This post isn’t directly about design and the web. It’s more about the idea of what good design should be. Certain ideas of what makes something truly great, something beyond the standard, are ideas that transcend just one medium. When I talk about design in this post, or really any time, I am talking about something bigger than just the way something looks. It’s how things work and what’s capable of. Today, we are talking about car design.
Sure, we have our favorites, the standard bearers of great design: BMW, Audi, Volvo, Mercedes, etc etc. Car manufacturers seems to go out of their way to change their product lineup every year. Lately, I’ve been wondering just how sustainable that mode of operation can last. You can only change the lines of a car’s shape so many times. Cars are not a commodity item that people need to buy on a frequent basis (unless you are made of money). The auto industry knows this and spends millions, if not billions, yearly on making you want this year’s model. Aside from maybe having a GPS built in and maybe a few dials on the dashboard are different, how is this hugely different from last years model?
Enter the Tesla
Tesla Motors has been known for their all electric roadster. The company has been producing this one model for a few years now, but now has plans for an all electric sedan, the Model S. This is where great design falls into place. This is a car that is drastically different from anything before. A 45 minute full charge can give the car a 300 mile range. In addition, it will feature a 17 inch touch screen display to handle the car’s climate controls, sound system, and navigation. A 3G connection will give passengers access to restaurant listings, Pandora, and possibly other types of data from the Internet.
All of this inside a beautifully built exterior and an all electric motor. The Model S is currently in preproduction under pre-order. If this can be delivered, this will be one great car. It will be a great example of design, thinking beyond cosmetics and lists of features. It’s the start of something fresh with automotive design.
To bring this full circle
Great design in any medium be it automotive, web, phones, houses, or whatever should be striving to stand out. Find the what the thing you do is and focus and sharpen that area until it shines. Quality and innovation will stand out.
