The increasing digitization of design processes has profoundly transformed the role of sketching in industrial design, integrating it with advanced technologies such as artificial intelligence (AI). This paper presents an innovative methodology for automotive design that combines the intuitive power of sketching, both traditional and digital, with the structured approach of Stylistic Design Engineering (SDE) and the capabilities of generative AI. The study investigates how AI can enhance and accelerate key phases of the design process, including ideation, style analysis, and development, by generating design variations and optimizing the transition from initial concepts to re-fined digital models. Through case studies integrating manual sketching, digital tools, and AI, this research demonstrates how this approach not only pre-serves the designer’s creativity but also improves efficiency and precision. The core contribution of this work lies in the development of a circular and iterative framework that balances creative exploration with methodological rigor, enabling significant reductions in time and cost while fostering innovation. The results underscore the potential of this integrated approach to drive a paradigm shift in automotive design and broader industrial design practices. By bridging creative ideation and systematic development, this methodology offers valuable applications not only in aesthetic design but also in engineering design contexts, where sketching can aid in defining and optimizing functional solutions from the earliest stages.
Donnici et al. (2025) studied this question.