Preliminary Design

Preliminary Design for Automotive Seat and Interior/Exterior Components

As the automotive industry undergoes electrification and manufacturing innovation, the importance of preliminary design has become more critical than ever. In particular, incorporating new vehicle platforms and technologies into seat and interior/exterior components at the early design stage plays a key role in enhancing the competitiveness of finished vehicles. Muy Amigo proposes solutions to support our clients' development projects by leveraging our experienced design engineers and extensive expertise in preliminary design.

Differences Between Preliminary and Production Design

Preliminary design refers to the conceptual and early-stage development process that takes place before mass production. At this stage, new ideas and technologies are applied to vehicle components, and potential design issues are identified and resolved in advance. For example, developing innovative structures or functionalities for seats or dashboards and verifying them through prototypes are typical tasks of preliminary design. In contrast, production design involves refining the final selected concept into a fully detailed and optimized form for mass manufacturing. This includes material selection, finalizing dimensions, integrating tooling and production requirements, and preparing drawings for product release.

The core difference lies in objectives and constraints. Preliminary design emphasizes creative problem-solving and technological innovation, allowing for flexible and experimental approaches. A well-executed preliminary design forms a solid foundation for production design, reducing revisions and shortening development cycles. In the production phase, the focus shifts to maximizing manufacturing efficiency and quality, while adhering to cost and process constraints. In summary, preliminary design is the forward-looking phase that leads innovation, while production design is the detailed execution phase based on validated concepts. Though sequential, the roles of these stages are clearly distinct.

The Strategic Importance of Preliminary Design

The shift to electric vehicles (EVs) has brought about a fundamental paradigm shift in automotive design. With the disappearance of the internal combustion engine and the placement of large battery packs in the vehicle floor, new possibilities have emerged for how interior space can be used. For example, the space formerly occupied by the engine can now be repurposed for storage (the “frunk”) or additional functionality, while flat-floor platforms allow for flexible seat arrangements and seamless movement between the front and rear rows. Hyundai’s E-GMP EV platform, for instance, enables a longer wheelbase and flat floor design, unlocking innovative interior layouts that were not feasible before. Lounge-style cabins, swivel seats, and sliding center consoles are now becoming reality.

Reflecting such interior concepts in real vehicles requires a fundamentally different approach at the preliminary design stage. Suppose a design proposes living room-style seating—this must be engineered to ensure structural safety while delivering comfort and functionality. Seat rotation or sliding mechanisms, integration of airbags and seatbelts, and occupant protection must all be carefully evaluated and implemented from the conceptual design stage. Through preliminary design, we can achieve the optimal use of space, enhanced user experience, and compliance with safety standards—capturing all three essential aspects simultaneously. Ultimately, the development of seat and interior components that maximize the advantages of EV platforms is only made possible through meticulous preliminary design, forming the foundation for delivering a truly differentiated user experience.

Vehicle development is no longer driven solely by design concepts—it now fundamentally includes innovations in manufacturing processes. One of the most disruptive examples in recent automotive trends is Tesla’s “Unboxed” assembly process, which departs from the traditional conveyor-based production line. In the conventional approach, vehicles are assembled step by step along a fixed line. In contrast, Tesla’s method breaks the vehicle into several large modules that are assembled in parallel and then integrated at a later stage.

This innovative approach also incorporates giga-casting, where large portions of the body structure are cast as single pieces, and panels such as doors are painted separately before final assembly—allowing greater efficiency and flexibility. As a result, the entire factory layout and assembly sequence are reconfigured, enabling multiple operations to take place simultaneously and maximizing automation. Tesla has stated that this modular strategy can reduce factory footprint by over 40% and cut production costs by up to 50%.

Such innovations require not only manufacturing transformation, but a fundamental rethinking of design itself.

Optimized structural design involves adapting the shape and assembly method of components to match new manufacturing processes. For instance, if a production method involves assembling the vehicle floor and seats separately and then combining them in the final stage, the seat frame must be designed to accommodate this process—taking into account joint locations and mounting structures.

Another example is the integration of interior trim panels: while previously constructed from multiple parts, new processes may favor large, single-piece components. In this case, preliminary design must address part consolidation, structural rigidity, and dimensional tolerances from the outset.

Muyamigo responds to such demands by providing process-aware structural design, considering not just the shape of a part, but how and in what sequence it will be assembled. By incorporating manufacturing innovations at the preliminary design stage, we help our clients minimize trial and error in mass production and maximize production efficiency. In today's fast-evolving manufacturing environment, generating synergy between design and process through early-stage engineering is a critical capability for any parts supplier.

Key Competencies of Preliminary Design Engineers

Preliminary design requires engineers who possess both a high level of technical expertise and a creative approach to problem-solving. Our design engineers at Muyamigo are equipped with the following core competencies:

• 3D CAD Design (CATIA Expertise):
  Proficient in CATIA, the automotive industry standard, we deliver precise 3D modeling and assembly design for seats and interior components. This enables detailed validation of initial concepts, interference checks with adjacent parts, and early-stage dimensional feasibility. Our robust 3D data serves as a reliable foundation for later analysis and tooling design integration.
• Mechanism Design Capability:
  We have deep experience in designing motion-related components such as sliding seat rails, recliners, and door linkages. These mechanisms directly affect user convenience and safety, requiring reliable engineering backed by dynamic simulations and physical testing from the early development phase.
• Manufacturing-Aware Structural Design:
  We thoroughly understand materials and manufacturing processes to create geometry optimized for production. For example, seat frames are designed for high-strength steel press forming, while dashboards and door trims are developed for plastic injection molding. We tailor design elements like rib placement, wall thickness, and draft angles to suit each process, and design joints compatible with welding, bolting, and adhesive bonding to ensure manufacturability.

Thanks to these competencies, we execute complex preliminary design tasks systematically and deliver reliable, production-ready outputs. This is made possible by the technical depth and hands-on experience of our engineering team.

Proven Experience and Specialized Expertise

Muyamigo has successfully participated in numerous advanced development projects in collaboration with leading automotive OEMs. While specific project names remain confidential, our experience spans a wide range—from electric vehicles to autonomous concept cars. We have built extensive expertise in:

• Designing components unique to EV architectures
• Creating scalable structures for vehicle variants
• Engineering complex mechanical movement
• Adapting designs to innovative manufacturing methods

We continuously monitor the latest industry trends to propose cutting-edge design solutions to our clients. Preliminary design is not just about ideation—it's about preparing for what’s next. Our experience and insight serve as a solid foundation for clients seeking to develop innovative, future-ready vehicles.

Preliminary design for seats and interior components is not simply an early phase of product development—it is a strategic differentiator in the future automotive market. As the industry shifts toward EVs, with new demands for space utilization and revolutionary production methods, proactive preliminary design becomes essential to stay competitive.

Muyamigo offers structured, expert-level preliminary design services that deliver tangible value to OEM engineering teams and Tier-1 suppliers alike. As a technically capable and execution-oriented partner, we are committed to driving successful innovation alongside your next-generation vehicle programs.

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