- Mercedes-Benz design chief Gordon Wagener predicts AI will dominate automotive design inside 10 years
- Wagener mentioned Mercedes is already utilizing AI in automotive design
- Wagener mentioned digital screens aren’t luxurious and that Mercedes will shift focus is craftsmanship and class
Mercedes-Benz design chief Gorden Wagener believes synthetic intelligence will play an more and more dominant position in automotive design, doubtlessly evolving to some extent the place AI is accountable for practically all elements of the artistic course of.
In an interview with ABC Information revealed on Feb. 23, Wagener acknowledged that AI-driven design remains to be in its early levels however famous that Mercedes has already built-in AI into its design workflow.
He predicted that AI will drastically remodel automotive design and recommended that inside a decade, the expertise may render most automotive designers out of date. He admitted that, at current, 99% of AI-generated designs are “crap,” however the remaining 1% is “good things” and bettering each day.
“My successor can be a machine and can be less expensive than my wage,” he joked.
2025 Mercedes-Benz EQS
Past vehicles, Wagener has lately expanded his design affect to incorporate Mercedes-Benz-branded luxurious condo towers in Dubai and Miami. Nevertheless, his major focus stays the way forward for automotive design, the place AI is predicted to grow to be an indispensable software.
Through the interview, Wagener additionally addressed criticism surrounding Mercedes-Benz’s current electrical car designs, notably the EQS sedan, which has confronted gradual gross sales. The EQS’s jelly bean-like type, designed for aerodynamics, was described by Wagener as “progressive” and doubtlessly forward of its time. Nevertheless, Mercedes seems to be shifting away from this design language, choosing future EVs to extra carefully resemble their gas-powered counterparts.
Wagener additionally expressed skepticism in regards to the rising prevalence of digital screens in trendy automotive interiors. Regardless of Mercedes-Benz boasting one of many largest automotive shows—the 56-inch Hyperscreen—he questioned their position in luxurious. “Screens usually are not luxurious,” he mentioned, emphasizing that Mercedes-Benz will focus extra on craftsmanship and class in future fashions.
He additional famous that prospects are likely to understand EVs as digital units, whereas gas-powered automobiles are seen as long-lasting, timeless objects, akin to Chrono watches. Wagener recommended that Mercedes-Benz will distinguish its EVs by making them really feel extra like a sensible dwelling relatively than a cell phone, notably as self-driving expertise turns into extra outstanding. Nevertheless, he famous that the prospect of a totally self-driving automotive remains to be a great distance off.
