Instead of simply crowdsourcing ideas for neighborhood improvement or funds for a social justice campaign, we may soon see corporations looking to the crowd for ideas about prefered product development, including material sourcing, packaging design, or delivery options. "We are no longer just building cars for, but also with customers and at the same time initiating a national dialog which gives us a deep insight into the design preferences, needs and requirements of Chinese customers."Īlthough we've seen crowdsourcing applied to creative and philanthropic efforts in a variety of different ways, Volkswagen's strategy seems to imply that soon these "altruistic" tactics could be put to use in the for-profit world as well. "The ‘People's Car Project' in China marks the beginning of a new era in automobile design," Luca de Meo, Director of Marketing, Volkswagen Group said. Companies will be forced to design smarter products, because the people that request them are searching for smarter solutions. In fact, the roles may reverse completely, with manufacturers depending on market feedback before deciding what it will make or how it will market it. No longer will a companiy be content (or able) to simply forcefeed the public what it deems the next best thing. The other top entries were the Music Car, which changes its color based on the driver’s music choices, and the Smart Key, a smart phone that can also start a car and monitor important functions.Īside from fulfilling all of our Back to the Future fantasies, these cars, and the project that spawned them, can teach us a powerful lesson about the future of virtually every industry on the planet. Not surprisingly, a flying car was near the top of the list: Volkswagen developed concept cars around its three favorite ideas and is displayed them at the Beijing Motor Show. Nearly 12 months later, the project has inspired 33 million website visitors and the submission of 119,000 unique ideas for possible automotive products and technologies. The idea was to crowdsource ideas for future car innovation via a virtual suggestion box on the project's website, and then turn them into reality through a series of online videos. Last year, Volkswagen launched something called "The People's Car Project" for members of its Chinese market. Still, it may be the process used to imagine these cars, rather than their actual design, that provides the best clues about the future of the transportation industry. They feature cutting-edge technologies and stunning shapes, but they're usually years, if not decades away from reality. Concept cars represent the auto industry's best attempt to peer into the future.
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