A few comments.
In the US, Industrial Design is now Product Design.
Knowing how to draw well on paper first will always serve you well. 3D Design is for those who understand drawing on paper and proper perspective drawing.
Both cars and aircraft, regardless of type, have certain underlying fundamentals. Without understanding the rules, new designs will just look wrong to the average viewer.
Detroit has no interest in better design from the United States just cheap labor. There are very smart and talented designers in foreign countries who are willing to work for less money.
The current trajectory of the United States is to buy cheap and sell high. Wall Street actually runs everything.
