The urge for safety and security will continue to affect the way cars are designed, Redmond said. It can be as simple as making sure the car always starts, Redmond said, but it also means that more people will come to expect more safety features as standard equipment, including such things as run-flat tires, traction control, navigation systems and emergency notification service.
"Finally, marketers must be conscious of privacy issues," Redmond said. "At Ford, we place a lot of emphasis on building loyal owners. But as more and more relationship management is handled over the Internet, we must put into place systems that ensure that personal information volunteered by consumers remains confidential. It's simply a matter of trust. Consumers are looking for a relationship with manufacturers that provides peace of mind through products and services, not telemarketing hassles."