Style and Design: Key to win Market share for Auto Industry in India
The 12th SIAM Styling & Design Conclave 2018’, a day-long session was held at the 14th Auto EXPO here today where experts spoke on the emerging facets of styling and design of automobiles to enhance design for sustainability.
Welcoming the delegates at the Conclave titled `Designing for a sustainable tomorrow’, Mr Anil Saini, Chairman, SIAM’s Styling & Design Group stated that the automobile industry is changing rapidly than ever before.
Our sensibilities are changing. Consumers are now looking at design. The future would be very different. There is a debate on how the future would be. So we have to keep reinventing ourselves,
said Mr Saini.
The 12th Conclave on Styling & Design organised by the Society of Indian Mobile Manufacturers (SIAM).
SIAM’s Styling & Design Group, has been promoting capacity building in the area of styling & design of vehicles and has been striving to develop capabilities in India. Indian market is also maturing at this point in time and customers are increasingly looking at style – shape, color, feel, etc. for their preferred automobiles and therefore the industry is also gearing up to give its best.
This Group, amongst other objectives, seeks to build bridges between Design and Styling people in India and their global counterparts to share information of common interest and enhance mutual skills and capabilities through interactions.
Other design professionals from India and abroad also shared their experiences with case studies on iconic products, effective design process and on role of design in building and sustaining brands.
Mr K.N Radhakrishnan, President & CEO, TVS in his keynote address dwelled upon the need to focus on what consumer of today wants from his automobiles.
Styling & Design can differentiate your product from others and also give you a leverage on pricing. Today most of the vehicles are equally good on engine, platform and performance. Every product manufactured by automotive industry is good. But what makes your product stand out is the Styling & Design. The industry has to meet this aspiration of the Indian consumers…,
Mr Radhakrishnan observed.
Mr Francois Buron of Diedre Design spoke on `Designing an Autonomous Vehicle’ and highlighted challenges in providing an efficient alternative, his vision on mobility and to improve mobility and safety. He was of view that design and styling must also complement sustainability. Industry is keen on looking for sharing vehicles and use of lighter material to increase efficiency, besides solutions to mitigate problems concerning congestions on the city, cleaner ecosystem, especially to cater to upcoming smart cities, he added.
Mr Sudhir Sharma of INDI Design spoke on `Sustainable & immersive retail experiences’. He pointed out that sustainability is an issue with people.
All of us are worried about what is going to happen. We need to challenge the retailing model. Companies like automobile makers need to be connected to consumers. Infact no company retail their own product. Designs and Styling especially in automobile industry changes very fast with changing taste of consumers,
Mr Sharma remarked.
Delivering his thoughts on `Car Design Trends’, Mr Ajay Jain of Geely Design said the Indian economy is booming and as electric cars are the future, these EV cars are the answer to sustainability.
EV cars is a solution to fight pollution and innovative designs and styling will ensure its vibrancy and demand,
Mr Jain commented.
Mr Arun Vinayak, Ather Energy presented his views on `Designing an Electric Two Wheelers’ and said clean vehicles is the future and energy is money.
All vehicles ensure excellent technology. Designing a vehicle is an art. It adds value and enhances hassle free experience But at the same time, let’s add sustainability to every innovation we do. We also need to merge this to be clean, connected and smart on mobility,”
said Mr Vinayak.
According to Mr Y Yuki of Suzuki the Swift (Maruti Suzuki Swift, popular hatchback car) has evolved over the years and has witnessed changes in its designs.
Every time the car was in the process of makeover, design was one of the major concern. Consumers must accept it and it should be a success. There are things to change and many others where there is no need for a change. Some countries like Japan and Italy have worked on advanced design development for vehicles and this has immensely helped the auto industry to deliver best designed and stylish cars,
said Mr Yuki while discussing on his topic titled “Design story of New Swift”.
Professor Balaji Rengarajan of National Institute of Design quoted Mary Barra, CEO and Chairman, General Motors who said the auto industry will change more in the next five to 10 years than it has in last 50 years. Speaking on the topic `Role of education in Automotive Design future’, Professor Rengarajan stated that the design and styling of automotive have a long way to go. “We are still learning but we are catching up faster. Styling is a short term, while design is a long term thing,” he explained.
Mr Rajan Wadhera, Vice President, SIAM & President, Mahindra & Mahindra in his valedictory speech congratulated and exhorted designers for their innovative work. He said it was good to see how designers have evolved over the years and have been shaping for the future now.
Much is being talked about sustainability and not only designers but we all should work towards building it. Customer are going to appreciate design in every segment of the vehicle. Acumen of design has really gone up,
he further elucidated.
Mr Wadhera also gave away the Styling & Design Contribution Award to Mr Dilip Chhabria of DC Design. Mr Chhabria said
we live in global ecosystem. The cars which are selling today are primarily being sold because of their designs. There is no better time than now. We have good young people. They need to be obsessively passionate,
he added.
The participants included young designers, styling & design engineers, suppliers, students, design practitioners, technical persons and management executives of member organizations.
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