Car Culture

Americans drive big cars. We take it for granted that there is a lot of open space on our highways and streets, and most of us do not give much thought to the way that our culture affects the design of our vehicles. Let us take a moment to consider the importance that location and practicality have on the design of cars. Occasionally, as you are driving along with the windows rolled down and your music blaring in your ears, you pass up a tiny international car on the road. They draw your attention, not because they are big, but because they are tiny. Small vehicles seem slightly out of place in America. Why is that?

In Europe and Asia, tiny vehicles are perfectly natural. Take a look at the photograph below:

This is a scene that you would never see in America. Even our worst traffic jams are nothing in comparison. Just think, this is a typical morning commute in India. Can you imagine trying to maneuver a Cadillac Escalade through these streets? Or how about a semi? With the sheer number of people, and the amount of space they have to work with, designers have fashioned a means of transportation that fits inside the context of Indian culture. Small, compact vehicles are the perfect solution for Indian masses.

In America, these tiny cars feel out of place. They are dwarfed by our standard sized vehicles and spacious highways. Our cultural mindset plays a huge part in our auto industry. If other countries want to market vehicles to Americans, they create spacious vehicles, because those are the automobiles that Americans gravitate towards.

When designers create products, they are driven by marketability. They look for the needs, and they meet those needs. Their products must deliver what the consumer demands. Right now in America, there is not a huge demand for compact International cars. While they are a novelty, the general public is not making the switch to tiny vehicles. The same holds true for Indians. There are prominent Indians who own luxury cars, or American vehicles, but the majority of the population in India drive the small vehicles that best suit their needs.

Design is not simply about designing cool products. It is about finding a market for the cool designed products. Study cultures to understand the people for whom you are designing.