Empathy-Driven Automotive Design

Therese Pinazzo was born and raised near Detroit, Michigan, in an automotive-inspired family. From a young age, she developed an appreciation for car design through observing the restoration and transformation of vintage vehicles by her father and brothers. This early exposure sparked her passion for automotive design and curiosity about its future possibilities.

Now with over 30 years of experience in automotive design, Therese has worked on a broad range of production and concept vehicles, focusing on both interiors and exteriors. Notable projects under her leadership include the exterior design of the 2019 Cadillac XT4 and 2021 Escalade, as well as the interior and exterior design of the 2022 Buick Wildcat Concept. She is currently the Design Director for Buick and GMC interiors, leading a team that is visualizing the future of design for the brands, with an emphasis on customer experience, innovation, and brand transformation.

As a Design Director, Therese fosters an environment that encourages unconventional thinking and inspires her teams to unlock their full creative potential. She emphasizes designing empathy-driven interiors by understanding customers and how they use their vehicles, aiming to create customer experiences that are intuitive, emotionally resonant, and aesthetically beautiful.

Therese draws creative inspiration from diverse fields such as fashion, costume design, and performance art. She values a multidisciplinary approach that combines intuitive customer experiences, conceptual form exploration, and rational problem-solving, which drives her creative process and design innovation.

1. What does innovation mean to you?

To me innovation is a human-centered practice. In the world of automotive design, it’s about creating a product that has significant value for the customer. And it all starts with empathy and understanding of who you are designing for, how they will interact with the final product, and what they ultimately desire. We learn from observing the customer and considering the cohesive user experience.

Innovations in design are not only useful, but intuitive and emotionally resonant, with the goal of expressing effortless beauty.

One example of applied innovation within design is the approach our team took when developing the interior of the Buick Envision. It all started with an understanding of how consumers, particularly women, use their vehicles. Whether a busy professional or a multitasking parent, the cabin is designed to support the needs of real-life, not just aesthetic trends. Time is a precious commodity, and we kept that top of mind while bundling features and technologies, presenting them in a thoughtful way to create a mobile sanctuary for our customers. In the Envision, we combined an intuitive user interface design, QuietTuning ™ technology and customizable ambient lighting, to create a tranquil cabin that helps drivers feel supported, calm, and in control. The result is a vehicle that transforms everyday moments into restorative experiences.

2. How do you and your team generate new ideas?

All new design ideas start with the customer at the center. For instance, we often use observational studies to first get to know our target customers and how they use our vehicles. Then we leverage our diverse design team to explore unique points of view resulting in unexpected solution combinations. The best way to innovate with empathy is to put ourselves in the customers’ position, allowing us to visualize the entire vehicle experience from beginning to end. This practice helps us focus on meaningful solutions that resonate with our customers, as they experience our Buick interiors.

3. Are there any rituals you rely on to reset creativity?

My favorite technique to reset is “collaborative sketching”; this is a design exercise where one team member shares an idea or drawing with their teammates, with the goal of unlocking new ideas through creative iteration. Our team will sketch over the original idea, combining different creative viewpoints to unleash new ideas. Often, we can discover something fresh or innovative in someone else’s work that we did not see in our own. We also reset by changing our tools, meaning we go from working two-dimensionally, to working hands-on, three-dimensionally, whether in clay or scrappy prototypes. This practice not only breaks the monotony of a project but also helps us visualize the vehicle cabin environment.

4. What is the biggest challenge you face when innovating?

Smart innovation requires time for design, testing, and development. We begin our design process early to identify innovative features and begin the advanced development process.

It takes time to integrate meaningful features and technologies so that they are accessible, unobtrusive, and supportive, letting drivers focus on the road (and themselves).

Take for example the Buick Envision’s integration of wireless charging, integrated infotainment, and connected safety features – thoughtful features that combine to create an effortless user experience.

5. Can you share 1-3 unique innovation tactics your team relies on?

Design collaboration: Design innovation in automotive requires fresh eyes, and diverse designers who can provide unique viewpoints and experiences working together collaboratively.

Customer experience visualization: Considering all elements of the vehicle experience and thoughtfully designing to support our customers’ needs and wants.

6. How do you identify trends? What resources does your team use to spot trends and consumer insights?

Consumer research is critical to understanding the needs and wants of our customers. Beyond that we look for trends and inspiration in fashion and architecture, particularly when selecting and applying premium materials, finishes, embellishments, embroidery, quilting, and stitching to our seating and interior cabin. A Buick interior is designed around comfort, comfort in terms of space within the cabin, the geometry of interior surfaces and the materials that surround the driver. The surface feel and texture create a depth and a sense of comfort for our vehicles.

And cultural trends in technology and design inspire us to find ways to integrate our vehicle design seamlessly into our customers' lives.

7. Buick has been spotlighting how the Envision was designed with women in mind, from QuietTuning technology to ambient lighting. As the director of design for interiors, how do you ensure that women’s voices and needs are genuinely integrated into the design process rather than being an afterthought?

For Buick Design, the needs of the customer is our guiding light, steering the direction of all our design work. Having a diverse team of designers bringing unique perspectives is crucial to produce thoughtful, holistic design experiences. That, combined with a deep understanding of consumer needs, allows us to develop an in-cabin experience that meets the needs of our vehicle buyers, whether they are busy professionals or a multitasking family.

8. Many automakers talk about innovation, but Buick has highlighted how subtle yet meaningful features, like sound, lighting, and comfort, can disrupt the traditional driving experience. How do you see these design choices transforming the way women engage with their vehicles?

Good design goes beyond just aesthetics; it’s about creating spaces that help drivers feel supported, calm, and in control. The combination of our Buick QuietTuning™ technology which softens outside noise, the panoramic moonroof which allows additional natural light to filter into the cabin, and the customizable ambient lighting, helps to create an oasis and set the tone for every drive. The integration of these interior features allows our Buick drivers to associate their Envision with a sense of comfort and calm. Their commute can be a respite; their errands can be a short break from a chaotic day, or even an opportunity to have a meaningful connection with a loved one who is a passenger. With the right combination of design and technology, even things as simple as making a phone call can become a calm and intuitive experience.

9. Looking to the future, how do you envision automotive interiors evolving to better reflect the diverse needs of
drivers, particularly women, and what role will human-centered design play in that transformation?

We have worked diligently to develop interiors at Buick that enhance every touchpoint for the consumer. From material choices to interior layout and lighting integration, all aspects of design are thoughtfully considered to create a space that promotes a sense of calm. The right design can transform everyday moments into restorative experiences and help our customers reclaim moments of pause that make even the busiest days feel manageable. Whether commuting, chauffeuring, or escaping for the weekend, our Buick lineup, including the Envision, promotes an intuitive and effortless in-vehicle experience, helping drivers arrive refreshed, focused, and ready for what comes next.

As advancements in technology are realized, the possibilities are endless.