AutoWeek Design Forum: Johnson Controls designer styles the future

What is inspiration? Johnson Controls design vice president Michael Warsaw pondered that and other style themes on Thursday morning at the AutoWeek Design Forum in Detroit.

"It's about having a vision--it's about having that vision be your guidepost," he said.

Inspiration for his company, a global automotive supplier, is key. Its designers have been hard at work on a concept, named ie:3, which was revealed on Monday at the Detroit auto show. The prototype employs electric power in a nod to the future but also is a peek at next-generation interior materials and layouts.

Warsaw also touched on design icons, including the 1959 Cadillac, the 1939 Delahaye and the 1886 Mercedes-Benz, as benchmarks in style.

"Really, cars are an inspiration," he said.

Warsaw also said he expects evolving trends such as urban living, an aging population and the digital age to affect change in design. In a nutshell, Warsaw says, stay tuned.

By Greg Migliore