A core aspect of Contechs’ vision for the future is to support and inspire the next generation of automotive designers and engineers. Our collaboration with universities across the UK allows us to put this vision into practise, providing students with invaluable insight into the industry through interactive events, bespoke projects, and design awards such as the prestigious Steve Olney Award, presented annually to the final year transport design students at Coventry University.
Our most recent project was run in conjunction with Autodesk, one of the leading design software companies in the automotive industry. The task set for the 2nd year students was to design a vehicle that delivers an exciting mobility experience.
During the 3-month project, the Contechs and Autodesk team held multiple design reviews and 1:1 design sessions with the students, to help them develop their concept ideas and translate them into 3D models and design presentations.
Presenting their mobility solutions on 20th April 2023, the three groups of young designers were assessed by Chris Hamilton, Contechs Design Director, and Pierre-Paul Andriani, Autodesk Design Studio Solution Specialist.
Group 1
Names: Sanghoon Lee, Sunghoon Chang, Sung-Jae Won, Jaeun Park, Seung Cheol Lee
E VTOL: Electric VTOL (vertical take-off & landing) commuter aircraft for Los Angeles in 2050.
IONIQ Cube: Electric camping vehicle designed for people living in Seoul.
Group 2
Names: His-Chun Wu, Charlie Berrisford, Sieon Ahn, Seokmin Lee, Hassan Aslam
Future Land Rover Defender concept: Next-generation Land Rover Defender concept.
Renault commuter concept: Hydrogen powered two-seater concept for inter-city commuting.
Group 3
Names: Theo Tucker, Raeon Park, Ben Kenward, Finn Lortan, Charlie Jefferson
SOAR: Urban air mobility solution for Tokyo, 2050.
ROAM: Hydrogen fuel cell wilderness explorer.
Each solution demonstrated a creative outlook on the future of mobility and represented Contechs’ core brand values of design, engineering, technology, and innovation.
Collectively, Chris, Pierre and James Eyre from Coventry University felt that group 3’s SOAR and ROAM concepts provided the most compelling user experience and overall execution of the design brief. They were awarded a first prize of £500 and will also feature in media articles by Contechs and Autodesk.
Theo Tucker, group 3 lead, said: “My team and I cannot express enough our gratitude for the opportunity to work with Contechs and Autodesk. We got off to a bumpy start but used the constructive feedback to develop two projects that we believe embody and highlight the value of user-focused design.”
Contechs is continuing to develop stronger ties with various UK universities, to help develop the next generation of designers and engineers. We believe in limitless possibilities, in design and engineering and we continue to invest in future design leaders.