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Cleveland Driven: The Future of Automotive Design

In many ways, Cleveland has simultaneously shaped - and been shaped by - the automobile industry. In the 1920s, 70 percent of the steel made in Cleveland was destined for automotive manufacturing; the first traffic light was  installed at East 105 th and Euclid; and, today, the automotive industry is one of a few sectors where growth in Northeast Ohio is expected to outpace U.S. growth. Moody's Economy.com forecasts  19 percent growth here versus a scant 3 percent growth nationally by 2024.

Despite Cleveland's success, Japan and China have out-produced the American auto industry since the 1980s. Increasingly, governments are regulating the environmental impact of cars. In 2012, the Obama administration announced  increased fuel economy standards (54.5 mpg for cars and light-duty trucks by model year 2025), and  driverless car prototypes are more and more within the realm of possibility. So what does all this mean for the future of automotive design?

This panel of automotive designers - all graduates of the Cleveland Institute of Art - share their thoughts on the future of automotive design in America. 

 

Panelists include:

Erwin Angala, Design Manager, General Motors

Jose Gonzalez, GMC Design, General Motors

Irina Zavatski, Exterior Design Manager, Fiat Chrysler

 

This conversation is moderated by Notthingham Spirk designer  Bill Nottingham.