EyesOn Design Awards at the North American International Auto Show 2011

Detroit, MI - January 10, 2011 - The EyesOn Design Awards will return for their sixth year at the North American International Auto Show (NAIAS). The awards bring together the design leaders of automotive manufacturers, along with other industrial designers and transportation design chairs at art schools, to judge the North American and worldwide debuts at NAIAS. The show will take place during the NAIAS press preview on Tuesday, January 11, 2011 at 4:00 p.m. ET . It will be on the Michigan Hall Stage (lower level) of Cobo Hall .

The EyesOn Design Awards serve as one of the two "bookend" awards shows at the press preview with the North American Car and Truck of the Year (NACTOY) announcement on Monday morning and the EyesOn Design Awards announcement happening Tuesday afternoon. As a validation of exceptional work by their peers, design departments hold the EyesOn Design Awards in high esteem. As an indication of exceptional aesthetics from a professional standpoint, the automotive, local, national, and international media look to the awards as an indication of future industry successes and cues for where the industry's designs are heading. With the Detroit show's focus on design and over thirty debuts at the 2011 NAIAS, the excitement for the EyesOn Design Awards has never been higher.

WHAT: The EyesOn Design Awards at the North American International Auto Show: The only international automotive design awards to be judged solely by designers. There are two EyesOn Design Awards for Design Excellence: the EyesOn Design Award for Best Concept Vehicle and the EyesOn Design Award for Best Production Vehicle

WHO: EyesOn Design Awards' Founding Chairman, Tom Gale, has appointed three design legends to be chief judges for this event:

• Willie G. Davidson - Harley-Davidson, EVP & Chief Styling Officer
• Tom Matano - Academy of Art University, Executive Director of Industrial Design
• Jack Telnack - Ford Motor Company, Global VP of Design (Retired)

A Design Jury comprised of an international panel of highly-respected design executives from major international vehicle manufacturers, transportation design colleges, and retired automotive design chiefs will judge all new vehicle introductions at the NAIAS 2011. A full list of judges and more information is available at brophy.com/NAIAS.

WHEN: Tuesday, January 11, 2010 at 4:00 p.m. Michigan Hall Stage, lower level. Cobo Hall, Detroit, MI.

WHY: As one of the world's premier auto shows, the NAIAS will host between thirty and forty Global and North American vehicle introductions at the 2011 show. Unique to NAIAS, an EyesOn Design Award is a coveted accolade for automotive designers because of its distinguished automotive designer jury which decides and presents the awards. The 6th annual EyesOn Design Awards are sponsored by Dassault Systemes and EyesOn Design automotive show. Proceeds of the EyesOn Design Awards benefit the Detroit Institute of Ophthalmology (DIO), an internationally-recognized non-profit which accelerates the development of "artificial vision" -- technology which will one day allow some blind and visually impaired persons to regain the vision to see the world around them, including seeing the designs of automobiles.

Press Itinerary for Tuesday, January 11:

Morning: Pre-show interviews can be conducted during this time. Please contact Drew Brophy, Jr. (dbrophyjr@eyeson.org) for more information.

12:30 p.m. - 2:30 p.m.: Judges will be on the floor of the show inspecting each vehicle. While media teams are welcome to photograph or film the judges, we respectfully ask them to avoid distracting them and refrain from approaching them for interviews during the judging process.

3:30 p.m.: Finalists will be sent over PR Newswire.

3:50 p.m.: Live webcast begins at brophy.com/NAIAS .

4:00 p.m.: The show begins. Awards given for Production and Concept categories.

4:30 p.m.: Show concludes.

Cocktail reception sponsored by KPMG and BASF.