Car of the future becomes extension of the home

Imagine the automobile of the future as an extension of your home: it could be stored in your house and might even match your furnishings. This is the concept the carmaker Renault explored when they unveiled Symbioz, a personal autonomous automobile, at the Frankfurt Auto Show in September 2017.

Designed to be as livable as a modern home, Symbioz has a split door opening system that enables occupants to climb on board the same way they walk through the door of their homes, without bending down or holding on to the sides. The car and home share many of the same materials, including textiles, wood, marble and porcelain, to give the feeling of entering a familiar space.

Renault turned to pioneering Dutch textile designer Aleksandra Gaca to create custom fabric for the car seats. The fabric she used, called Bloko, is part of her Architextiles collection. It was used on the car seats and on the sofa in the home Renault designed to accompany the car, essentially treating the inside of the car like any other interior. Gaca adapted the fabric for the project and used different yarns to give it a strong yet soft quality. For more details, visit www.aleksandragaca.nl.