This month the team discussed:  

• Autonomous driving, with stories involving Lucid, Tesla, Tensor, UE Studios and a chat with Romulus Rost (who designed the interior of the original Audi TT)

• A visit to MG and SAIC’s ever philosophical chief designer Jozef Kaban

• A conversation with design expert Robert Forrest live in the studio, touching on tech-led strategies and brand power. Plus, will car brands ever appoint a Head of Autonomous Vehicle Design?

• People news at VW, Leapmotor and Ford China, plus an update on former Volvo design boss Jeremy Offer

• What’s coming up with CDN in March, with trips to Germany, Sweden and The Cotswolds and a new monthly focus on design tools (get in touch!)

Subscribers can access all content flagged during this episode, including:

Freddie’s visit to UE Studios: https://www.cardesignnews.com/cars/new-av-shuttle-has-a-compelling-design-but-will-the-project-take-off/2607769 

James gets philosophical with Jozef Kaban: https://www.cardesignnews.com/designers/jozef-kaban-we-need-to-be-the-light-for-the-whole-system-not-just-design/2607688 

Lucid’s Derek Jenkins talks luxury AVs: https://www.cardesignnews.com/designers/designing-autonomous-luxury-at-lucid/2606686 

Tensor Robocar: https://www.cardesignnews.com/cars/tensor-robocar-the-personal-autonomous-vehicle-shaped-by-sensors/2613315 

Tesla Cybercab interview: https://www.cardesignnews.com/designers/designing-the-future-from-first-principles-von-holzhausen-on-the-tesla-cybercab/2612995 

Ferrari Luce UX revealed: https://www.cardesignnews.com/interiors/is-ferraris-luce-interior-a-masterclass-in-hmi/2604887 

Theon design restomod: https://www.cardesignnews.com/cars/how-to-design-restomods-and-stamp-your-creativity-on-existing-cars/2612393 

Skoda Superb test drive: https://www.cardesignnews.com/cars/design-driven-skoda-superb/2611907 

Romulus Rost on AVs: https://www.cardesignnews.com/interiors/romulus-rost-on-autonomous-vehicles/2611351 

Andreas Mindt promoted at VW: https://www.cardesignnews.com/designers/andreas-mindt-named-as-head-of-volkswagen-group-design/2610458 

Adil Benwadih joins Leapmotor: https://www.cardesignnews.com/designers/whos-where-adil-benwadih-joins-leapmotor/2602133 

Ivo Groen at BAIC Turin: https://www.cardesignnews.com/designers/exclusive-baics-new-turin-studio-takes-shape-with-ivo-groen-at-the-helm/2600368 

Raul Pires replaces Max Wolff at Ford China: https://www.cardesignnews.com/designers/exclusive-raul-pires-replaces-max-wolff-as-head-of-ford-design-in-china-and-asia-wolff-joins-gm-china/2599556 

Join us in Milan: https://www.cardesignnews.com/events/car-design-dialogues-milan/232453 

…and in Beijing: https://cddbeijing.cardesignnews.com/ 

This month the team discussed: 

• The importance of design for manufacturing, highlighting how early production constraints improve creativity, feasibility and cross-team alignment across startups and major OEMs such as Ford, Xpeng, Zeekr and Oil Stain Lab
• Why Detroit’s design boom is in danger of leaving is hallowed car show behind; plus is Brussels neutral territory a good substitute for the now dead Geneva show; and weigh up the brand heritage that comes as the price of entry to Retromobile

• Why public reactions to new cars remain emotionally charged, with nostalgia, resistance to change shaping negativity toward contemporary vehicle design
• And we speculate about the possibility of Volvo restarting its US design studio with Nick Gronenthal as the head plus highlight some key moves at Porsche and Kia

Subscribers can access all content flagged during this episode, including:

The twins at Oilstain Lab: https://www.cardesignnews.com/designers/constraints-enable-creativity-oilstainlab-ceo-on-design-for-manufacturing/2592174

Ford Mustang Dark Horse SC: https://www.cardesignnews.com/cars/designing-on-the-edge-how-fords-dark-horse-sc-took-shape/2590571

Zeekr on design freeze: https://www.cardesignnews.com/designers/early-design-freeze-brings-purchasing-power/2591766

Xpeng's Alain Simon talks design for manufacturing: https://www.cardesignnews.com/cars/manufacturing-department-an-enabler-for-design-says-xpeng/2585875

Honda's new logo: https://www.cardesignnews.com/cars/honda-unveils-new-logo/2585879

Porsche 911 review: https://www.cardesignnews.com/cars/design-driven-porsche-911-carrera/2593778

Detroit Auto Show review: https://www.cardesignnews.com/shows/detroits-design-renaissance-leaves-its-auto-show-behind/2589650

Brussels Motor Show review: https://www.cardesignnews.com/cars/brussels-sprouting-could-the-belgian-motor-show-youve-barely-heard-of-become-the-new-geneva/2585930

Retromobile 2026: https://www.cardesignnews.com/designers/theres-more-passion-here-than-at-a-normal-car-show/2597117

Why do car people hate new cars? https://www.cardesignnews.com/cars/why-do-car-people-hate-new-cars/2584558

Honda Base Station: https://www.cardesignnews.com/cars/honda-reveals-new-base-station/2586456

Tobias Sühlmann joins Porsche: https://www.cardesignnews.com/designers/porsche-appoints-tobias-suehlmann-as-new-head-of-design/2595752

Thomas Ingenlath returns to Volvo: https://www.cardesignnews.com/designers/exclusive-qampa-ingenlath-on-his-second-volvo-term-i-bring-a-hell-of-a-lot-of-experience-in-designing-cars/2583816

What's going on with Volvo USA? https://www.cardesignnews.com/cars/exclusive-first-sight-qampa-volvos-interim-design-boss-on-ex60-and-whats-next-after-ingenlaths-return/2593909

Dave Marek retires: https://www.cardesignnews.com/designers/dave-marek-retires-from-honda/2581710

Join us in person at events around the world:

Milan: https://cddmilan.cardesignnews.com/

Beijing: https://cddbeijing.cardesignnews.com/

Detroit: https://cdddetroit.cardesignnews.com/

London: https://peopleawards.cardesignnews.com/

A monthly podcast from the CDN editorial team delivering sharp insight into the stories, people and trends shaping global automotive design - from concept cars and production launches to leadership moves, emerging talent and the technologies redefining how cars are created.