As China became the largest car market in the world, there is growing need for design education, research and execution to produce automobiles that are appealing to Chinese consumers.
A number of schools are opening that focus on transportation design, including a transportation design center at the Central Academy of Fine Arts in Beijing. In April, an awards ceremony for the Car Design Awards China 2010 will be held in the capital prior to the opening of Auto China 2010.
More designers are moving to China from overseas to focus on the burgeoning car market here, said Rudy Wimmer, managing partner of China Bridge International, a design strategy consulting firm.
"Car companies are learning tough lessons here in China about the demands consumers have for design," Wimmer said. "You have a new market with many more choices and a very immature consumer."
Wimmer's company, along with other design institutes, tries to understand the demographics of Chinese car buyers. Subtle details, ranging from the shape of a headlight to the material covering a steering wheel, can determine whether or not a Chinese consumer will want to purchase a certain model, Wimmer said.
As Chinese become the dominant market force in the global car industry, more autos are being built to suit their tastes. General Motors, for example, had its Chinese team design the 2010 Buick LaCrosse because the car sells better in China than in the US.
The team incorporated fengshui principles, monotone color schemes and other elements based on Chinese art.
With the Buick GL8, a family minivan, the carmaker gave the model a more stylish interior and longer hood with a more pronounced grille and headlamps to appeal to rich businessmen in China, according to BusinessWeek magazine.
"Understatement in China is a no-no," Stefan Fritschi, VW's design head told BusinessWeek. "You want to impress your neighbor."
Chinese automakers gaining strength abroad will also influence future car design. BYD Co hopes to take over Toyota as the global auto leader by 2030, which means Chinese consumer tastes could soon permeate other car markets.
However, China's middle class is still influenced by tastes in the West, said Wimmer. "To a certain level, humans have habits and those needs will need to be met regardless of culture," he said. "The key thing is to try to figure out what the triggers are that will inspire a person to buy one car over another."