29.03.23 Assistant Giles Taylor

Automotive design and engineering awards winners 2023

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Young automotive designers and engineers were presented with their awards at this year’s Automotive Industry Dinner.

The Motor Centenary Bursary awards students from the Royal College of Art studying for a Master of Design degree in Intelligent Mobility. This year’s winner was Siddharth Sangwan, and the runner-up was Jade Rivalland.

Siddharth says: “My roots are grown from architecture, where I fell in love with the logical approach to sculpting forms which led me to automotive design. The excitement of designing cars has always been my driving force. Rather than finding solutions to problems, my approach is oriented more towards imagining future scenarios and ‘creating problems’. I want to address how brands will proceed with the idea of functioning of a car and reimagine the whole architecture of a ‘car’ in the urban fabric.”

Jade says: “‘RYDE’ is the first project I completed while studying at the RCA. The objective was to create a mobility which connects people to places through more flexible, sustainable and enjoyable journeys, while designing a solution which meets Londoners’ needs and has a distinct London design identity. For this project, I used my personal experience as a French student moving in London, driving on the left-hand side was not something I was used to, just like many European tourists coming to London. This drove my thinking towards the question: how do I rethink micro mobility in London, dedicated for tourists? My solution consists of a three-wheeled electric scooter, with more storage for tourists to carry their belongings around and bigger tyres for stability. The key project insight is an asymmetric design, inspired by the famous design of London double-decker buses, to remind the user not to get off on the right. This project could, hopefully, make everyone feel safe to ‘ryde’ on the “wrong” side.

“For my graduation thesis, I would like to work on a project about sustainable mobility, and to address this question through an innovative approach within a sector in constant evolution. I feel like sustainable design, smart materials, evolutive, generative or transformative technologies will be an integral part of future mobility solutions, in the automotive and other sectors. I am interested in a project that could incorporate lean tech, minimal design and groundbreaking concept, while addressing major issues for car brands.

“Foreseeing my future in the industry, I imagine working on those same challenges. Cars are everywhere, the need to move around is ever more important and the automotive industry is best positioned to address those new challenges, as one of the most promising sectors in terms of technological and social advances. This industry has an incredible strength and is facing fundamental changes, bringing so many opportunities to do something radically different. Many companies are aware of those upcoming changes, and I would like to be part of a team that is not afraid to commit to new solutions off the beaten track.”

Ben Kenward is the winner of the Sir William Lyons Automotive Design Award 2023. This award is open to students studying for a Bachelor of Arts Design degree at Coventry University.

Ben says: “Part of the SAIC Design Competition, this project answers the question posed by Rising Auto: how can we use progressive aesthetics to define a vehicle capable of a journey revolution? I found my answer to this by exploring lunar space elevators and the political infrastructure necessary for international implementation. My design will be located on the lunar surface, functioning with the infrastructure of the elevator, serving as a moving space for diplomatic presentations and discussions. The journey on the lunar surface in my vehicle is now a vital part of that objective, providing a unique and changing background to a presentation. Or having the interior foster open dialogue and collaboration between nations for meaningful solutions to issues of human space advancement.

“My vision of a progressive aesthetic considers what cars would look like if hydrogen had shaped car design and how this would develop in the future. The hydrogen powertrain allows for a more flexible design, with large areas for views outside and a ‘pod’ interior space. This form also helps with ingress/egress by being able to move the pod to a depressurised zone. The Rising Auto brand is data-driven, this is noted by the binary tread on the SMA mesh wheels. The skylight is cut from the wing-shaped shades over the roof to focus natural light onto the table – the common space for occupants to emphasise problem-solving through discussion and co-operation.

“I aspire to work in creative exterior styling or digital visualisation/animation with an OEM or consultancy; whether it be in the UK or abroad. With industry experience, I aim to move towards advanced design, combining research and concept design to shift the industry in a positive, future-focused direction.”

Szymon Polewko was awarded the Advanced Automotive Engineering Research Bursary. The award is open to students studying a Bachelor of Engineering degree in Mechanical Engineering at Brunel University.

Szymon says: “I began my Automotive Engineering degree in 2018 due to my love for sports cars, which I have had since I was little, particularly due to their styling as well as the combustion engine, which I love because of its sound and feel. I became interested in future fuels such as hydrogen, as an attempt to tackle the petrol/diesel engine production ban set for 2030 in the UK. The combustion engine provides some obvious benefits over EVs, such as mileage, cost, refuel time and resource availability, which I believe is more attractive not only for everyday commuters but also car enthusiasts who generally favour the combustion engine.

“For this reason I have done my best to focus my university projects relating to future fuels, including the opportunity given to me by the Coachmakers. In my masters year I also decided to join my university’s Formula Student team to gain experience tackling race car design projects in the attempt to learn more about how components are made and put together under tight deadlines, and I hope to compete at the iMechE event against other universities at Silverstone. In the future I would love to be involved in the production/development of a combustion engine sports car running on green fuel to help myself and future generations enjoy a combustion engine sports car without contributing to global warming. I believe I have taken the right steps to help take me forward towards a career in this direction.”