The Steering Column: How will self-driving cars change interior design?

We’ve glimpsed the future — and it doesn’t require a driver’s license.

The idea that the driver’s seat, steering wheel and dashboard could soon become as outdated as vent windows and bench seats no longer seems far-fetched. As self-driving technology advances, it’s easy to imagine a time when knowing how to drive will be as rare as knowing how to use a rotary phone, order a set of Encyclopedia Britannica or balance a checkbook.

So, what does this mean for the future of automotive interior design? Envisioning the car as a rolling living room isn’t new. Designers have been sketching up such concepts for decades. But which vision will become a reality and, more important, which will you prefer?

Without a driver, the current forward-facing front bucket seat construct becomes superfluous.

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