What does the truck interior of the future look like?

Long haul trucking is a tough job, but it turns out designing those vehicles is no walk in the park either. Big rigs must be flexible enough to support what can be a gruelling day job but then also create a homely, welcoming environment at the end of a shift. Modern technologies and new sources of inspiration are moving interior design beyond a simple bedspace shoehorned into the back of the cab to something far more enticing. 

Work-life balance

Many of the changes facing truck interiors have already been seen in the world of passenger cars. Cotner noted that interiors do feel increasing significant in the overall package as brands look to boost driver wellbeing and address the industry’s driver retention issues.  

“The standards of what made a great truck interior design in the past were things like button tuft and chrome switches – more hot-roddy kinds of details,” DTNA’s chief designer explained. “But now more than ever there's a need for the space to keep you alert, safe and able to do the job and without fatigue and wearing out.”

You don't have to completely abandon your entire life and what you would normally do after hours just because you're out on the road

Wu sees a similar shift, driven partly by digitalisation and the opportunity to borrow ideas from domestic home interiors. The objective, he says, is to create a space that can adapt to different activities alongside the primary task of driving. “There’s a lot of changes you can do in the interior of trucks to make it more like a home and less like a tool,” he affirmed.

Long-haul drivers can spend anywhere from days to weeks away from home, occasionally even over a month. Showing some recent concept work on screen, Cotner showed how his team have explored reconfiguring the sleeper area to become a genuine living space, complete with a lounge, large refrigerator, cooking area and even a gaming den.

“We're trying to paint the idea that you don't have to completely abandon your entire life and what you would normally do after hours just because you're out on the road,” he said, “your pets, your food, your cooking recipes, your gaming… That whole lifestyle can be more balanced.”

This could resonate with younger drivers considering a move into the industry, something that desperately needs to happen over the coming years. A space to relax, socialise online or enjoy a hobby could reframe the perception of long haul trucking as a place of solitude.

Maximising the space

Clearly, there are various competing demands within what is not a particularly large space, especially for European ‘flat face’ trucks that have shorter cabs than those in North America.

FAW’s Concept 2036 Truck, presented at IAA in Hanover, explores modularity as a potential solution. As the interior design lead, Wu explained how the interior uses flexible furniture and alternative sleeping arrangements to separate the working area at the front from the living space behind.

If drivers are thumbing through menus, that's the opposite of what they should be doing

For example, the bed can be raised towards the roof when it is not needed, freeing up the floor for other activities. Another arrangement uses a sofa that can convert into a bed, allowing the rear cabin to function as a living room during the day. “It’s always important to create a bit of an extra space, no matter what you're doing,” Wu explained.

This concept looks ten years out and Wu recognises it is ambitious in many respects, but underlines that modularity is very much a tangible direction for production vehicles. The challenge, as ever, is balancing cost, form and function. Cotner noted that priorities can differ for North American customers, with some opting for a spacious sleeper while others simply go for a more bare-bones day cab.

User experience

Digitalisation is no longer on the horizon and is firmly in view. Like passenger cars, trucks are being fitted with more (and larger) screens as multi-functional touchpoints. And like cars, there is an ongoing discussion around distraction versus utility. “If there's a big screen and drivers are thumbing through menus, that's the opposite of what they should be doing,” Cotner said.

Add in the ‘bring your own device’ trend and the real estate of the IP suddenly becomes quite screen heavy. OEMs are between a rock and a hard place here to some degree: recognise that external devices need to be mounted safely, while also being aware of the prospect of increased distraction.

We're trying to find anything we can that minimises stress

Wu noted that bringing multiple devices into the cabin is particularly common in China, where drivers may use separate phones for work, personal communication and other activities. This creates additional demands on the dashboard and its layout.

Both designers recognised that the ideal solution is to balance emerging tech with solid UX fundamentals: clear and intuitive controls. Cotner noted that all this is safer in the moment by reducing eyes-off-the-road situations, but also reducing the mental effort required to complete everyday tasks. “I love the idea of more passive, really cutting-edge technology where in some ways the experience is more human,” he added.

Get comfortable

What then of colour, materials and lighting? Even a cursory glance at some of the cabins being shown at the Hanover IAA makes clear that mood lighting and soft, tactile surfaces are now all the rage. But for Cotner, premiumisation must be balanced against the realities of commercial vehicle use. Comfort can be boosted at important contact points, but durability, cleanability and cost remain decisive factors.

“Performance is king in trucking in the United States,” he said, explaining that attractive materials must withstand demanding conditions and frequent cleaning. (Ed. As a regular coffee spiller, I resonate with this mindset)

There are lots of things you want to customise and adapt to your own way of living

Sustainability is also part of the conversation, although both designers acknowledged that recycled materials and other environmentally conscious choices compete quite fiercely with those priorities around longevity and affordability.

Ambient lighting is almost a given now but we are told it is very much functional, regulating the driver’s mood during tricky parts of the drive. “Anything we can do that minimises stress on the person, we're trying to find psychologically what that would be,” said Cotner. “Lighting is a very strong part of this as well as sound.”

Using some stills of the Concept 2036 truck as an example, Wu's showed how lighting can be adjusted during different scenarios. Lights could dim when relaxing with a film on at the back of the cab, for example, with subtle indirect lights guiding attention towards the screen.

Natural lighting is also important alongside those artificial sources. Anyone who spends time behind a desk knows how refreshing it can be step outside or, ideally, have plenty of windows around the office. Take that analogy and apply it to the experience of captaining a huge metal container through busy traffic for hours on end. Daylight is important.

So is an absence of natural light. The truck turns into a home, remember, and privacy soon becomes equally important. Expansive glazing improves visibility while driving, but drivers must then block out sunlight and prying eyes when settling in for the night. Blinds and curtains remain a solid solution but we suspect brands are exploring things like smart glass or panels that raise up when needed.

Designing for the next generation

Try as we might, there is always an undercurrent of worry when chatting long-haul trucking. The reality is that the good old days may have been and gone, and there is no guarantee that the next generation of drivers will materialise in the numbers that are required. While there are plenty of other factors at play, what can designers could do to attract and retain new and younger drivers?

For now, innovation may have to respect established conventions and perhaps a reticence to change

Cotner boiled it down to reducing the demands of the job itself, and that starts with a well laid-out interior that is easy to use and comfortable. “Our job as designers of the interior is to make them want to continue to do it,” he said.

Wu agreed but added that the cabin could become more adaptable to individual lifestyles, bringing a sense of normality while away from home. “This is a whole new lifestyle they have to adapt to,” he said. “So you want to still live a normal life. There's a lot of things that you want to customise and adapt to your own way of living.”

Future tech

Autonomous driving and electrification could eventually create further opportunities to bring people in, reducing the workload and generally alleviating the pressures of the day job. Wu anticipates a future in which seats move between different configurations, almost giving what he describes as a ‘first class cabin’ experience. Cotner, meanwhile, cautioned that autonomous systems must not encourage drivers to disengage completely if they may need to resume control of a large vehicle.

Electrification could also free designers from the packaging constraints imposed by conventional powertrains, potentially creating more spacious and flexible cabins.

For now, innovation may have to respect established conventions and perhaps a reticence to change. Ultimately, the future truck interior will be defined by how it serves the driver and the fleet operator at large. Designers like Cotner and Wu will continue to pursue safer, more comfortable and adaptable environments as a result.