Automakers generally develop their future product designs in secrecy, but General Motors recently unveiled a Website to open their design studios to the public. Visitors will find projects by GM’s advanced design team. GM say by interacting directly with their designers, potential car buyers can “share input on designs and technologies being considered for future projects.”
Dave Rand, the outgoing head of global advanced design at GM, says the Lab will float ideas from the drafting boards of designers. Given the traditional reticence of auto designers, the blog represents a major change.
“We’re walking a fine line,” said Mr. Rand. “Traditionally, of course, it has been somewhat protected. We are showing things we’d never shown before and learning how people react. This is valuable because it gives us something we do not get from traditional market research or auto shows.”
The plan is to touch enthusiasts and critics alike, he added. Often the designers work in a vacuum, but they can get ideas from feedback. “We have to find a balance,” he said.
Wade Bryant, manager of advanced design strategy, writes in the Lab’s online announcement that GM’s design team wants to break down the glass observation window at research session and open the process to a conversation. Mr. Bryant promises: “We also intend to get real products and vehicles into people’s hands early so they can share their impressions with us.”
