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Who's Where: Wulin Gaowa appointed design director of GM China Advanced Design

Wulin Gaowa has been appointed to fill a newly-created role as GM China Advanced Design's first Design Director. She will start her new role with immediate effect. Gaowa, who was most recently the Advanced Design Director of Exterior Design and Interior at the Beijing Automotive Technology Center, will be based at GM China's Advanced Technical Center in Shanghai, due to open later this month.

Ford is developing a virtual child to improve safety research

Researchers at Ford have started constructing a "virtual" six-year-old child that will help them research future safety devices. It will take years to build the complex, multilayer digital dummy, Ford said on Thursday. And the finished computer model won't be used for vehicle validation or crash testing.

Buick plans to add a crossover in 2010, a plug-in hybrid in 2011

Buick's lineup is growing--it's getting a new five-passenger crossover in 2010, with a plug-in hybrid following in 2011. The yet-to-be-named vehicle will be smaller than the Enclave and uses a different version of the platform that underpins the GMC Terrain and the Chevrolet Equinox. The move signals General Motors' renewed commitment to its venerable Buick brand, fortifying it with cutting-edge technology and fresh sheetmetal as the company tries to be competitive with four core brands.