new designs have been impressive — the Koenigsegg Gemera, Ford Bronco and GMC Hummer spring to mind. And while we may have had to wait until the 11th hour for 2020 to shine through as a positive year, three new vehicles unveiled in the last week truly seem to embody forward momentum in mobility design. Perhaps unsurprisingly, none of these come from established automakers. […]

The post The California Startups Showcasing Forward Momentum for Mobility Design appeared first on Form Trends.

UX Spotlight: Skoda’s Smart Illuminated Seat Belt Buckle

Eric Gallina — Fri, 13 Nov 2020 09:00:43 +0000

When people think about user experience, most gravitate toward the idea of interfaces, or, simply put, screens. With technological content increasingly prevalent in cars, it’s easy to assume that the human-machine interface (HMI) is the dominating factor in UX. But the user interface (UI) is only one small part of UX. Indeed, it could be argued that UX and UI are two entirely different things requiring a different set of deliverables, and therefore perhaps even a different team of people […]

The post UX Spotlight: Skoda’s Smart Illuminated Seat Belt Buckle appeared first on Form Trends.

CGI Visualization is the Future, and the Future is Now

Pierre-Paul Andriani — Fri, 03 Apr 2020 08:00:22 +0000

The clock said 23h00 but at least I finished my bike. I got the materials, the lighting and the set ready. I clicked ‘render’ and went home. I suspected it would take Alias a few hours to calculate the 1280 x 1024 image I asked for. I came back to the Tinkertoy building the next morning. In the computer lab, I was greeted with evil stares and for good reason. When I turned on the monitor the computer was still rendering 12 hours later, […]

The post CGI Visualization is the Future, and the Future is Now appeared first on Form Trends.

HRE3D+ Project Showcases Personalization Potential of 3D Printed Wheels

Eric Gallina — Mon, 19 Nov 2018 12:00:42 +0000

The age of technology — which we are now currently living in — is allowing for automotive design to flourish in myriad ways. One of these can be seen in a new wheel from HRE called the HRE3D+. The wheels harnesses additive manufacturing, in particular 3D printing, to create something entirely bespoke, which is another rising trend in the automotive industry. Showcased at the ‘formnext’ tradeshow in Frankfurt, Germany, the HRE3D+ is the product of a partnership between HRE Wheels […]

The post HRE3D+ Project Showcases Personalization Potential of 3D Printed Wheels appeared first on Form Trends.

Blue Is Cool For Technology, But Should It Be Used In Car Interfaces?

Eric Gallina — Tue, 03 Jul 2018 11:32:00 +0000

Fast Co Design recently published an article questioning the reasoning behind tech companies’ infatuation with the color blue. The author cited interesting points, some of which are relevant to the automotive industry, and it got me thinking about the use of blue within vehicles. For a long time, the color blue has represented a company’s forward-thinking approach to electric vehicles. Just look at all of the electric cars that have come to market in the past decade — from BMW’s […]

The post Blue Is Cool For Technology, But Should It Be Used In Car Interfaces? appeared first on Form Trends.

BMW and MIT Collaborate for Liquid Printed Pneumatics Project

Eric Gallina — Fri, 25 May 2018 08:54:30 +0000

Vehicle interiors will change drastically once full automation becomes commonplace. To that end, BMW Design has partnered with MIT’s Self-Assembly Laboratory to develop 3D printed inflatable material technologies that self-transform, adapt and morph from one state to another. They’ve called it the ‘Liquid Printed Pneumatics’ project. Showcased at London’s V&A museum’s The Future Starts Here exhibition, which explores the power of design in shaping the world of tomorrow, the cross-disciplinary study two years back with the mutual ambition to push […]

The post BMW and MIT Collaborate for Liquid Printed Pneumatics Project appeared first on Form Trends.

Review: Design Trends and Videos from Auto China 2018

Eric Gallina — Fri, 04 May 2018 08:14:23 +0000

China is the world’s largest new car market, accounting for more than a quarter of all new car sales... LOGIN OR SUBSCRIBE TO VIEW

The post Review: Design Trends and Videos from Auto China 2018 appeared first on Form Trends.

Creating Unique Sound Systems for Electric Cars

Eric Gallina — Tue, 31 Oct 2017 09:32:23 +0000

Besides mere ‘styling’, there is a lot that goes into creating a vehicle design. The increase in electric vehicle development... LOGIN OR SUBSCRIBE TO VIEW

The post Creating Unique Sound Systems for Electric Cars appeared first on Form Trends.

Yanfeng Interiors Showcases Innovations in XiM18 Concept

Eric Gallina — Wed, 09 Aug 2017 10:23:33 +0000

Yanfeng Automotive Interiors (YFAI), the company that brought the XiM17 Experience in Motion autonomous interior concept to the 2017 Detroit auto show, will reveal a new concept in Frankfurt. Following the same nomenclature as the previous interior concept, the XiM18 features more than 30 product and process solutions for the next generation of electric and autonomous driving cars. Increasing connectivity and new forms of car ownership and mobility such as electric cars, autonomous driving and car sharing are rapidly changing […]

The post Yanfeng Interiors Showcases Innovations in XiM18 Concept appeared first on Form Trends.