The apex automotive industry body, Society of Indian Automobile Manufacturers (SIAM), recently organised its 16th Styling & Design Conclave along with 14th Automotive Design Challenge, themed on 'Reimagining Mobility for the New Normal.'
According to the press release from the industry body, it had initiated the challenge to provide a platform for aspiring automobile designers to exhibit their talent and capitalise on the opportunities for the future.
The top three winners of the ADC 2021 were announced during the conclave. Avishkar Kumbhar from the National Institute of Design won the first prize; Satya Sai Manoj from the National Institute of Design was first runner-up, and Abhishek Ayush from IDC-IIT Bombay was second runner-up.
This year's conclave has provided perspectives on the future of shared mobility for the Gen-Glass and how the passenger experience will evolve against the backdrop of various transformations happening in the auto sector. In addition, the conclave witnessed budding automotive designers showcasing the future of automobile styling in India, the release stated.
The conclave was graced by industry stalwarts and experts from the automotive sector, highlighting the holistic and collaborative efforts of the industry players in reinventing product design and operations while pioneering design innovations of the future.
Rajesh Menon, Director General, SIAM, said, 'The auto sector is currently undergoing transformation on various fronts like fuel efficiency, emissions, and safety. There has been a move towards electric, autonomous, and connected vehicles. All these developments are changing the paradigm of how we design automobiles all over the world. This presents all stakeholders with an opportunity to look at new models of mobility, as we will increasingly see a major transformational change happening in the coming years.'
Malo Le Masson, Chairman, SIAM Styling & Design Group & Head-Strategy, Hero MotoCorp, said the pandemic has challenged the industry as a whole, and a few implications have been carried forward. In the world of mobility, shared mobility faced the very first setback because of COVID.
'Fundamentally, shared mobility has the power to make us all independent. Shared mobility is a more efficient, smarter and sustainable way to move. The challenge today is to think about moving a smaller cluster of people in a smarter way,' he added.
David Carvalho, Managing Director - Link2Concept & Former Vice President – Design, Pininfarina, discussed how emerging technology has transformed the future of mobility. 'Artificial Intelligence driven mobility is managing an extra level of complexity than that by manual processes,' he said.
Aurelien Doisy, Head of European Design, Tata Motors, spoke on the design thinking process behind the new Tata Sierra, focusing on driving the right ethics, values, modernity, authenticity, and social aspects to recreate the iconic version of the SUV. In addition, he presented the theme of 'Tata Design' to showcase the different design languages that have taken place over the years in the company.
Adrian Sellers, Head–Custom Motorcycle Design Programme, Royal Enfield, discussed the concept of 'Design to Disconnect', showcasing the effect of the design of a particular vehicle over its users and surrounding people. He also said, 'Gen-Glass is driven towards a strong sense of identity and is well informed. To tap onto new audiences, auto manufacturers should maximise their USPs and designers must build improved UX.'
Amin Thakker, Chief Designer, Transportation Design and Engineering and HMI, Tata Elxsi, presented on 'Clean Smart Flexible Seamless Mobility for Gen-Glass'. He deliberated on the different scenarios for shared mobility and how the new EV design trend is moving towards meeting functionality in terms of form and design. He advised automotive designers to focus on smart interiors for the next-gen vehicle users.