ESSAY #1

on the subject The automobile aesthetics

One of the most discussed subjects nowadays is the importance of aesthetics in design.
Aesthetics is known as the study of the mind and emotions in relation to beauty; it is defined
as a critical reflection on art, culture and nature and it involves all of our senses - vision,
hearing, touch, taste, and smell - and emotions.

R Buckminster Fuller once said: "When I am working on a problem, I never think about
beauty, but when I have finished, if the solution is not beautiful, I know it is wrong." For
some years now there have been many discussions about the application and appreciation of
aesthetics in car design.

Cars are a part of our daily routine, a part of us and a part of our life. Some people are looking
for technologically advanced cars that allow users to interact with other users and to exchange
valuable information with other drivers, while others understand the driving task as a simple
every day activity to go from one place to another. Nowadays, the word automobile means
much more than what it used to mean years ago. Cars not only offer the possibility to travel
from point X to point Y, but also have an added value of safety, comfort and aesthetics. But
any engineer will tell you that there is no such thing as a perfect design, and compromises are
a part of the process.

A car is an ideal illustration of aesthetics meeting functionality. Many manufacturers might

tend to compromise beauty for technology, but if we pay attention to statistics, we can see that
when buying a car, a clients first choice is usually the design (first the exterior design and
after the interior design) and the next choices are the functions, engine performance, fuel
consumption etc. We love car proportions, the side body sections and their reflections, we
love the details, we like to touch the cars surfaces and we can easily imagine ourselves inside
driving it.

If a user perceives the design of a product as being more aesthetically pleasing, he will think
of it as having enhanced usability. Also, if the design of an object is appealing, the users are
more likely to accept its faults, even if the attractive design restricts the performance level and
does not meet the usability standards for what it was created to do. Aesthetics has the capacity
of creating a relationship between the user and the object through the design. Aesthetic
designs create personal relationships and positive attitudes within the user, and this makes
him become more tolerant and personify the object. Good usability is inherent in good design
because people think well designed things work better, whether they do or not.

People may argue that an aesthetic design may not only hinder the effectiveness of an object,
but also the availability to its purpose. For example if the interior of a car is white, it has a
limited usability and accessibility due to the restriction of food and drinks entering the car.
Yet the white interior is beautiful, and this makes allows for higher acceptance of the interior.
Design mightnt necessarily enhance the purpose of the object, but it makes the object more
attractive to use. This means that the appeal of the object is not based on its functionality, but
rather on the way it presents these functions.

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At the height of the Industrial Revolution, Henry Ford said, Any customer can have a car
painted any color that he wants so long as it is black. By this phrase he tried to explain that
automation is efficient, even if it means sacrificing aesthetics and personalization.

Thus, aesthetics is the one criterion that distinguishes one product from another. Sklasky
states that cars all do the same thing. They have four wheels, brakes, transmission, engine,
heaters and radios. To this point we can agree with him, but when people want to buy a car,
what strikes them initially is not the technology, but the look of the car, its design.

Aesthetics and Car Design have been fused for many years. Its what defines a car, its what
gives a car its personality and importantly for the manufacturers, its what gives the car its
competitive edge in the market place. When I buy a car, Sklasky said, I want one that has a
look and feel Im attracted to. You get inside of some cars and theyre just gorgeous, you feel
good in them. Others you get inside and theyre just a mess.

As Sklaski points out, nowadays people put up more energy and effort into making products
beautiful and aesthetically pleasing than in making fine art. Industrial designers are concerned
with creating objects that are both functional and visually pleasing, and that is an art as well.
An engineer also has to think about issues like aerodynamics and safety, as some aesthetically
features might compromise the car's ability to run. Automotive design is as much about
artistic expression as it is engineering.

One of the most important criteria in the automobile aesthetics are the ergonomics, technical
feasibility, formal constraints and, not least, the exterior of the vehicle, in order to impress the
observer with its pure sensory-aesthetic appeal.

How can we measure the beauty of a car's shape? To some extent, this judgment is subjective
and depends on current fashion trends. However, in the auto industry there is one fundamental
measure that is accepted by all designers; reflection lines are this measure. Reflection lines are
a function of your position, the car's position, and the position of the lights. When a car's
surface is nicely polished, it behaves just like a curved mirror.

Car enthusiasts can often tell if a car looks good or not just by looking at its facade. They
would not spend time gazing at the rest of the car's design if the front area fails to impress
them. They would endlessly enhance the grille, contour the headlights, produce more distinct
bumpers, or make the emblem more visible. The shape of the car is based on a mix between
the curves existent in nature and the strength of man-made industrial geometry of the square.

Bumpers are an integral part of a car that does a lot for safety. Their basic aim is to provide
safety for the car; the passengers' safety is only incidental. Usually made of steel, bumpers are
the first to receive external impacts that are forced upon the car. Without them, the impact
will directly affect the external car parts and the engine, and even worse, the driver. Bumpers
are indeed more than a device that enhances the car's appeal. They are a perfect fusion of
aesthetics and function.

The automobile interior textiles play an important part in reflecting the styles of vehicles, the
different cultures and personalities of the owners, and finally influence the sales volume of
vehicles. With the development of the world economy and the improvement of life, people
pay more attention to the color and pattern design of a cars interior decoration.

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Automobile interior textiles include the upholstery of seats, roof linings, carpet, door panel
linings and so on which express a cars style and influence the standard of comfort,
environment protection, safety and cost. The materials chosen and their ornament design are
linked closely with the development of the automobile industry, especially with the cars style
and their performances: safe, with personality, comfortable, without polluting and easy for
recycling. We believe that the car interior will become a focal point for brand recognition.
Color design will inevitably be an essential tool in making the interior distinctive.

With the development of new fibers, new dyes and innovational technologies in textiles, the
car interiors are being continually upgraded with better color coordination, more patterning,
and prints. Color effect is the color impression linked with spirit and physiology, culture and
feeling, performance and safety.

In conclusion, the automobile is perhaps the indicator of our wealth and social standing. After
all, the car we drive is a glimpse at our tastes and preferences.

References:
http://now.lincoln.com/2013/02/a-car-of-many-colors/
http://www.wisegeek.com/what-does-a-car-designer-do.htm#
http://katrinlong.wordpress.com/category/aesthetics/
http://www.streetdirectory.com/travel_guide/49626/car_parts/when_aesthetics_meet_function.html
Ailin Ru, 2006, Study on the Color Design for Automobile Interior Textiles, China
Reflection lines: shapes in automotive, march 2002.