Trends Shaping The Future of The Automotive Paint Industry in 2021

Color has always played a significant role when choosing a new car or trading in, especially when you want to add a personal touch to your model. Every car owner wants a color that is easy on the eyes, elicits emotions of excitement, and brings on a sense of pride in ownership of the vehicle. However, the automotive industry is slowly changing, with new car owners adopting recent trends that are likely to shape the car industry's future. Some of the trends influencing the future of the industry include globalization of the car market, shifting client base, and increasing demand for more functionality and performance. Another exciting trend dominating the market is the growing need for customization with further technological advancement creating an opportunity for new color solutions. 

This article focuses on the dominant trends shaping the future of automotive paint in 2021. 

Globalization

The new markets have significantly changed the color preferences by going global while creating more advanced matching options. Some of the most popular colors, such as black, white, silver, and grey, were common in all regions. Despite the need for a global village, the difference in regions is still visible, albeit on a reduced scale. With the expansion of vehicles into the Chinese market, some popular brands can be found in various regions across the globe. It is this expansion that is has caused automakers to use global colors across various regions. In the near future, the manufacturers will have to adopt technology to match colors using any technology and in any location.

Despite the difference in chemistry and technology globally, the color used in cars has to be uniform and consistent. Different regions spot different environmental regulations and formulations. However, the techniques used in painting the vehicles should deliver the same quality, durable and rich color. 

Shifting client base

The shifting customer base across the globe has made it imperative for automakers to understand the needs of consumers to be able to understand their purchasing preferences. In addition, the current scene has witnessed a growing number of car owners, with the millennials focusing their attention on the interior and exterior of their cars. As a result, automakers now need to focus their attention on what colors are crucial to the OEM customers; this way, they can restructure the automotive industry to develop products that the clients will want to buy.

To be precise, the future client base will significantly change the automotive color trends. There are new color choices currently making rounds in the industry, with bright chromatic hues and pastel versions dominating the market in the months to come and beyond. These shades are popular among specialty models and compact cars, with the new generation of car owners having a significant say in the car industry's future.

Color Saturation

According to paint experts, there has been a steady rise in demand for increased color saturation coupled with high degrees of sophistication and effects combined with the functionality of the pigments into the car's coating. These new trends are largely influenced by a concerted need for increased benefit in color harmony with great expectations on automakers to provide sustainable and improved appearances combined with more regulatory, consumer, and industry interests. 

Aside from sustainability, there is also a focus on reduced toxicity, carbon emission, chemical registration, lightweight, and a shift towards e-mobility. It also influences new trends in automotive colors and how they are applied and measured. 

Experts are also looking to expand their color palette to come up with innovative designs. However, color development is currently focused on effect pigments that utilize improved manufacturing techniques and new substrates to create new and exciting pigment effects. In addition, automakers are looking to fill the gaps with more highly visible shades and subtle colors. An example can be seen in high chroma color technology that uses high energy grind dispersion technology and dispersant technology to create chromatic colors. Some of the color trends that dominated 2015 and 2016 were primarily radiant red and brilliant blue. The year 2017 also saw the launch of gallant gray.

To add sophistication and luxury, the automakers have enhanced the pigment of their models by adding blue and silver flakes to produce a unique sparkle effect and dark undertones with a rich finish. 

Digital advantages

Technological advancement has a significant role to play in shaping the future of automotive paint in 2021 and beyond. This can be seen in using digital tools to render and model colors that bring out a dual effect to speed up the production of new colors in the automotive industry. These tools have also been effective in predicting any challenges brought forth by color harmony. Automakers are leveraging digital color rendering tools to help visualize the color design on a specific car body and style. This has helped the designers develop the most viable color combination in production while accelerating the time needed to create the right combo. This way, they can successfully reduce production delays.

This technology has also made its way into showrooms where potential customers can access touch screen displays to select a vehicle, set a color, and rotate the vehicle using 3D technology. With this technology, the customer can see their vision come to life with the touch of a button. 

Tracking color trends

Over the last century, various paint makers and automakers have been following up on new trends in automotive colors to check on the transitions witnessed throughout time. By understanding the journey, automakers will know where they need to head to develop new colors for cars. Additionally, research on some of the trending automotive colors across various regions has revealed that these market trends have a broad spectrum covering individuals, not the automotive industry. 

Car enthusiasts have also been known for using such research results to focus their attention on specific car colors. When a new owner finds information regarding the color of their choice supported by local experts, they develop more interest in the choice. As a result, they can make a confident decision. However, automakers are faced with the challenge of ensuring that the color choices currently in play in various regions continue to dominate the market for at least another five years. This way, the paint makers can generate a new line of colors. 

Experts in the industry suggest that getting a lockdown on the importance of color in the industry is instrumental in determining a vehicle's performance on the market. The branding, synergy between shape and color, and the psychological effect of color are examples of ways to ensure prosperity in the market. For this reason, automakers need to focus their attention on new and innovative colorant technology and how it can be employed to boost the aesthetics and technical performance of vehicles. 

Quality

Despite the need to experiment with new colors through modern tech and excellence, the clients are still hoping for exciting products without compromising the quality. Development of new colors, raw materials, and intermediates used to come up with new color spaces are subjected to intense testing protocols to ensure prolonged service. With regulatory authorities at the forefront, the manufacturers and designers are forced to look at technical performance and the aspect of introducing this new line of products into the market. 

Futuristic ideas

The new age has witnessed an increased demand for customizable features in the automotive industry. This trend has further extended into the development and distribution of automotive colors. The near future is set to witness an even higher demand for customization, with automakers offering custom order colors to enjoy more sales. However, the industry still needs more time to work on boosting the production of custom color finishes. 

Automakers will also need to change their color development rapidly. This is because colors that overstay on the market may become boring among the new breed of car owners. Paint shops with an increased production rate, specifically being able to produce unique color paces within a year, will enjoy an increased sales rate. The current market has witnessed a breed of customers requesting large vehicles or small parts of cars to feature matte or ascent color finishes.

The future of car paint is set to divide into multiple directions. Despite the primary focus on protection and beautification, the new trends in car paint are set to influence how people view transportation significantly. Movements such as self-driving cars, the development of new materials for both the exterior and interior, and the increased need for color functionality are some of the contributing factors set to re-shape the automotive industry.

Other manufacturers are also set to adopt environmentally friendly, sustainable, and bio-based products to boost their performance and marketability.