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Q – You’ve been quoted as saying that automotive companies are not getting the most out of their designers because the risk factor is causing unique ideas to be over-analyzed until they are virtually the same. How can companies manage risk better?
Chuck –The investment in establishing a global market of any kind is so huge that it throws an incredible challenge to the designers to not make a mistake. But the problem with design is, like writing music or anything else, you have to make mistakes. You have to try different ideas. You have to get input, especially to do a product that has something special. The wow factor has even more importance now. As companies increase risk management, the wow factor gets smaller and smaller. It's a tough challenge. The answer is to deal with risk like they do in Las Vegas. You have to establish a higher budget for design risk because the payoff, just like in Las Vegas, can be mammoth.
Q – Speaking of the wow factor, is there any auto maker doing a good job at this?
Chuck – Renault has achieved the wow factor with very sophisticated design. They are being reprimanded by the fact that the design is too unique and advanced. So it's being de-tuned. It's sad to see those taking risks that could have a payoff in two or three years, getting squelched and returning to a more conservative nature. Certainly, when BMW did the new 7 Series, there were a lot of risk management people that just went upside down. But BMW stuck with it and it paid off.
Q – Were you surprised by the BMW 7 Series controversy?
Chuck – No, we knew it was coming. It was an experiment. There were technical reasons for this. BMW needed more trunk space. They needed a higher aerodynamic profile. They needed a car that was taller. The new engine made the hood higher. There were a lot of physical requirements that compounded this unique design change. The nice thing is that BMW management stood by the design and said, "Yes, it's different and, yes, some people may not like it. But it not only has a unique look, it has functions to boot."
Q – What are the lessons for car designers in all this?
Chuck – The first year was horror: "Oh, my God, don't experiment." The second year was a good chance for people to vent their ideas and express themselves. It created a new medium, allowing something like blogs in the design of cars. I was going through U.S. Customs and an agent asked what I did. When I told him I was a designer and had been at BMW, he squinted his eyes and said, "I hope you don't have anything to do with that new 7 Series tail." To me, that showed how the styling of a car had reached a point never attained before. Luckily, the controversy passed. People have accepted the design and sales are up. Now it gives designers a chance to be braver. And people are free to vent their opinions. The hope is that the use of show cars will expand so that people can really express themselves when they see a show car. That's when we'll get better cars.
Q – What is it about cars that cause so much emotion?
Chuck – Automobiles are rolling pieces of sculpture. You are dealing with art, as well as performance and function. It's a complex triad. We find that emotional responses can be directly correlated to certain design cues: the shape of the wheel well, the stance of the car from the back view, the profile, and whether or not the car has a lean, tight and taut look. People seem to react negatively to a car that looks saggy and non-engineered. The general public doesn't have a vocabulary to express their feelings toward cars, like they do for architecture or fashion. Certainly, there is a wonderful vocabulary when men talk about women or women talk about men. The subtleties in beauty among women can be very small – the twist of a lip or the raise of an eyebrow…things that are so subtle you'd think nobody would notice. But they certainly are noticed.
Q – Over the years there has been a lot of talk about "macho" and "muscle" cars and, yet, the words you're using to describe a car are feminine. Do you consider cars more feminine than masculine?
Chuck – Absolutely. Fifty-one percent of the world is female. Their purchasing power is vastly under-estimated. There is a rebirth, especially in the Far East, where cars have very soft, gentle features and almost smiling faces. We've talked to a lot women and men who are feeling the backlash of macho cars. Enough is enough. Macho is great; power is great. But there are a lot of people who like to drive just as a gentle sport, of going place to place. There's definitely a change toward upbeat, happier cars.
Q – Is this one of the more significant changes you've seen in your career?
Chuck – The '50s and '60s had obvious design cues that were almost easy to solve. Cars were awkward, high, and un-aerodynamic. They had definite shortcomings that a good technical designer could improve. During this period, of course, we had lots of cars with flair. In the '80s, conformity moved into place and unbelievable developments in safety and legal requirements put binders on design to a point where people are still recoiling from these limitations. Over the last five years there has been a freedom to work within these rules, with forms and shapes that haven't been used before. These forms are more fluid and imaginative, less rigid. It's a conscious and exciting effort to break away from sameness. We'll see more unique niche vehicles, which will allow people to portray their personality in the car they drive.
Q – You've said Asians will dominate automotive design in 10 years, accounting for about 60 percent of the design chiefs at car companies. What's the basis for this opinion and how will it impact future car designs?
Chuck – The reason for this is education and the cost of education and subsidized education. In recent years, whether it's personal or government contributions, the Asians have had the ability to fund students at a higher level than the North Americans and the Europeans. There's also an enthusiasm and love for automotive design among Asian students. It's only logical that this will continue on into the industry. |