Under The Hood: Automotive Storytelling
Behind every automotive innovation lies a human story. Hosted by Stéphane Lagresle, founder of The Storytelling Tribe, this podcast reveals how industry leaders translate complex technologies into compelling narratives. Through conversations with automotive executives, discover practical frameworks for making automotive innovations relatable and meaningful. For executives, product leaders, and marketers transforming mobility through better communication.
Under The Hood: Automotive Storytelling
Why truck design needs empathy: CMF Innovation at MAN Trucks - Carolin Schütt, MAN Trucks EP25
🚛 THE TRUCK CABIN REVOLUTION
In this new episode of "Under the Hood: Automotive Storytelling" from The Storytelling Tribe, we connect with Carolin Schütt, Lead CMF Design Manager at MAN Trucks and Buses, who brings along two decades of automotive design experience from BMW to commercial vehicles, to explore how storytelling transforms engineering into emotional experiences that drivers live with, not just operate.
🎯 KEY INSIGHTS
Passenger Cars vs. Trucks: The Empathy Gap
Carolin reveals how truck design requires a deep human connection – drivers don't just commute, they live in their cabs for days – and how storytelling bridges the gap between technical specifications and the reality of life on the road.
The Polygonized DNA Strategy
Discover how MAN transformed Bavaria's topography into a design language that spans interior, exterior, and digital services, creating a cohesive brand story that elevates CMF from styling to strategic storytelling.
From CMF to CME: Designing for All Senses
Learn how the industry shift from Color-Material-Finish to Color-Material-Experience represents the future of automotive design, where every surface tells a story and creates a holistic emotional journey for drivers.
💡 PRACTICAL TAKEAWAYS
- Brief with Context: When pitching, work with clear storytelling – save everyone's time and get better results
- Design as Theater: Create presentations that move people emotionally, not just inform them – if they remember one thing at day's end, make it yours
- Leverage Diverse Perspectives: Build teams with different genders, ages, and cultures – homogeneous teams produce limited, predictable outcomes
- Connect Engineering to Emotion: Use storytelling to translate technical requirements into visible customer value – specifications don't sell trucks, experiences do
🌟 ABOUT YOUR GUIDE
Carolin Schütt brings over 20 years of automotive design experience spanning BMW's luxury passenger cars, Faurecia's supplier perspective, and now leading CMF design for MAN's complete truck range. Her work has earned multiple IF Design Awards and Red Dot Design Awards for models including the TGX and MAN eTruck prototype. As a corporate influencer with over 8,000 LinkedIn followers, she champions female empowerment in automotive while transforming truck cabs into "mobility tiny houses" where drivers truly live.
Follow her on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/carolinschuett/
Ready to discover the stories behind the steering wheel? #UnderTheHood #AutomotiveStorytelling #TruckDesign #CMFDesign #WomenInAutomotive
"Under the Hood: Automotive Storytelling" – Where technology meets narrative, and mobility's future is told through visionary voices.
"Under the Hood: Automotive Storytelling" uncovers the human narratives driving innovation in an industry that impacts lives worldwide. Hosted by Stéphane Lagresle, this podcast explores how the power of storytelling ultimately connects technology to humans.