Authenticity in the artificial age: Pangea on ‘real feel’ interiors

Cars have never featured more technology than today and experiences are now shaped broadly by software. At the same time, the surfaces that passengers see, touch and smell have been shifting towards man-made alternatives. While there are undeniable benefits to both trends, contemporary cabins can also feel emotionally stale as a result.

By contast, natural materials bring warmth to proceedings, softening the digital afront and – without being too profound – making the car feel like a living entity as opposed to a white good. “Screens and digital interfaces are obviously important – they make the vehicle more intuitive and connected – but if everything becomes a screen, the experience can start to feel a little cold or sterile,” says Catherine Ciftci, senior director of global design at Pangea.

“Real materials give us something we can actually experience with our senses. You can feel the texture in the grain of leather and see the variation in a piece of wood or the finish of a metal. Those little details remind you that there is craftsmanship and something real behind what you’re seeing.”

Building a connection between car and driver has both short- and long-term merits, helping to secure the initial sale or providing moments of delight upon entry, and then strengthening that relationship over time. Passengers grow to love their car and the materials they make direct contact with every day have a huge influence on that. Genuine materials also avoid the inevitable disappointment of realising a surface is not 'real'.

Real materials develop a character and a story that can create an emotional connection

“Authenticity is really about honesty. What you see should be consistent with what you feel and what the material actually is,” says Ciftci. “If it’s leather, you should see and feel the qualities of actual leather. If it’s wood or metal, there should be a sense of the material itself, not simply an imitation of it. There’s also something special about how real materials change over time. They develop a character and a story, and that can create an emotional connection with the customer.”

Readers may deduct that suppliers like Pangea are sceptical of technology and innovation, but the reality is quite the opposite. Digitalisation is not going anywhere – if anything it is ramping up – and Cifcti recognises the need to strike a harmony between two seemingly disparate trends.

“It's not about choosing technology over materials, or materials over technology. The real opportunity is bringing the two together,” concludes Ciftci. “Technology can make the vehicle smarter and easier to use, while authentic materials can make it feel more comfortable, personal and human. Technology gives us convenience, but materials give us connection.”

To learn more about about supporting partner Pangea and to speak with the team in person, join us at Car Design Dialogues Detroit.