Benefits of Virtual Design

Admitting nothing will replace physical prototypes, designers and engineers nonetheless insist there is a place for virtual prototyping in designing vehicle interiors.

The ability to view an interior virtually in 2D, or in some cases 3D, can save money and time, as well as more closely meet a customer's expectations, say speakers on “The Science of Interior Aesthetics” panel.

“Every little bit affects the perception of your vehicle (interiors),” Dan Vivian, director-engineering design-Hyundai America Technical Center, says of virtual-design software.

For example, viewing a virtually created black interior opposite a beige one can reveal visual differences and flaws that might not show up in a clay-model prototype, Vivian notes.

Virtual prototyping can help meet global demands, too.

Americans tend to favor soft upholstery, the color white and bold grains and textures, says Steven Madge, vice president-business relations for virtual software supplier RTT USA Inc.

Germans prefer hard seats, dark grey/black interiors and technical flourishes, while Indian car buyers favor “very soft” seats, brown/beige interior shades and cloth upholstery.

Ford Motor Co. has been using virtual visualizations to eliminate design issues that could cause customers to perceive a vehicle as substandard in quality, says Mark Springler, engineer-vehicle interior technologies for the auto maker.

Ford can improve only what it can methodically measure in a robust and reliable manner, he says. With that in mind, the auto maker is employing a robot, dubbed RUTH (Robotized Unit for Tactility and Haptics), that can mimic how a driver will perceive an interior.