What Is Transport Design?
Transport design focuses on creating models for vehicles. Also referred to as transportation design, this field provides you with a variety of design, development and engineering employment options. Continue reading for more information about this career field.
Description of Transport Design
While transport design is often focused within the automotive industry, it can also encompass the creation of aircraft, spacecraft or marine vessels. Within the field, an emphasis is placed on creating vehicles that are innovative and solve problems currently seen within the transportation industry. Other concepts involved in transport design include style, comfort, branding, safety and function.
Working in transport design, you might focus on improving the aerodynamics of a vehicle, designing a safer vehicle or creating a vehicle that gets better gas mileage. You could study topics related to automotive design, surface molding, ergonomics, manufacturing and sustainable technology to aid you in the design process.
Important Facts About Industrial Designers
| Median Salary (2019) | $57,265* |
| Job Outlook (2016-2026) | 4% growth (for all commercial and industrial designers)** |
| Key Skills | Interpersonal, mechanical, artistic, problem-solving, and computer skills |
| Similar Occupations | Art director, desktop publisher, fashion designer, graphic designer, drafter |
Sources: *PayScale.com, **U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
Career Information
In the field of transport design, you might find work designing private or commercial automobiles, marine vessels, motorcycles, aircraft, rockets or mass-transit vehicles. You could also focus on specific areas of transportation design, such as interior design. Typically, jobs in transport design are found under the job title of designer. You can find work with manufacturers, design firms or other companies within the transportation industry.
As a commercial and industrial designer in the automotive industry, you'll generally create new designs or alter old ones. You might be required to talk with consumers, attend car shows or conduct market research to help you develop design ideas that meet consumer and industry demands. Throughout the design process, you typically work with engineers and financial personnel to determine if your designs can be developed in efficient, sustainable and economical capacities.
Degree Programs
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), to work as an industrial designer (including a transportation designer), you'll need to have a bachelor's degree as well as a portfolio showcasing your designs to be considered for entry-level positions. Degree programs in transportation design are available at the bachelor's and master's degree levels, although bachelor's degree programs are more common. Degree programs in industrial design, which often teach transportation design, are also available. You could also consider a master's degree in transportation engineering or in civil engineering since some programs offer a chance to focus on transportation design within the curriculum. Also, per the BLS, some industrial designers earn a Master of Business Administration degree to help them understand balancing business expenses in relation to their designs.
In a transportation design degree program, you'll learn how to develop your designs usually using computer-aided software programs and modeling techniques. Classes also cover science and technology, vehicle systems, vehicle architecture, aerodynamics, transportation materials and human factors related to vehicle design. Programs may also include design studio and portfolio development components.