[jmward01]

I wonder what tests car companies generally do to predict how durable a style choice is (how scratches, corrosion, etc will impact the look). Protecting your brand is also about what people will see in the future, not just what is on the showroom now. If 5 years from now all of these vehicles look terrible that won't help sales for any of their models.

[jaggederest]

I know in the past they've looked at data from used cars, and they also have HALT/HASS (highly accelerated life/stress) testing which does things like e.g. spray the car with concentrated salt solution in a wind tunnel, things like that.

I believe many manufacturers also look at data from people like Munro & Associates who tear down cars, figure out what they're made from, and how they were made.

[btbuildem]

You ever notice how all cars look like all the other cars? There's rarely an exception, they mostly just copy each other. They seem to stick to a design, then someone makes an enormously brave move of slightly changing some small thing, and next year they all copy it.