Automotive Engineer

Do your concept cars have more input from your colleagues in advanced engineering and R&D departments than in the past?

“ The Shinari concept is focused solely on design. But for production models, yes. At Mazda, the design department has a lot of power. There are difficulties in terms of meeting cost and legislative requirements, and agreeing on hardpoints. Our R&D teams do their best to accommodate our designs.

Vehicle engineering in Europe is driven by CO2 targets – what are the most important issues in design?

“ We can’t ignore ecology and the climate debate but we should be careful not to pursue it too rigidly because it might jeopardise design and make it boring. Of course, powertrain development has to focus on emissions, but for design we need to address the human element – people’s needs.

Is Mazda’s design process fundamentally different to how it was five years ago?

“ Yes. The difference is the digital element in design work. It enables us to make changes very quickly.

Do graduate designers need different skills to the ones you had when you started in the industry?

“ One thing that hasn’t changed is that designers have to have creativity. But the tools required to realise that creativity are different. So it takes less for us designers to translate from the idea to the actual form.

Mazda still values clay modelling skills very highly. Is this a shock for your young designers?

“ Yes, but we have a training programme so that they learn the basics of clay modelling. Then they start working digitally.

What advantages does clay modelling have over digital?

“ You’d think that digital modelling gives you God’s hands – you can create anything you want. But this is not true because digital models confine you as if you were in a TV screen. Clay modelling gives you a proper multidimensional viewpoint because it enables you to see mass and depth and gives a proper sense of proportion.

LED lighting has given designers greater freedom. Are there similar technologies you’d like to use?

“ By-wire technology reduces packaging requirements and this gives us greater freedom to work on interior design. Mazda’s Yokohama advanced design studio is focusing particularly on this area. IT technology is advancing very quickly, including traffic management and navigation systems. We’re trying to address how fast and where these technologies can be incorporated into our vehicles.

City cars are becoming popular in Europe – can the “Kodo” styling theme of the Shinari concept be applied to these as well?

“ Yes – that’s a must. That’s something that we have to accomplish.

Retro cars such as the Mini and Fiat 500 have been very successful – what does Mazda think of this?

“ We have the Mazda2, of course, but we have no plan as yet to make this size of car with retro styling.

Looking ahead to 2020, will vehicle design be fundamentally different?

“ It will be polarised. There will always be design for enthusiasts, but there will be more electric vehicles because of the environmental issue. People won’t see the car as a means of transport – they will expect a lot more functions as well.

You designed the third-generation MX-5. Do you think ride and handling will still matter to consumers in the future?

“ It’s polarisation again. But even if cars are powered by electric motors, I hope there’ll be people who still enjoy just steering and driving them.

Engineers sometimes think designers aren’t practical enough – do you think engineers sometimes aren’t imaginative enough?

“ Sometimes, but a good design should strike a balance between both sets of requirements. He should be creative but have the ability to deliver that design to the customer.

What part of your job do you enjoy the most?

“ When I see a new concept – such as the Shinari – fully meeting its design theme, I’m very happy. ·