Rules of the race
Walk down any busy city street in the 1950s and you’d likely see a myriad of cars, all in a different
make, model, and color. Each displaying a unique attribute, whether it be a new color, shape, interior, tech,
etc. However, a majority of modern cars are often devoid of these unique attributes not just on the outside,
but the inside as well. Of course, there are exceptions, but a majority of the population doesn’t own a
Cybertruck or some super fancy sports car. Also, these are the cars that play a huge part in overall sales[1].
In the figure below, similar make and models of the best-selling cars are shown below. All of them are in
the most popular car color to date: white [2].
So why do modern cars look the same?
Like many things in life, the problem stems from multiple sources including globalization (making designs appeal to a broad audience), consumer preferences, regulations (in fuel efficiency, emissions, and general safety), economic pressures etc. [3][4]. Each source provides its own unique constraint on the car. A successful attempt at globalization can be seen in the Ford F-Series which has a basic truck architecture on the outside, whilst giving the consumer the ability to choose between varying configurations present on the inside. Edmunds.com Inc., a popular online resource for people looking for reviews and advice when buying from car companies states that the Ford F-Series offers “a version for virtually any truck buyer.”[5] And seeing as now the Ford F-150 is the currently the best-selling car in the US, I think that was a good move on Ford’s part. Economic pressure can play a role in the cookie cutter-ness of modern car design as well, this can be seen in the Volkswagen Golf.
In 1967 Volkswagen’s Beetle demand was dropping, this showed in their sales. Because of this drop in demand, Volkswagen ultimately decided to produce the Golf as the successor to the Beetle. Unlike the Bettle that has a rear-mounted engine, the Golf’s engine is front-mounted [6][7]. Below you can see the stark difference between the two:
*Figure 2: 1960 Volkswagen Beetle on the left and 1974 Volkswagen Golf on the right
Lastly, (and the one that will be discussed further in this paper) regulations. Whether it be the CAFE (Corporate Average Fuel Economy) standards, the EPA (Environmental Protection Agency) emissions rules or the FMVSS (U.S. Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards) crash regulations all of these regulations add constraints to what automakers are and are not allowed to put on the car. In my personal opinion, regulation is what causes modern cars to look the same not only on the outside, but in some cases on the interior as well (engine, drivetrain, suspension).
However, regulation isn’t all bad. Today, cars are more advanced than they have ever been, despite having similar outward designs. Self- driving capabilities, electric vehicles, new sensors, automatic emergency braking, OTA updates (over-the air) are just a few examples of what a lot of modern cars are able to do now. I think these new innovations are great. Some have come about because of regulation and should be recognized. Also, in 2015*, Lee Vinsel published a book called Moving Violations, which delves into the history of automotive regulations (from the government to be specific) and how they actually played a role in bringing about more innovation in the industry overall not hindering it.
Additionally, a great example of regulations being an opportunity for growth (not some obstacle to dread or complain about) is present right here at Stevens. Stevens SAE (Society of Automotive Engineers) Baja is a collegiate organization who designs, builds, and races an offroad car each year, applying our engineering knowledge to the real-world. In the summer we compete in the Baja SAE Competition against hundreds of other colleges (some international even) in events such as: acceleration, hill climb, suspension, endurance (as well as more business centered events such as design and cost).
*Figure 3: Our current car for this year (89) being built at our garage
Each year we are given a rulebook SAE International provides to use, made by engineer/ design professionals in their respective fields, that we have to follow in order to compete in the competition. It is hundreds of pages long and consists of hundreds (maybe thousands) of individual rules and regulations we must comply with. Regulations range from: roll cage (frame) specifications, vehicle controls, driver restraints and equipment, powertrain guards, overall width and length etc. It's a pretty extensive list. These rules and regulations do act as constraints but that doesn’t prevent each team from being original and having cars that vary in color, shape, powertrain, and suspension configurations. Below are a couple of other teams off-road cars to show the variety in what other engineering students have ultimately some up with from last year's competition held in Maryland.
(45) Scooby Doo themed car (109) with unique body panels design and top hood
Our team specifically has distinctive examples of when regulation didn’t hinder us but actually went on to improve us overall. One example is that in the older rulebooks, one rule stated that 4WD was required for all of the off-road cars. At first this was difficult because it meant extra material was needed and more time was needed to manufacture parts, however it also ultimately allowed us to compete in hill climb and endurance more effectively in the long run, improving our abilities from what was previously possible.
Another example has to do with our fuel cap. The rules state that we must have something to cover the input to our fuel container, but they don’t give specifications for what size this cover needs to be, so we decide each year to just hot glue a soda can on top to save time and money whilst also giving more flare to our car.
There are dozens more examples of how rules actually brought more originality and flare to our cars. I'm sure the same fact exists for most of the other teams as well.
Team Photo from Maryland
Overall, through our team it becomes evident that regulations aren’t always a hindrance and can be leveraged for future innovations and originality. It works as a paradox in a way because on the one hand, regulation can bring constraints and limits but it also forces you to think around those constraints whilst optimizing and improving whatever you are creating. When interviewing Lee Vinsel he agreed, mentioning that: “. . .on the other hand, I think that regulation and the rules in the book become sources of innovation when creative minds come and are like, “Well how can we work around this and still get what we want? And not break the rule.”
Thinking about rules in this way provides a new perspective on the regulations in other engineering disciplines other than automotive including: chemical, aerospace, biomedical, civil, mining, etc.
Overall, I am excited to see what will become of the automotive industry as well as Stevens SAE Baja when the rules of the race continue to have a variety of effects on vehicles as a whole.
*Some extra Baja photos and videos I felt like showing ;)
*We were sponsored by RedBull a couple of years ago
Here's our website if your interested in seeing it: Stevens Institute of Technology Baja SAE Team
Works Cited
Most Popular Cars in America | Edmunds
Most Popular Car Colors in 2026 | CARFAX
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