| Peugeot
Keith Ryder is 'number two' in the Peugeot Design
Studio, Automobiles Peugeot
What social/economic/technological trends do you think will have the greatest
impact on car design in 2018?
Peugeot is already operating at an advanced level - embracing within the
ADN (Automotive Design Network) building a multicultural, International
talent centre at Velizy (South of Paris) where all aspects of the design
and engineering is engineered to incorporate sophisticated solutions to
ever increasing customer trends and demands. This also means producing
products that are cost-effective platform utilisation with attractive
design/lightweight high-quality/latest generation materials.
In what ways will the powertrain technology differ?
It will certainly be lighter, stronger, more efficient, less polluting
and naturally more powerful, but with even greater control systems to
optimise driveability and 'enjoyment'. Hybrid powerunits will certainly
be much more widely integrated.
What materials will vehicles use – can we expect serious
alternatives to steel to emerge?
Recyclable materials (plastics and aluminium) will grow (as they have
begun to already) and will no doubt be areas of continued development
to save weight and optimise the valuable materials necessary for a cost-effective
and weight-saving solution. Natural materials, fibres, even 'vegetation'
- with strong textures and lightweight characteristics would permit 'New
World' modernity durability and feature interchangeability to enhance
customer requirements and satisfaction.
What technologies will be making the big advances in safety in
2018?
For safety we need intelligent design and material strength, recognising
that a by-product of current systems is weight. Peugeot is continuing
to develop even safer vehicles (many current products are Euro NCAP 5-star
performers) as safety won't be comprised, but designs will evolve to protect
with sophisticated systems, clever design techniques and by removing hard
points and by using greater-absorbing materials.
How will automotive engineers' working lives be different? What
skills/specialisms will be important?
Certainly it will be ever more challenging, as designers become talented
engineers, with a wider skills base and aptitude for ever-creative design
solutions. We already have 200 talented designers from a wide cross-section
of cultures and nationalities to draw upon for their experience and skills.
Inevitably life is evolutionary and we are not anticipating a revolution,
however change is the only certain part of our future ...
Next...
Ricardo
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