Car Design Asia is the third in a series on automotive history. Learn how this continent rose to the top in car manufacturing. Starting with Japan in the 50s, and in later decades Korea and China, Asian automotive technology has gradually become a presence to be reckoned with on the international stage. Initially a smaller player compared to Europe and the US, Asia's automobile industry has consistently grown to its current status as one of the most dynamic global forces in terms of form and function. At the forefront of both technology and design, Asian cars include some of the most commercially successful cars ever built.