Bib Challenge 2014: 'Duality'

DETROIT (Jan. 15, 2013) — "Driven/Undriven: The Duality of Tomorrow's Automobiles" is the theme Michelin North America Inc. has chosen for its 2014 Challenge Design competition.

The contest encourages participants to design a vehicle with features and capabilities to engage drivers both in an "undriven" autonomous mode and a "driven" driver-controlled mode.

Michelin also disclosed that winners of the 2013 Challenge Design competition, whose theme was "HALF! Lightweight with Passion," were from China, Singapore and Spain.

"The strength of the Michelin Challenge Design competition is its ability to explore themes within the automotive industry that have the potential to affect vehicle and tire design worldwide," said John Moloney, vice president of original equipment marketing, Michelin North and South America.

"We continue to be surprised and delighted by the caliber of work that comes through this program and excited about what the 2014 theme will bring."

Michelin said expected increases in populations, vehicles and traffic demands is fostering vehicle autonomy as an essential component of mobility systems. City planners and automotive system designers expect the car of the future will require some method of autonomous control to keep city traffic flowing.

At the same time, though, Michelin said a driver's emotional connection with his or her vehicle traditionally has been as closely tied with driving as with the sense of freedom that vehicle ownership has delivered to generations.

Now in its 12th year, the annual Michelin Challenge Design competition encourages aspiring designers to focus on design as it relates to a theme or an emerging trend in the automotive industry.

The program is seeking "exciting and passionate designs" that employ innovative vehicle architecture and interactive technologies, without compromising functionality, safety or comfort.

The entry process and more information can be found at the Challenge Design website. Final submissions are due June 1.

The three finalists of the 2013 competition — Lin Shin of China, Song Wei Teo of Singapore and Jorge Biosca of Spain — were singled out for their innovative solutions to the challenge of developing lightweight vehicles that achieve greater fuel efficiency.

Their work, along with 12 other finalists, is on display at the 2013 North American International Auto Show in the Michelin Challenge Design exhibit in Detroit. The finalists were selected from more than 900 entries from 72 countries, Michelin said.

Mr. Shun and his teammates Gao Zhiqiang and Chen Zhilei designed a concept with a body of full transparent glass and carbon fiber frame, called Dolphin, which is powered by maglev DC motors. All three are studying at the Huazhong University of Science and Technology in China.

Mr. Teo's PolyPlus was "influenced by the use of vacuum-formed plastic packaging that protects its contents. Vacuum-formed plastics are inexpensive, light, tough and can be molded into different shapes easily." Mr. Teo earned a degree in industrial design from Nanyang Polytechnic in Singapore and is in his final year studying automotive design at Coventry University in England.

Mr. Biosca's project, called eLink, is "a six-passenger light vehicle structure, with a highly efficient powertrain, combined with an adaptive camber control for tire rubber zone selection." He is a freelance modeler and design consultant in Valencia, Spain, with a degree in mechanical engineering from Polytechnic University of Valencia and a master's degree in automotive design from the University CEU San Pablo in Valencia.