The 787 wasn’t the first shot Boeing took at resurrecting its commercial airliner business in the dark days of the late 1990s. The first was the near-Mach Sonic Cruiser, a 21st Century plane that promised faster travel for the average flier. Its main problem was that it wasn’t the efficient, comfortable, special airplane the airlines and flying public wanted. Enter the 787: “The Sonic Cruiser and 787 took aim at the same spot in the market–mid-size [200-250 passengers] and long range [7,000-8,000 nautical miles]–but there is greater value for a majority of airlines in creating a more fuel efficient jetliner than a faster one,” says Tom Cogan, 787 chief program engineer. However, fuel efficiency alone isn’t enough to bring passengers and–more importantly–airlines to your door. New Ford CEO Alan Mullaly, the president and CEO of Boeing Commercial Airplanes at the time of the plane’s inception, said the Dreamliner had to “provide new solutions for airlines and passengers” and “bring back the magic of flight.”

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Auto Lesson #1:

Fuel efficiency may be important, but you can’t lose sight of the fact that cars and trucks have a certain “magic” associated with them for many people.

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For the 787, this meant addressing the main complaint of any flyer: the cabin. While First and Business Class accommodations are often roomier and more comfortable, Coach Class seats usually qualify for the term “steerage.” But better seats and more elbow room only go so far. How people interact with the space is as important as how much space they have to interact with. “The initial goals included an unprecedented focus on the passenger experience, in much the same way a company like BMW focuses on the driver,” says Blake Emery, director, Differentiation Strategy, Boeing Commercial Airplanes. That focus, he says, had to include “an experience noticeably different than anything that has gone before, and that included focusing on the unique experience of being thousands of feet above the earth.”

Auto Lesson #2:

Focus on what the drivers and passengers will do, how being in a vehicle makes their journey unique, and how to use this information to make those trips enjoyable.