2012: Jury

A distinguished jury of top automotive designers gathered in Oxnard, Calif. in July to select the finalists in one of the world’s most prestigious transportation design competitions, the Michelin Challenge Design (www.michelinchallengedesign.com). The jury made final selections based on the theme, “City 2046: Art, Life and Ingenuity.” More than 200 projects, submitted by more than 1,700 registrants representing 88 countries, were reviewed.

The Michelin Challenge Design Jury for 2012

The jury selected the work of 27 participants for display at the 2012 North American International Auto Show (NAIAS) in Detroit. A truly international forum, NAIAS attendees include automotive industry executives; broadcast, print, and Internet media; and the public. The 2012 theme is increasingly relevant. Today, more than 3 billion people live in cities—about half the world’s population. By 2046, the urban population is projected to grow to more than 6 billion people. More than ever, automotive designers will be called upon to deliver practical urban transportation that addresses global concerns for safety and sustainability without sacrificing the beauty, elegance and innovation that are essential to automotive design.

Michelin challenged participants worldwide to design a desirable, safe and sustainable personal vehicle for the year 2046, which will come 100 years after Michelin’s invention of the radial tire. Participants were asked to create a specific design for Los Angeles, Mumbai, Paris, Rio de Janeiro or Shanghai.

The 2012 Michelin Challenge Design jury, in alphabetical order, includes:

• Christopher Benjamin, Design Director, Volvo Monitoring & Concept Center
• Chris Chapman, Director of Automotive and Transportation Design, BMW Designworks USA
• Patrick le Quément, President, Industrial Designer and former Senior Vice President, Quality and Corporate Design, Renault
• Geza Loczi, GezaLocziDESIGN and Volvo Monitoring & Concept Center
• Dave Marek, Director of Automotive Styling Division, Honda R&D-Americas
• Stewart Reed; Chair, Transportation Design Department, Art Center College of Design, Consultant and Jury Chairman, Michelin Challenge Design
• Osamu Shikado, Design Manager, Hyundai American Technical Center
• Geoff Wardle, Director, Advanced Mobility Research, Art Center College of Design
• Seiji Watanabe, Design Director, Nissan Design America

“We are honored to have these distinguished designers participate as jury members in the Michelin Challenge Design,” said John Moloney, vice president of original equipment marketing for North and South America. “Over the years, the response from the design community to Michelin Challenge Design has been nothing short of phenomenal. Support has been reflected in the caliber of the jury and the consistently increasing quality and quantity of submitted works.”