Founded 50 years ago, Taiwan Tech has seen many alumni thrive on the global stage. Ruo-Hsiang Huang (Boson), currently the Creative Director of Automotive Design at BMW Group's Shanghai Design Studio, has made a name for himself in the automotive design field with his exceptional creativity and hand-drawing skills. He is one of the few Taiwanese designers to join top international car manufacturers. The BMW M brand flagship SUV, the XM, is a representative project where Boson served as the Chief Exterior Designer.

Boson accidentally stumbled into the automotive design field and, through continuous learning from mistakes, spent 8 to 10 years gradually becoming an independent car designer.

After graduating with a Master's degree in Industrial Design from the Department of Industrial and Commercial Design, Boson recalls that his design journey was far from smooth. It was more of a series of fortunate accidents, where he found his direction through exploration. With a childhood interest in drawing, three-dimensional modeling, and aesthetics, it wasn’t until he encountered automotive design that his passion for cars was truly ignited. He admits that while designers need certain natural talent and hard work, what’s more important is continuous learning, focus, and resilience in the face of challenges - qualities that make one an irreplaceable talent.

Compared to general product design, automotive design is far more complex, involving a wide range of specialized fields and demanding high standards of aesthetic appeal. It requires a rigorous system integration and professional division of labor. Boson points out that every aspect, from product strategy, and exterior and interior design to materials, craftsmanship, human-machine interaction, ergonomics, and aerodynamics, requires the involvement of professional designers or engineers. Automotive designers must possess high-level expertise, which comes from over 10 years of training and experience.

Since 2017, Boson has served as the Creative Director of Automotive Design at BMW Group's Designworks Shanghai Studio, where he is responsible for setting design direction, guiding concepts, ensuring quality, gaining market insights, integrating resources, and acting as a communication bridge between BMW headquarters, clients, and the team.

The bold and unconventional design of the BMW M brand flagship SUV, the XM, is the most representative project outcome from Boson, who served as the lead exterior designer.

Boson's design thinking was nurtured and shaped during his time at Taiwan Tech, where he developed a deep interest in industrial products, architecture, art, and aesthetic culture. He was especially impressed by Professor Ming-Huang Lin's “Avant-Garde Design Trends” course, which taught him that design extends beyond solving functional problems to guiding direction, integrating experiences, and understanding symbolism at a structural level. “Although I couldn't fully grasp or apply this at the beginning of my career, over time, as I became a senior designer, I benefited immensely from this approach while deepening my design work.”

Boson considers Ming-Huang Lin (second from right) his mentor. The course discussions on the relationship between form and people, interaction, spatial relationships, emotional connections, and historical contexts continue to benefit him to this day.

In leading multinational teams, Boson learned to navigate different cultures, values, and approaches. He believes that the core of the design is finding the most optimal solution and the best balance, rather than seeking a “perfect answer”. Therefore, flexibility and sensitivity are crucial traits for a creative designer.

When asked if he encourages younger students to set automotive design as their goal, Boson says he doesn’t want to “push them into the pit”. He understands that the path to mastering car design is much harder to sustain than it seems. Unlike European and American designers, who often have clear goals from a young age and start early, excelling in drawing skills, expression techniques, and knowledge of cars, Taiwanese designers are often far behind. For Boson, who entered the field later, the journey was tough, filled with challenges and setbacks that are hard to summarize.

Hand-drawing skills, expression techniques, and an understanding of cars are essential hard skills for any designer.

Boson points out that in Taiwan's current industrial environment, learning automotive design offers fewer development opportunities compared to other industrial design fields, with relatively lower salaries. The only option to pursue a career in automotive design might be to go abroad. However, the international automotive design talent market is highly competitive, and rather than struggling and eventually giving up, it’s better to face reality early and find a path that suits you better.

He also hopes that Taiwan's design education becomes more internationalized, balancing forward-thinking with practicality in talent cultivation. Boson suggests that design education should align with global trends, strengthening students' professional abilities and broadening their perspectives. For example, topics widely discussed at international design schools could be incorporated into student projects, with cross-ocean critiques involving faculty and students from top universities, fostering creative exchanges and keeping students in sync with cutting-edge trends.

With over 20 years of experience, Boson believes his success is rooted in “understanding oneself, maintaining resilience, and pushing forward”. He mentions that Taiwan's designers have strengths such as practicality, high adaptability, and a strong sense of responsibility. However, the drawbacks include a lack of decision-making ability and a gap in technical expertise compared to international standards. For students aspiring to enter the international design field, he advises improving English skills as a top priority, followed by the courage to step out of the comfort zone and “take a bold leap”.

On the 50th anniversary of Taiwan Tech, Boson expresses his gratitude to his mentors, classmates, and alma mater. He specifically thanks professors such as Ming-Huang Lin, Shi-Hong Zheng, and Chien-Hsiung Chen for their guidance, as well as his classmates and friends for the memorable student experience. He leaves a message for the design school students: “Work for money, Design for love. Never forget your roots – Taiwan Tech”, wishing his alma mater continued growth and success in the future.

Boson’s message to the design school students is: “Work for money, Design for love. Never forget your roots – Taiwan Tech”, offering his expectations and encouragement. He wishes his alma mater continued growth and success in the future.