Drawing the Future: Steel, AI and the Next Generation of Automotive Design (Part 1)

Episode notes

What will cars of the future look like and what role will steel play in shaping them? In this 2-part episode of Steel Stories, host David Kirkpatrick sits down with Paul Snyder, Chair of Transportation Design at the College for Creative Studies in Detroit and a veteran designer with Ford and Honda. In this Part 1 episode, Paul shares how autonomy, user experience, and new ownership models are redefining what vehicles mean in our daily lives. See how students are reimagining mobility through storytelling and why steel remains the material at the center of innovation and continues to enable bold creativity while supporting a sustainable future. Featured in this episode: Student design concepts presented to GM as visions of future mobility and referenced throughout the conversation. Team 3 'GEM Memory Lane': Team 7 'Vangard': Team 9 'Wanderer': Stay tuned for part 2 where David and Paul explore the future of mobility, from the influence of design legend Syd Mead to the impact of AI, autonomy, and even flying cars. Paul shares how imagination, technology, and steel’s versatility will continue to shape the cars of tomorrow.

• Forging What Comes Next with Dave Burritt, President and CEO, U. S. Steel23 / 100
• From Steel Town to THE Football Town25 / 100
• Big River 2: The Mill that Learns41 / 100
• What Makes Us Go: Retracing America’s First Road Trip
• Designing Cars for Women (and Why Steel Matters)