• Mercedes-Benz’s design chief says that AI is coming for the jobs of automotive designers.
• He said that AI today is about quantity, not quality, but that will change.
• But—and here’s the kicker—can AI give us what makes car design truly special?

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In case you haven’t bowed down to our AI overlords just yet, Mercedes-Benz design chief Gorden Wagener is here with a reminder. Not just any nudge, either—it’s more of a warning. One for folks who refuse to buy a blob-shaped car, and another for the auto industry as a whole: Artificial Intelligence is coming to design your car.

According to Wagener, a ticking clock has been placed on the era when talent like Pininfarina, Giugiaro and Callum dominated the world of automotive design. Instead, a glorified version of ChatGPT with a sketchpad is here to replace some of the industry’s best, overwriting more than a century of sketched-by-hand concepts with ones-and-zeros.

“I think in 10 years maybe most of design will be done by AI and it will make designers obsolete,” said Wagener in an interview with ABC News. “My successor will be a machine and will be much cheaper than my salary.”

Let’s pump the brakes for a second. AI-generated designs might be great for concept renders or quick mockups. Maybe even for some design inspiration. But actually replacing real human designers? That’d be like Spotify replacing your favorite artist with some computer-generated songs (oh, wait).

AI Is An Algorithm

In all reality, AI is an algorithm. It trains based on the data you put in—which, from an automotive designer’s perspective, could be some of the most visually striking automotive designs in history. It could also be tailored to a specific application. For example, a model looking to design an aerodynamic vehicle may draw inspiration from the design of the Volkswagen XL1 (designed by former Polestar CEO Thomas Ingenlath) or McLaren Speedtail (designed by Rob Melville). It could also design lines to minimize drag or maximize downforce.

Once AI understands the job, it can pump out results much faster than a human. And if we look through the same lens as Tesla’s Optimus bot, we can understand the capitalistic reasons why companies want AI to do the job. You don’t have to pay a human, and you don’t have to deal with all the complexities humans introduce. The problem, according to Wagener, is that those results aren’t consistent—yet.

“We work with AI now. You get 99% of crap with AI and sheer quantity,” said Wagener. “That’s the biggest problem—sorting out the good stuff from the bad. But you get 1% good stuff and we keep learning. It’s getting better every day. AI will drastically change the way we design.

Would AI Have Given Us The Pontiac Aztec?

Let’s say that Wagener is right. AI takes over and all cars are designed by blob-making computers powered by Nvidia GPUs instead of fleshy meatballs wearing a skin suit. Would that actually be a good thing?

Ferdinand Alexander “Butzi” Porsche working on a clay model of the Porsche 911.

Photo by: Porsche

Would AI have the guts to create the Porsche 911? Butzi Porsche (the grandson of Ferdinand Porsche) was kicked out of industrial design school over lack of talent, yet somehow managed to create the first example of Porsche’s iconic sports car.

Or what about Wilhelm Hofmeister? His contribution to BMW’s C-Pillar, the Hofmeister kink, lives on in tradition after being created solely to bring attention to BMW’s rear-wheel-drive configuration. It’s not the most efficient, or simple design, but it had character.

And, most importantly, would AI have given us the Pontiac Aztec? Because if not, then, honestly, what’s the point?

The human element of design is something that computers haven’t yet perfected. Honestly, I’m not sure if I want that to ever happen. Small quirks and stories about why a particular vehicle was designed a specific way, or a small easter egg hidden in the glovebox is such a cool story to have decades later. An AI model with an end-to-end design process can’t explain why it designed something the way that it did. It just does it. And, frankly, that’s just boring.

For proof, just page through the design books of the most influential car designers in history. Look at what Pininfarina did for Ferrari, Ian Callum did for Jaguar or Giorgetto Giugiaro’s contribution to literally every car segment ever. These designers didn’t just follow formulas—they created them. I’m not sure that I trust an AI model to slice up the next Ferrari F40, BMW M1 or even the next Volkswagen Beetle. After all, these algorithms have proven they can remix ideas and designs, but have yet to prove they can innovate in design, writing or art. Fundamentally, they lack the passion that defines the best works of art, design and literature.

The Future Is AI-Assisted, Not AI-Driven

Look, AI in design isn’t going anywhere. Wagener is undoubtedly right in that regard. Despite some designers and artists calling AI out for being plagiarism with extra steps, it’s here to stay.

In fact, it’ll make designers’ work easier while simultaneously reducing the number of automotive design available jobs in the name of efficiency. That may work for the vast majority of boring grocery-getters, but replacing human creativity completely, especially on flagship and enthusiast-focused cars, feels like a pipe dream more than a reality.

Or, maybe I’m the one that’s wrong. Maybe in a few decades, we’ll all be riding around in CyberBlobs with no steering wheels with our feet kicked up and an emergency Xbox controller in the glovebox should the car need manual intervention. But I sure do hope that’s not the case.