Audi, the Ingolstadt-based car manufacturer known for its aggressive exterior styling, is set to shift its design focus towards a softer and friendlier look. According to Marc Lichte, the company’s design boss, future Audi vehicles will be less aggressive and prioritize interior design, especially as we move into the era of autonomous driving. Lichte cited Audi’s activesphere concept as an example of this new approach, with its soft and welcoming exterior design.
This shift in design philosophy is part of a broader trend in the automotive industry, with designers focusing more on creating welcoming and approachable exteriors to entice people to spend time in the cabin.
In the past two decades, vehicle design has become more aggressive and bold, with an emphasis on angry front fascias and bold styling elements. However, Audi’s move towards a friendlier exterior design is prompted by two factors.
The first is the ongoing war in Ukraine, which Lichte says has had an impact on everybody. In the wake of all the sadness and misery, perhaps a fresher and lighter outlook is what people need. The second reason is the advent of electric vehicles, which has given designers an entirely new canvas to work with.
In the past, everything was fixed because there was always a combustion engine and a platform. However, with the move towards electric power, designers have more opportunities to be creative and style vehicles in ways we’ve never seen before.
See also: 2021 Audi Grandsphere Concept Previews All-Electric A8 E-Tron Set to Debut in 2024
Audi has announced that it will no longer develop ICE-powered engines after 2026 and will stop selling them by 2033. This means that we can expect models to debut with a friendlier styling theme soon. While Audi has always favored a minimalist interior design, it remains to be seen whether the cabins will become more extroverted as their exteriors become softer.
It’s worth noting that this shift in design philosophy is not unique to Audi. Ford’s Anthony Lo has also commented on the importance of cabin design, and Jozef Kaban, the former head of Volkswagen design, expressed a desire to see more emotion and character in VW vehicles.
Nevertheless, it’s clear that Audi is taking a bold step towards a more welcoming and friendly design language, which could represent a new direction for the automotive industry as a whole.
