Aston Martin will always be cool

The roads and the cars that navigate them 30 years into the future will be very different to what you see today. But that’s good for brands like Aston Martin, says boss Dr Andy Palmer.

Although autonomous cars may be a boon for the majority, potentially reducing stress and road trauma, Palmer says it will boost the value of exclusive and bespoke brands including his one.

"Did you see the VW Sedric?” Palmer asked motoring.com.au at the recent Geneva motor show.

“I don't know whether that's the future or not, but undoubtedly we're all going to be buying anonymous pods in the future. I don't think that bodes very well for mass car manufacturers because brands almost becomes meaningless,” he commented.

Palmer says the automotive world is becoming "more commoditised" and contends this may not be a good thing for the world's biggest car-makers, Volkswagen and Toyota.

"You just buy a pod," he said.

As Uber and Google and other tech brands join the autonomous automotive revolution, car design will become less obsessed with fashion or aesthetics. Depending on whether you view cars as basic appliances that shift people and goods from A to B, or objects to be cherished and admired, you'll have differing views on this future.

These new "pods" as Palmer calls them have been part of the automotive dreamscape for more than a decade. Take a look at the Nissan Pivo 2 from 2007, or the EZ10 microbus from France, or Toyota's Concept-i revealed at CES 2017.

"It's the same thing that drives you to buy an Apple Watch or a Fitbit," said Palmer, quoting “ease of use”.

"But you still want a beautiful analogue watch," he contended.

"I think actually that's really good for Aston. because we are that analogue watch."

"It's about being connected with your car, but in a traditional sense," he said.