20th Styling & Design Conclave and 18th Automotive Design Challenge

The Society of Indian Automobile Manufacturers (SIAM) organised the 20th SIAM Styling & Design Conclave along with the 18th Automotive Design Challenge (ADC) at Goa, themed “Collaborative Creativity: Building India’s Mobility Design Ecosystem.” During the conclave, automobile designers, industry experts and academicians discussed the evolving role of automotive styling & design, changing consumer expectations, and the growing importance of aesthetics, form and overall vehicle experience across segments.

As part of SIAM’s ongoing efforts to promote automotive styling and design, the conclave highlighted the need to strengthen design capabilities in India through closer collaboration between industry, academia and the design community.

On this occasion, , SIAM White Paper on “Evolution of Automotive Design in India” was launched.”

The Automotive Design Challenge (ADC) provided a platform for young designers to present innovative design concepts aligned with future mobility needs. 53 students from various design colleges participated in this edition of ADC.

In his inaugural address, Mr Prashant K Banerjee, Executive Director, SIAM, said that, “Meaningful mobility solutions emerge from the confluence of sustainability, desirability, and affordability. These three essential pillars that must work together to address local needs while aligning with evolving environmental priorities.”

Mr G Sathiyaseelan, Chairman, SIAM Styling & Design Group & Design Director, Ashok Leyland, said, “Understanding user experience must go beyond acknowledging problem areas and be rooted in empathy and a solution-driven mindset, with a clear focus on enabling gender-sensitive transportation and strengthening last-mile connectivity to create truly inclusive mobility solutions.”

On this occasion, Mr Andreas Kurbos, Founder & CEO, StudioKurbos GMBH, said, “As design continues to evolve globally, India’s story can achieve stronger resonance by drawing from its rich culture and legacy. With design tools becoming increasingly democratised, identity becomes a powerful differentiator, making it essential to deeply understand audiences and co-create distinctive user experiences, while strengthening design education to shape the future of design.”

Mr Saurabh Singh, Co-Chairman, SIAM Styling & Design Group & Senior Vice President (Design & Modeling), Maruti Suzuki India Ltd., added, “Shaping India through thought-provoking and emotionally engaging dialogue is essential to spark deeper conversations and meaningful action, and the country must set its sights on a bolder, more ambitious vision for its automotive future.”

During the first session of the conclave, Mr Rajesh Gogu, Vice President – Design, Maruti Suzuki India Ltd., along with industry leaders including Mr P. Sanjeev, Founder & CEO, E3 Electric; Ms Shweta Kulkarni, India & Asia Pacific Lead (Polymer & Bio-Sourced), Stellantis; Mr Debidutt Gharai, Group Manager, Royal Enfield; and Dr Vinay Kumar Kaushik, General Manager, Mankiewicz, shared insights on the evolving role of automotive styling and design. The session focused on integrating aesthetics with functionality, material innovation, sustainability, and design-led differentiation in meeting changing customer expectations.

In the second session, industry and design leaders shared perspectives on next-generation automotive styling and design. Speakers included Mr Ajay Jain, Head of India Design Studio, Tata Motors Ltd.; Mr Ferdinand Klauser, Global Partner & Managing Director Asia, Kiska; Mr Dinesh Raman, Design Director, Kiska; Mr Shashwath Bolar, Head of Design, Greaves Electric Mobility; and Mr Sandeep Varma, Co-Founder, Studio 34. The session highlighted innovation, creative thinking, and emerging trends shaping the future of vehicle design.

The third session, a panel discussion on “Inculcating Design Thinking for Creative Solutions,” emphasized the importance of embedding design thinking into automotive development, encouraging creative problem-solving, and fostering collaboration between industry and academia to drive innovative mobility solutions.  The session was moderated by Mr Anuj Prasad, CEO, Desmania. The discussion saw participation from Prof. Thomas Dal, Director-Dean, Strate School of Design; Mr Harish CB, Faculty, Srishti Manipal Institute of Art, Design and Technology; Mr G. Sathiyaseelan, Chairman, SIAM Styling & Design Group & Design Director, Ashok Leyland Ltd.; Mr Saurabh Singh, Co-Chairman, SIAM Styling & Design Group & Senior Vice President (Design & Modeling), Maruti Suzuki India Ltd.; and Mr Teofilo Plaza Garcia, Head – Industrial Design Studio, Hero MotoCorp.

The Final round evaluation of ADC was also held during the conclave where the Top-10 students were felicitated , celebrating the top performers from a fierce and creative competition. Mr Chanakya Asangi from Starte School of Design was announced as the 2^nd Runner-up, Mr Aman Mujawar from IIT Delhi was the 1^st Runner-up and Mr Akshit Salunkhe, Ajeenkya DY Patil University was the 1^st Prize winner of ADC.

The conclave concluded with an interactive session organsied between Design Students and Design Professionals.

19th SIAM Styling & Design Conclave and 17th Automotive Design Challenge

The Society of Indian Automobile Manufacturers (SIAM) successfully organised the 19th SIAM Styling & Design Conclave alongside the 17th Automotive Design Challenge (ADC).Themed “Innovating Today, Inspiring Tomorrow’s Mobility,” the conclave focused on the evolving landscape of vehicle styling and design.

The event served as a platform for leading automobile designers, industry experts, and academicians to reimagine the future of automotive aesthetics and mobility solutions.

In his opening remarks, Mr Prashant K Banerjee, Executive Director, SIAM, said, “As we stand at the cusp of a time when mobility is transforming with various powertrain disruptions, automotive design and styling have never had a greater opportunity to innovate. Today, Indian design aspirations are poised for takeoff, and the world is set to experience the next level of Indian automotive design innovation. The dream of Viksit Bharat cannot be fully realized until students’ design talent and innovation are brought to the industrial level, and SIAM is committed to undertaking initiatives that will spotlight next-gen ideas.

In his welcome address, Mr G Sathiyaseelan, Chairman, SIAM Styling & Design Group & Vice President (Design), Ashok Leyland, expressed, “We have to convert our auto design efforts in India to a movement. More empirical and innovative approach needs to be adopted. This is truly the right time to innovate and inspire tomorrow.

In his keynote address, Mr Teofilo Plaza Garcia, Industrial Studio Head, Hero MotoCorp, said, “We must move people sustainably, but we must also move them emotionally. It was once believed that competing in motorsports required importing expensive, heavy-capability vehicles. Today, we are changing that belief with our affordable, well-designed, and highly functional machines. To compete at the global level, we have to start investing in the young talent so that the Heroes of tomorrow are riding today.

Mr Anuj Prasad, Founder & CEO, Desmania Design, noted, “We are at a threshold, and we are ready to cross it very soon. In the last two years, we have witnessed MNCs coming to India, looking for designs created by Indians and for Indians. We have a diversity of talent and thoughts. Now, with over 1,500 design schools, we are creating an ecosystem of design in India, building on our long-standing legacy. When we talk about sustainability, designers can bring in solutions right from the inception level. My recommendation is that we need to transform from being mere stylists to becoming thought leaders in design.

In his closing remarks, Mr Nilesh Kirtane, Co-Chairman, SIAM Styling & Design Group & General Manager – Strategy Planning, Honda R&D India, added, “Like scientists, innovation too emerges from design. We have a big responsibility when it comes to innovation. The whole concept needs to evolve in terms of how we change the lives of common people. We need to think creatively to drive the future of mobility

The first session, themed “Technology Innovation as an Enabler for Design,” was chaired by Ms Akansha Hakhu, Sr. General Manager (CMF), Maruti Suzuki.

Dr Kaustav Sengupta, Professor, NIFT Chennai said,” India aims to become a global leader in color trends by 2030. Every mile we travel in this country, the color palette changes. Unfortunately, many traditional Indian colors have lost their significance simply because they were inherently Indian. I strongly believe that Indian OEMs should incorporate indigenous colors into their vehicle designs to celebrate our cultural identity.

Mr Samarth Gupta, Senior Technical Specialist & Mobility Lead APAC, Autodesk said,” “We are mindful of the fact that design trends are evolving rapidly, and so are customer expectations. Everyone wants to own a vehicle because it is an expression of independence. New developments in geopolitics and the evolution of consumers’ trends and preferences are impacting the mobility landscape. We will need to evolve our auto design thinking amidst disruptions.

Mr Rajesh Gogu, Vice President (Design), Maruti Suzuki said,” The trends on the road are changing, as demand for sedans have reduced while that of SUVs have grown. Designing can reinvent declining segments or products to make them popular again. India’s unique preferences can only be met through refreshing designs that evolve with consumer expectations and remain relevant over time. We can design our vehicles that can reduce the carbon footprint offering better fuel efficiency and value to customers.

Ms. Akansha Hakhu, Sr. General Manager (CMF), Maruti Suzuki
“Through collective discussions on style and design, we can create an ecosystem with a broader and improved vision. These discussions are essential for shaping the future of automotive design.”

The session featured insights from Mr Rahul Pandita, Regional Head, Stratasys where he talked the integration of new-age technologies in automotive design and their impact on user experience.

The second session, “Designing for Global Aspirations,” was chaired by Mr V S Deka, Group Manager, Royal Enfield amongst other leading experts.

Mr Ferdinand Klauser, Global Partner & Managing Director Asia, KISKA Shanghai said,” Design is a crucial factor in a customer’s decision to choose a particular automotive brand. We hear a lot about India’s potential, but the key is to understand where to play and how to win.

Mr Pravin Gaikwad, Head of CV Design, Tata Motors said,” India is on the path to becoming a global leader in sustainable mobility. Design plays a pivotal role in this journey, as it will shape the future of how mobility is envisioned and experienced.”

Mr Dinesh Raman, Director Transportation Design, KISKA Shanghai and Mr Harikrishnan AK, Delivery Manager, TCS Design also shared their insights in the session and explored the influence of global trends on Indian automotive design and the need for innovation in the sector.

The third session was a panel discussion on “Fostering Industry – Academia Interaction,” moderated by Mr Anuj Prasad, Founder & CEO, Desmania Design. The discussion included perspectives from Mr G Sathiyaseelan, Chairman, SIAM Styling & Design Group & Vice President (Design), Ashok Leyland; Mr Namit Sharma, Professor, National Institute of Design, Ahmedabad; Dr Kaustav Sengupta, Professor, NIFT Chennai; Dr Sumer Singh, Associate Professor, Department of Design, IIT Delhi; Mr Jayant Sankrityayana, Professor, UPES; and Ms Alka Madhan, Director (Strategy), MIT Institute of Design. Panelists emphasized the need for stronger collaboration between the industry and academia to nurture young talent and drive innovation in automotive design.

SIAM also organized the 17th edition of Automotive Design Challenge (ADC), an esteemed annual design competition, that provided a platform for aspiring automobile designers to showcase their creativity and vision for the future of mobility. Following a rigorous selection process, the top ten students were chosen to present their innovative concepts during the conclave, with their designs put on display for attendees to explore.

The conclave concluded with the ADC 2024 Award Felicitation Ceremony, where the intense competition resulted in two second runners-up, Mr Rajat Sisodia (National Institute of Design) and Mr Anurag Ramteke (Strate School of Design), the first runner-up, Mr Naga Karthik Jonnala (Strate School of Design), and the winner, Mr Vedant Barve (MIT Institute of Design). All four winners were recognized for their outstanding contributions to automotive design.

In his concluding remarks, Mr G Sathiyaseelan reiterated the significance of design evolution in the Indian automobile industry, followed by a vote of thanks by Mr Prashant K Banerjee. The event ended with an engaging design workshop, offering participants hands-on experience in advanced automotive styling. The conclave brought together a diverse audience, including design practitioners from automobile OEMs, component and technology suppliers, design students, faculty members, and other key stakeholders, encouraging a dynamic exchange of ideas and perspectives.

The event brought together a diverse audience, including design practitioners from automobile OEMs, component and technology suppliers, design students, faculty members, and other key stakeholders, encouraging a dynamic exchange of ideas and perspectives.

18th Styling & Design Conclave and 16th Automotive Design Challenge (ADC)

The Society of Indian Automobile Manufacturers (SIAM), the apex automobile industry body, organised the 18th SIAM Styling and Design Conclave alongside the 16th Automotive Design Challenge (ADC) on 22nd March 2024 at Hotel Ramada Plaza by Wyndham, Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh.

The theme of the conclave was “Designing for Aspiring India”, focusing on the future of vehicle styling and design in India. The event brought together several experienced automobile designers from India and abroad to share their ideas and inputs, for shaping the future of aesthetic design of vehicles.

The Automotive Design Challenge (ADC) 2023, an esteemed annual design competition organized by SIAM, was held during the conclave. The ADC served as a platform for aspiring automobile designers to showcase their talents and envision the future of automotive styling & design. Following a rigorous selection process, the top ten students were chosen to present their innovative concepts during the conclave.

Mr Prashant K Banerjee, Executive Director, SIAM, highlighted the role of indigenous designs stating that “for Rising India, the time is ripe for styling Indian Automobiles and Mobility with indigenous designs.

In the welcome address, Mr G Sathiyaseelan, Chairman, SIAM Styling & Design Group, said, “The needs of Indian users are changing and so are design requirements. The mega-trends and technological path need to be reinvented. There is a need to democratize the mind-set of Indian Designers. You become a designer you become a problem solver for the end-user.

In the keynote address, Mr Luciano D’ Ambrosio, Founder, LDA Design, Italy, said, “Besides EV, I believe there are many other opportunities for alternative fuels for thinking something different. The approach to making new cars has always been divided into the same design and different fuels. I like to differentiate between style and design. Style is fashionable; Design should be a new innovation.

The first session themed, “Technology Innovation as an Enabler for Design”, opened by Mr A Dhanasekaran, Assistant General Manager, Ashok Leyland, further adding to the session, Mr Nikhil Rane, Head – Design & Innovation, Adient India, said, “Seat is a core part of automobiles. For every important person sitting is important. You look at comfort in a different way, from a non-driving perspective

Mr Debrup Sanyal, Design Studio Manager, Estech India, Mr S. Anbuchezhian, Head – D&ME, S&R and IP, Apollo Tyre, Ms Shweta Kumari, Head – Colour Designer, Kansai Nerolac, and Mr Sathish Kumar, Manager – Application Engineer India & SE Asia, Stratasys, were also present in the session.

The second session themed, “Designing for Global Aspirations” began with an address by Mr Pankaj Dhamane, Sr. General Manager, Mahindra & Mahindra, Further the session saw participation from Mr Ferdinand Klauser, Managing Director, KISKA Shanghai, said, “We really want to be practical on where to play what to play and how to execute. We as designers are change-makers and must make a positive impact.

Mr Dinesh Raman, Senior Design Manager, KISKA Shanghai, said, “Automotive industry is a key driver of economic growth and a favorable partner for manufacturers. Economic shifts provide growth to a country. Indian consumers are increasingly becoming aware of what the brand stands for.

Mr Rajesh Gogu, Head – Exterior & Advanced Design, Maruti Suzuki India, said, “Understanding the market is always important and finding opportunities is the key. The Auto industry is growing radically in the country, with a growing inclination towards SUVs.”

Mr Utkarsh Biradar, Chief Designer, Tata Elxsi, said, “As the consumer spends increasingly, comfort becomes an important aspect. Bespoke personalization has been demanding. Brands are audible. Every touch, every door shut gives a vibe of the vehicle. A car knows more than the user does with the number of sensors that are going into it.”

The third session was a panel discussion themed on, “Fostering Industry – Academia Partnership” moderated by Mr Saurabh Singh, Head – Design, Maruti Suzuki, India and saw participation from Prof. Vipul Vinzuda, Head – Transportation Design, NID Ahmedabad, Prof. Thomas Dal, Director – Dean, Strate School of Design, Ms Alka Madhan, Director Strategy, MIT Institute of Design, Mr Bikash Jyoti Biswas, Head – Design, Ather Energy and Mr G Sathiyaseelan, Chairman, SIAM Styling & Design Group. The participants highlighted the importance of collaboration between the industry and academia leaders on strategies to support and nurture young designers, emphasizing the importance of talent and innovation in driving the automotive sector forward.

The conclave concluded with the announcement of the top-three winners of the ADC 2023, showcasing the best emerging talent in automotive styling & design. Likhith Sarvareddy from Strate School of Design was declared the first prize winner followed by Vinayak Tiwari from Ajeenkya DY Patil University and Bhujang Sakore from National Institute of Design who emerged as the first and second runner-up.

The diverse audience, including designing practitioners from Automobile OEMs, Component Suppliers, Technology Suppliers, Design Students, Faculty Members and other stakeholders, contributed to the vibrant exchange of ideas and perspectives throughout the event.

17th SIAM Styling & Design Conclave and 15th Automotive Design Challenge

Society of Indian Automobile Manufacturers (SIAM) organized the 17th SIAM Styling and Design Conclave and the 15th Automotive Design Challenge (ADC) on 12th January 2023 at Jaypee Green Resort, Greater Noida. Themed ‘Designing Aspirations for A Sustainable Tomorrow’, the conclave was graced by the presence of a number of renowned automotive designers who showcased zeal and enthusiasm in decoding the future trends of automobile styling in India. The conclave witnessed budding automotive designers giving us a glimpse on the future of automobile styling in India.

The Automotive Design Challenge (ADC) 2022, an annual design competition organised by SIAM, depicting new ideas on the future of automotive design. SIAM initiated the ADC to provide a platform to the aspiring automobile designers to showcase their talent and capitalize on the opportunities provided for the future. The top ten students were selected to presented their ideas, and further top-three winners of the ADC 2022 were awarded during the conclave.

In the welcome address, Mr Sathiyaseelan G, Co-Chairman of SIAM Styling & Design Group and Vice President – Ashok Leyland, said “Today’s session is going to be about sustainable tomorrow. But, the most important question is, "How are we going to build culturally inventive future?" I believe that cross-functional collaboration and interaction between academic institutions are critical.”

Setting the context, Mr Tarun Garg, Chief Operating Officer, Hyundai Motor India, said “Hyundai has six design centres around the world where our designers collaborate to create innovative designs for each market. Our priority has always been to design products for the Indian market. At Hyundai, we have always strived to develop environmentally friendly solutions in order to make the world a better place.”

In his address, Dr Arun Jaura, Chief Technical Officer, Hero MotoCorp Ltd., said, “Styling and Design are more than just creating beautiful cars, bikes, and trucks. Everything you do has an impact on the product’s cost and sustainability. The design phase accounts for 80% of the ecological impact. When it comes to reducing our carbon footprint, our products are now 98% recyclable.”

The first session, opened by Mr S Sivakumar, Head of Design, Royal Enfield, said, “I welcome you all at the 17th styling & design conclave SIAM, I like how a seed contains a tree in it. This image becomes physical by adding time and effort to it.The creator embarked on this journey of contemplative, multi-dimensional visualization not for their own benefit, but purely and intentionally for the benefit of the society”.

Talking about automobile styling and design, Mr Carlo Bonzanigo, Founder and Managing Partner, ANYMA Design, said, “Sustainable design is a vast and complex subject. We, as designers, have the duty to intelligently devise and conceive products that contribute to the elimination of negative environmental effects.”

Addressing the session Mr Mohd Ahmad, Vice President, VECV, said, “When we talk about sustainability, especially in the context of automobile design, the first thing that

comes to mind is electrification of vehicles. Apart from that, Fuel cell and hydrogen vehicles will change the industry’s entire paradigm in the near future.”

The second session began with an address by Mr Dhanasekaran A, Assistant General Manager, Ashok Leyland. Further the session saw participation from Prof. Sudhir Varadarajan, Associate Professor and HOD, IIITDM Kancheepuram, and Mr Rahul Pandita, Regional Head – Stratasys India,

Mr. Ajay Jain, Global Head – Design Strategy, Tata Motors, said, “I’m here representing Tata Motors and we talk a lot about sustainability and design talking on sustainability We currently have ten electric vehicles, six natural gas vehicles, and three hydrogen-powered vehicles. We are the leader in sustainable what we call sustainable mobility or energy consumption at Tata motors, talking about design, designers must strike a balance with nature.”

The third session, began with an address from Mr Saurabh Singh, Head – Design, Maruti Suzuki. The session further saw participation from Mr Rajas Phopale, Leader – Industrial Design, Hero MotoCorp, said, “I believe that sustainability is an important aspect of everyone’s life. Everyone should consider whether they are sustainable or not. This is why we said at Vida "we changed one drive." Vida focuses on people who are truly motivated and doing everything in their power to effect change.”

Address by Mr Meerak Subba, Head – Design, Tork Motors, said, “When we talk about sustainability and aspirations for the future, we should focus more on what we are doing today and things we should not be doing. Sustainability canbe found in all aspects of life, from the smallest to the largest. We need to take better care of the next generation and the only way to do so is through sustainable measures.

In the closing statement, Mr Saurabh Singh, Head – Design, Maruti Suzuki, said “I am extremely grateful to have such distinguished professionals here to share their knowledge and expertise, I appreciate the panel taking the time to discuss. They have given us valuable insight and advice”.

The conclave culminated with the announcement of the top three winners from shortlisted students of ADC 2022. The top-three winners of the ADC 2022 were, Saikhom Krishnakanta (First), Ushneesh Saha (First Runner-Up), Yash Upadhyay (Second Runner-Up). The audience consisted of designing practitioners from Auto OEMs, Component Suppliers, Design Students, management executives from the automotive fraternity and other stakeholders.

16th SIAM Styling & Design Conclave 2022 and 14th Automotive Design Challenge

SIAM hosts 16th Styling & Design Conclave 2022 along with 14th Automotive Design Challenge

Themed on “Reimagining Mobility for the New Normal”

Society of Indian Automobile Manufacturers (SIAM), the apex automotive industry body, organized its 16th Styling & Design Conclave along with 14th Automotive Design Challenge, themed on “Reimagining Mobility for the New Normal”. This year’s conclave has provided diverse perspectives on how the future of shared mobility will be for the Gen-Glass and how the passenger experience will evolve against the backdrop of various transformations happening in the auto sector. The conclave witnessed budding automotive designers showcasing the future of automobile styling in India.

The virtual conclave showcased the select top-five presentations of the Automotive Design Challenge (ADC) 2021 from design students, depicting new ideas on the future of automotive design. SIAM had initiated the challenge to provide a platform to the aspiring automobile designers to exhibit their talent and capitalize on the opportunities for future. The top-three winners of the ADC 2021 were announced during the conclave.

The conclave was graced by industry stalwarts and experts from the automotive sector, highlighting holistic and collaborative efforts of the industry players in reinventing product design and operations while pioneering design innovations of the future. The speakers shared their experiences, effective design process and emphasized on the role of design in building and sustaining brands.

In the welcome address, Mr Rajesh Menon, Director General, Society of Indian Automobile Manufacturer, 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.”

Setting the context, Mr Malo Le Masson, Chairman, SIAM Styling & Design Group & Head-Strategy, Hero MotoCorp, said “The pandemic has challenged us as a whole and few of implications have been carry forwarded. In the world of mobility, shared mobility faced the very first setback because of Covid. Fundamentally, the shared mobility has the power to make us all independent. Shared mobility is more efficient, smarter and sustainable way to move. The challenge today is to think about moving smaller cluster of people in a smarter way.”

In the keynote address, Mr David Carvalho, Managing Director – Link2Concept & Former Vice President – Design, Pininfarina, discussed about 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.

Mr Aurelien Doisy, Head of European Design, Tata Motors, shed light on the design thinking process behind the new TATA Sierra, with a focus to drive the right ethics, values, modernity, authenticity and social aspects to recreate the iconic version of the SUV. He presented the theme of ‘TATA Design’ to showcase the different design languages that have taken place over the years inside TATA.

Mr Adrian Sellers, Head–Custom Motorcycle Design Program, Royal Enfield discussed about their concept of ‘Design to Disconnect’ showcasing the effect of design of a particular vehicle over their 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.”

Mr Amin Thakker, Chief Designer, Transportation Design and Engineering and HMI, Tata Elxsi, presented on ‘Clean Smart Flexible Seamless Mobility for Gen-Glass’. Different scenarios for shared mobility were shown. Light was thrown on 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.

The conclave culminated with the announcement of the top-three winners of ADC 2021. The top-three winners of the ADC 2021 were, Mr. Avishkar Kumbhar from National Institute of Design, was the first prize winner; Mr Satya Sai Manoj from National Institute of Design was first runner-up; and Mr. Abhishek Ayush from IDC-IIT Bombay was second runner-up. The saudience consisted of professionals from Auto OEMs, Component Suppliers, Technology Suppliers, Design Students, Design Professors, etc.

15^th SIAM Styling & Design Conclave and 13th Automotive Design Challenge

In its bid to strengthen the automotive sector in the new normal, Society of Indian Automobile Manufacturers (SIAM) hosted its 15th Styling & Design Conclave on 19th February 2021 virtually. With the theme “Influence of the New Normal on the Future of Automotive Design”, the conclave witnessed leading experts from Automotive sector to deliberate upon the industry’s need to reimagine design capabilities as per the new normal.

The virtual conclave also had presentations from the Automotive Design Challenge (ADC) 2020, from design students, depicting new ideas on the future of automotive design. The challenge has been an outstanding initiative by SIAM presenting a platform to the aspiring automobile designers to showcase their talent and capitalize on the opportunities for future.

The theme session had leading luminaries from the sector highlighting holistic and collaborative efforts of the industry players in reinventing product design and operations whilst pioneering design innovations of the future. They shared their experiences, cited case studies on iconic products and effective design process and emphasized on the role of design in building and sustaining brands.

Beginning with the opening address, Mr Malo Le Masson, Chairman, SIAM Styling & Design Group & Head- Strategy Hero Moto Corp, said “Due to the impact of the pandemic, the industry has to initiate a course correction, which we call the new normal. Designing has been all about transporting more people in less space and shorter time. But after Covid-19, even in mass transport we need to ensure that individuality is preserved.”

Mr John Antony Sahs, Head of Design, Nissan Latin America, Brazil said, “There are major disruptions globally due to Covid-19 but it also mean endless possibilities for the future. Working from home is the new normal and working together includes a certain degree of insulation from each other. The future of designing human existence is going to be Phygital, a combination of physical and digital, focussed towards new customer experience.”

Mr Teofilo Plaza Garcia, Head of Design, Hero MotoCorp, and India said, “The vaccine is like the light at the end of the tunnel as we observe a bounce back in global transportation. There will be a global shift to Two-Wheelers as a prominent personal mode of transport as well as big shift in recreational products, which has gained prominence in the new normal.”

Mr Markus Wechselberger, Client Director, KISKA, Austria said, “In urban mobility we realize user needs are constantly evolving. One of the most significant fear is of car ownership dropping by 80% in the USA. A situation will evolve where one may only pay for service on demand. Design and Styling is completely irrelevant and have bigger objectives, which is to solve a problem. It is your magic tool to create the future of mobility and will help introduce new product and services. In the long run, designing will be all about user experience and branded emotions.”

Mr Detlev Reicheneder, Senior Director – Industry Strategy Design & Manufacturing, Autodesk, Germany said, “The design studio of the future will be fundamentally different than that of the past. It will be all about creating and visualizing designs and ideas, managing processes by cutting non-productive time and furthering innovation, and about ensuring customer experiences by bringing people together from across the world through virtual reality capabilities to on the designs.”

Mr Thomas Dal, Dean – Strate School of Design said, “There can be two scenarios in the future. Either cars of tomorrow will look like a car with a difference of experience or they will be diminished.  OEMs will be shifting from being metal shaper to programmer and there will be a shift from ownership to user-ship”.
The conclave involved a brief presentation of automotive designs by ten shortlisted students of ADC’2020. The top-three winners of the ADC 2020 were Mr Harmeet Singh, from National Institute of Design as the first prize winner, followed by Mr Rugved Atul Patil, from World University of Design (WUD) as the first runner up and Mr Ganesh Borse, from National Institute of Design (NID) as the second runner up. The audience consisted of designer practitioners from Auto OEMs and Component Suppliers, Design Students, Executives from the Automotive fraternity and concerned stakeholders.

14^th SIAM Styling & Design Conclave 2020 and 12th Automotive Design Challenge 2019

Among the huge range of elaborated events on the second day of Auto Expo 2020, Society of Indian Automobile Manufacturers (SIAM) hosted the 14^th SIAM Styling and Design Conclave and 12^th Automotive Design Challenge

(ADC). Aptly themed as ‘Explore a New World of Mobility: Re-imagining emotional connect with the customers’, the conclave was graced by a number of renowned automotive designers, both old and new, who showcased great zeal and enthusiasm in decoding the future trends of automobile styling in India. In an attempt to encourage the future generations into automobile styling and designing, SIAM organizes Automotive Design Challenge (ADC), alongside the main event.

Speaking in the inaugural session, Mr Anil Saini, Former Chairman, SIAM Styling and Design Group, said,“The automotive design paradigm is continuously changing and user interaction with automobiles has seen a great evolution.In this new era of creating products where technology is a mute enabler and experience is on the force, we all have to come together, co-think and develop methods to find “what is it” and how to do the new “connect” with consumers. This conclave is one effort in that direction. We have to challenge ourselves, think beyond Design Thinking and invent new tools. Academia can further grow to be a huge energizer in future, unsettle the wise and settled ones, and harness the reckless energy of unsettled young ones! I use this platform to urge academia to design short diverse experimental immersions to infuse the new energy in professionals and vice versa.”

Elaborating in the session on Sculpting Emotions for Tomorrow,Mr Sudhanshu Pal, ICONA Design Group said, “The way we use cars is going to change as we move towards shared and connected future of mobility. Modern Automotive Design solutions should reflect this shift.

While in the same session, underlining his commitment towards promoting sustainability, Founder of CARTIST, Himanshu Jangid, said, “In terms of recycling and upcycling of old and used products, a majority of our country’s population is still clueless. As for the automotive industry, it is high time that the industry realize the need of sustainability, and thereby, promotes upcycling of old vehicles. Upcycling, as a, matter of fact, is not just a way to clean the environment, it can also be considered as a source of employment. A large number of creative youngsters are already into the business of breathing new life into old and obsolete motor parts by transforming them into innovative art pieces.

Discussing on passion fuelled by technology, Mr Narayan Subramanium, Ultraviolette Automotive said,“For a generation that grew up fascinated by supercars, we have to understand that there’s no room for automobiles that does not serve the purpose.User experience perspective is critical. As we take steady strides towards e-mobility, the design of vehicles has to evolve, for the consumers to feel proud of owning it. A design that cater to specific requirements, and suits the unique tastes, will attract more consumers.

“Emotional connect with consumers is the cornerstone of an effective automotive design”, said Ms Chiharu Matsuhara,Senior Manager, BASF Japan Ltd.

“With the current advent of the cognitive era, the 5G technology will heavily influence the design trends of the coming years” said Mr Sarwant Singh,Managing Partner, Frost& Sullivan. Adding to the industry insights, he further said, “This hyper-connectivity will also transform the car insurance industry in future.”

With the presence of renowned automotive designers from India and around the world like Mr Yariv Sade, Director of Applications Engineering at Stratasys, Ms Chiharu Matsuhara, Senior Manager, BASF Japan Ltd., Chief Designer Asia Pacific, Mr Narayan Subramanium, Ultraviolette Automotive, Mr Sudhanshu Pal, ICONA Design Group, the conclave hosted multiple sessions, where experts spoke on sculpting emotions for tomorrow, passion fuelled by technology, and new mobility trends, with complimentary interactive sessions in-between.

Competitions like Automotive Design Challenge are very important, as they help to discover budding talents in the field of design, says Mr Pradyumna Vyas, Ex Director, NID India, whileapplauding the efforts of SIAM for ADC 2020.

Automotive Design Challenge 2020 witnessed participation of students from major design institutes across the country. The competition is an outstanding initiative by SIAM that provides a befitting platform for the aspiring automobile designers to showcase their talent, and scoring opportunities for future. The top three designs of the competition got selected by the jury and got awarded towards the end of the event. Onkar Kumar from ADYPU won the ADC 2020, followed by Sujith S Kumar from NID as a first runner-up, and Aritra Deb again from ADYPU as a second runner-up. The audience consisted of young designers, styling & design engineers, suppliers, students, design practitioners, technical persons and management executives from the automotive fraternity.

13^th Styling & Design Conclave 2019 and 11th Automotive Design challenge 2018

13^th SIAM Styling and Design Conclave and 11^th Automotive Design challenge saw a whole lot of enthusiasm throughout the day at Hotel Marriott, Jaipur. The day-long annual conclave and conclusion of Automotive Design Challenge (ADC) organized by Society of Indian Automobile Manufacturers (SIAM) based on the theme: ‘Shaping Tomorrow’s Mobility Business’ saw a myriad of renowned and budding automotive designers, showcasing the future of automobile styling in India. Alongside, in order to encourage the youth into automotive designing, SIAM provided them with a platform through a competition, Automotive Design Challenge in the latter half of the day.

With the consumers getting increasingly picky over style and design of automobiles, while choosing their vehicle, the same is getting prioritized by the automobile industry. Thus the conclave had senior designers from India and around the globe, sharing their experiences, with case studies on iconic products, effective design process and on role of design in building and sustaining brands.

In the welcome address, Mr. Anil Saini, Chairman, SIAM Styling & Design Group, said, “Over the past years we have realized that visual features have a big role to play in brand image in today’s date. In fact, style and design are the primary differentiators between products and are generating real value in automobiles. In the recent past, in bid to provide greater product varieties at competitive prices, car companies adopted platform sharing strategies. However, with changing times our strategies must evolve and as a part of this evolution, these platform sharing strategies must be supported with sufficient differentiation between design and styling of car models.”

With international automotive designers like Mr. Dimitri Vicedomini, Design Project Manager, Pininfarina, Italy, Mr. Thomas Dale, Director- Strate School of Design, Mr. Mike Levy, Head of Mobility, Strate, Mr. Xavier De La Chapelle, Architect Electric Autonomous, NAVYA, Mr. Mark W. Jarvis, Head of Creative Services, UNO Minda Group gracing the occasion, the sessions talked about design identity, Mobility CMF trends, India Design story, user comfort, Future design skill sets, Electric/Autonomous Vehicle design and changing role of UI/UX along with Q&A interactions woven in between. The event was attended by more than 100 delegates.

Prof Gaurang Shah, Head, IDS Ahemadabad, an Automotive Design stalwart was awarded for his contributions to the Automotive Styling & Design Industry. He was instrumental in the development of Bajaj ‘Tempo Trax’. He also designed Matador & Tempo Traveler for the ambulance, cash van & luxury variants.

Adding to the industry insights, Mr. Dimitri Vicedomini, Design Project Manager, Pininfarina said, “The automobile and transportation sector is changing continuously. In this process of evolution, the whole industry is shifting towards visual experience from being a moving experience. With such developments, it is becoming imperative for the automobile brands to focus on two key areas viz. shared mobility and owned mobility, where shared mobility focuses on the product and its technology, while owned mobility focuses on aesthetics and brand value.”

Automotive Design challenge’18 saw student entries from major design institutes across the country. By organizing this competition every year, SIAM Styling & Design Group aims to create excitement and interest about the automobile styling in India and support development of local styling professionals.

‪”From minimise we need to move to micronize. Multiple processes could be made in one or two steps. Evolved tools could lead to a newer approach to design & could help in faster product development cycles, said Mr. Thomas Dale, Director, Strate School of Design.

The competition acts as a platform for showcasing talent, creating opportunities and providing encouragement to the budding designers. The top three designs got selected by the jury and got awarded in the evening. Neeraj Jawale from NID won the ADC’18, followed by Samarjit Waghela again from NID as a first runner up and Sidharth Rath from DYPDC as a second runner up. The audience consisted of young designers, styling & design engineers, suppliers, students, design practitioners, technical persons and management executives from the automotive fraternity.

“As one of the leading autonomous vehicle manufacturers in Europe, we have been pleased to introduce new mobility service to India knowing that it could take some time to bring this technology here. We are looking to create a partnership with a few Indian companies to be able to manufacture autonomous vehicles in India, said Mr. Xavier De La Chapelle, Architect Electric Autonomous.

12^th SIAM Styling & Design Conclave 2018 and 09^th Automotive Design Challenge 2017

12^th edition of SIAM Styling & Design Conclave was held at 14^th Auto Expo – The Motor Show on 08th February 2018 at India Expo Mart Ltd., Greater Noida, Delhi NCR, where experts spoke on the emerging facets of Styling &Design of automobiles to enhance design for sustainability.

“Our sensibilities are changing. Consumers are now looking at design. The future would be very different. There is a debate on how the future would be. So we have to keep reinventing ourselves,” said Mr Saini.

Other design professionals from India and abroad also shared their experiences with case studies on iconic products, effective design process and on role of design in building and sustaining brands.
Mr K.N Radhakrishnan, President & CEO, TVS in his keynote address dwelled upon the need to focus on what consumer of today wants from his automobiles.

“Styling & Design can differentiate your product from others and also give you a leverage on pricing. Today most of the vehicles are equally good on engine, platform and performance. Every product manufactured by automotive industry is good. But what makes your product stand out is the Styling & Design. The industry has to meet this aspiration of the Indian consumers…,” Mr Radhakrishnan observed.

Mr Francois Buron of Diedre Design spoke on `Designing an Autonomous Vehicle’ and highlighted challenges in providing an efficient alternative, his vision on mobility and to improve mobility and safety. He was of the view that design and styling must also complement sustainability.

Mr Sudhir Sharma of INDI Design spoke on `Sustainable & immersive retail experiences’. He pointed out that sustainability is an issue with people. “All of us are worried about what is going to happen. We need to challenge the retailing model. Companies like automobile makers need to be connected to consumers. Infact no company retail their own product. Designs and Styling especially in automobile industry changes very fast with changing taste of consumers,” Mr Sharma remarked.

Delivering his thoughts on `Car Design Trends’, Mr Ajay Jain of Geely Design said the Indian economy is booming and as electric cars are the future, these electric cars are the answer to sustainability. “Electric cars is a solution to fight pollution and innovative designs and styling will ensure its vibrancy and demand,” Mr Jain commented.

Mr Arun Vinayak, from Ather Energy, presented his views on `Designing an Electric Two Wheelers’ and said clean vehicles is the future and energy is money. “All vehicles ensure excellent technology. Designing a vehicle is an art. It adds value and enhances hassle free experience, but at the same time, let’s add sustainability to every innovation we do. We also need to merge this to be clean, connected and smart on mobility,” said Mr Vinayak.

According to Mr Y Yuki of Suzuki the Swift (Maruti Suzuki Swift, popular hatchback car) has evolved over the years and has witnessed changes in its designs. “Everytime the car was in the process of makeover, design was one of the major concern. Consumers must accept it and it should be a success. There are things to change and many others where there is no need for a change. Some countries like Japan and Italy have worked on advanced design development for vehicles and this has immensely helped the auto industry to deliver best designed and stylishcars,” said Mr Yuki while discussing on his topic titled “Design story of New Swift”.

Professor Balaji Rengarajan of National Institute of Design quoted Mary Barra, CEO and Chairman, General Motors who said the auto industry will change more in the next five to 10 years than it has in last 50 years. Speaking on the topic `Role of education in Automotive Design future’, Professor Rengarajan stated that the design and styling of automotive have a long way to go. “We are still learning but we are catching up faster. Styling is a short term, while Design is a long term thing,” he explained.

Mr Rajan Wadhera, Vice President, SIAM & President, Mahindra & Mahindrain his valedictory speech congratulated and exhorted designers for their innovative work. He said it was good to see how designers have evolved over the years and have been shaping for the future now.

Mr Wadhera also gave away the Styling & Design Contribution Award to Mr Dilip Chhabria of DC Design. Mr Chhabria said “we live in global ecosystem. The cars which are selling today are primarily being sold because of their designs. There is no better time than now. We have good young people. They need to be obsessively passionate,” he added.

The participants included young designers, styling & design professionals, suppliers, students, design practitioners, technical persons and management executives of member organizations.

11^th STYLING & DESIGN CONCLAVE 2017 and 09th Automotive Design Challenge 2016

Society of Indian Automobile Manufacturers (SIAM) organized the 11^th edition of the Styling & Design Conclave and also concluded the 09^th Automotive Design Challenge (ADC) on 17 and 18^th February 2017 at Radisson Blu Resort, Cavelossim Beach, Goa, India.

The theme for the 11^th edition of the conclave was ‘Design for tech-enabled tomorrow’. Theme embraced the current trends in Indian Automotive sector with a focus on the following sub-topics affecting interior and exterior design.

• New Propulsion technologies
• Platform driven changes
• Drivetrain driven changes
• Environmental/ Governmental regulations
• Driver Aids / Autonomous cars
• Human Interface Design

The conclave had senior designers and experts, from across the globe, sharing their experiences through trends, technology developments, case studies on iconic products, evolving design processes and on role of design in building and sustaining a brand’s value. More than 120 delegates attended the conclave.

The group also organised 9^th edition of Automotive Design Challenge (ADC) that culminated during the Styling & Design Conclave, where the final round of students’ submissions was held and the top 3 students were awarded.

10^th Styling & Design Conclave and 08^th Automotive Design Challenge 2015

10th SIAM Styling & Design Conclave and 08th Automotive Design Challenge
Date: 05th February 2016
Venue: Jaypee Greens Golf & Spa Resort, Greater Noida, Delhi NCR

Society of Indian Automobile Manufacturers (SIAM) organized the 10th edition of the Styling & Design Conclave and also concluded the 08th Automotive Design Challenge (ADC) on 05th February 2016 at Hotel Jaypee Greens Golf & Spa Resort, Greater Noida, Delhi NCR. The conclave happened along the sidelines of the “Auto Expo – The Motor Show”. The conclave marked the opening with the overall theme, “Design for India” looking at Design as a significant contributor to ‘AMP 2026’ and eventually to ‘Make in India’. Styling & Design Conclave served as a unique platform for exchange of ideas. There was a huge participation (~ 150) from delegates from varied backgrounds.

The tenth edition of the conclave witnessed the presence of influential automotive design professionals and people closely associated with automotive design area from domestic and global companies, sharing their experiences through trends reports, technology developments, case studies, design processes and on the role of design in building and sustaining a brand’s value.

Various stakeholders who make up the Design eco-system showcased their stories of the state-of-the-art of design in the country.

The event this year was dignified by eminent speakers, such as Mr Vinod K Dasari, President SIAM and Managing Director, Ashok Leyland; Mr Pratap Bose, Head of Design, Tata Motors; Mr Pradyumna Vyas, Director, NID; Mr Rajeev Sharma, Head of Proto, Hero Moto Corp; Mr Saurabh Singh, Head of Design, Maruti Suzuki; Mr Narendra Ghate, Chief Designer, Tata Elxsi; and Mr Adil Jal Darukhanwala, Editor in Chief, Zeegnition.

Mr Anil Saini, Chairman, SIAM Styling & Design Group and Director – Design, General Motors, opened the session elaborating upon the theme “Design for India” and gave a broader perspective on the evolution and growth of Automotive Design in the last 30 years.

Mr Rajiv Aggarwal, Joint Secretary, Department of Industrial Policy and Promotion, Ministry of Commerce & Industry, Govt. of India, was the Chief Guest of the conclave. He emphasized on the conclave’s theme and mentioned “The Future is completely based on the innovation; we are becoming a trend setter with respect to the contributions made towards designing in vehicles that are being well accepted globally”.

Mr Vinod K Dasari, President, SIAM, emphasized on the fact that a lot of things are taken into consideration before manufacturing a vehicle that includes cost, safety and meeting emission norms. He said “we are one those countries, which is the fastest growing and adapting nation with respect to style & design of vehicles”.

Mr Pradyumna Vyas, Director, NID, highlighted that growth of auto design pedagogy in the design institutes. He also emphasized the need for auto makers to get India Design Mark for their automotive products.

Speaking on the Indian OEM story, Mr Pratap Bose, Head of Design, Tata Motors, said “Designs have played a crucial role in bringing a change in the automotive Industry, India has a huge bunch of young talented designers who will shape the future of designing vehicles by bringing in innovative designs to cater the needs of the customer”.

Mr Saurabh Singh, Head of Design, Maruti Suzuki, and Co-Chairman, SIAM Styling & Design group, emphasized on the role Indian Design Studios are playing for the global OEMs, by understanding the local markets. He elaborated this by giving an example of the new Compact SUV Vitara Brezza, which will be soon launched in India.

Mr Anil Saini, Chairman of the SIAM Styling & Design group, handed over a cheque of Rs 10 lakhs to Mr Gaurang Shah, HoD Transportation Design, MIT Institute of Design, Pune, towards setting-up a Clay Modelling Program. Mr Shah shared the course content of the programme, which is expected to start from June 2016.

Senior Design professionals encouraged students to look at Automotive Styling & Design as a vocation, keeping in view the objective of improving skill sets and cultivating the talent.

The conclave concluded with the awards function. Mr Mohd Basha, Advisor, TVS, was honored for his Contributions to Styling & Design in the country. He worked with TVS Motor Co. for many years and designed numerous vehicles. A few of the iconic brands he designed are XL Moped, Scooty, Victor, etc.

SIAM group also organized a competition for design students in the country called the Automotive Design Challenge (ADC). Theme for the competition was ‘Vehicle for Planet Keplar’. This is an annual competition organised by the SIAM group in two rounds, in the first round more than 100 design students, from several colleges, submitted their entries, followed by a Jury. The final round of the ADC was held on the day of the conclave, where the top 10 students displayed 3D models of their entries. After another round of evaluation by a Jury, comprising of senior design and automobile professionals, three students were finally awarded:

• First Prize Winner: Mr Gaurav Nandi, MIT Institute of Design, Pune
• First Runners-up: Mr Aaditya Hari, National Institute of Design, Ahmedabad
• Second Runners-up: Mr Gautam Muthuswamy, DSK-ISD Rubika, Pune

Tata Motors was the Platinum Sponsor for the event, whereas Stratasys was the Gold Sponsor, and Autodesk, Mankiewicz and DYPDC, Pune, were the Silver Sponsors.

Automotive Design Workshop

Design Workshop for Students – Northern Region
15^th October 2016 – IHC, New Delhi

KEY HIGHLIGHTS

• 60+ Students from famous Northern Region Design Institutes in the country participated in the second edition of the workshop, such as
• IIT, Delhi
• IIT, Kanpur
• UPES, Dehradun
• SPA, New Delhi
• IP College of Engineering, Ghaziabad

SKETCHING SESSION

Teams were required to work on one of the following products:

• Modification of an existing vehicle in the Indian market
• Alternate Energy vehicle for the next generation

Industry mentors

– Saurabh Singh and two more designers from Maruti Suzuki
– Nilesh Kirtane and one more designer from HMSI

Design Workshop for Students – Western Region
22nd and 23rd February 2016 – MITID, Pune

KEY HIGHLIGHTS

• 60+ Students from famous Western Region Design Institutes in the country participated in the second edition of the workshop, such as
• MITID, Pune
• ISD- Rubika, Pune
• DYPDC, Pune
• IDC, Mumbai
• NID, Ahmedabad

SKETCHING SESSION
Teams were required to work on one of the following products:

• 2-Wheeled Urban Commuter, All-Electric Powertrain
• 4-Wheeled Intra-City Delivery Vehicle, Hybrid Powertrain
• 4-Wheeled PERFECT Urban Commuter, Hybrid Powertrain
• In an effort to get different perspectives / point-of-view , each product was allotted to at least 2 teams
• Real-time feedback and hand-holding was done during the workshop

Industry mentors
– Ajay Sharma (Tata Motors)
– Sushanth Sumanth (Tata Motors)

>> Report of the Pune Design Workshop – PDF

Design Workshop for Students – Northern Region
19 September 2015 – IHC Delhi

KEY HIGHLIGHTS

• 50+ Students from famous North India Design Institutes like IIT-Delhi (IDDC), SPA, Raffles Design School, Apeejay School of Design, UPES Dehradun etc
• Session on Automobile and component Design opportunities in Indian Industry
• Introduction & Explanation of ADC theme
• Guidance on making impactful Portfolio
• Hands-on sketching workshop on “Design thinking and Concept building skills”

SKETCHING SESSION

• As a part of this session students were encouraged to sketch on ADC theme
• Real-time feedback and hand-holding was done during the workshop

Industry mentors
– Saurabh Singh & Jagjit Rana (Maruti Suzuki)
– Ajay Sharma (Tata Motors)
– Nilesh Kirtane (Honda 2-wheelers)

>> Report of the Delhi Design Workshop – PDF

Design Workshop for Students – Southern Region
26th-27th February, 2015
M.S. Ramaiah University of Applied Sciences, Peenya, Bangalore

KEY HIGHLIGHTS

Design Schools Participated:

• NTTF School of Postgraduate Studies, Bangalore -4 Students (Product design)
• MS RamaiahUniversity, Bangalore -20students (Product design/Automotive design)
• D J Academy of Design, Coimbatore -2(Accessory Design)
• NIFT, Bangalore –18students (Accessory design)

Total Student Participation – 44 Students

Industry Participation – 11 Designers from General Motors/ TVS/ Ashok Leyland/ Tata Motors/Mahindra Reva

Mentors:
TVS: AmitRajwade, P Mahesh, ThejasviVasudeva, KC HiranKumar
General Motors: Abhijeet Kumar, Dawn Paul
Ashok Leyland: NamitSharma, AnandBabu C
Tata Motors: MuditGupta,SushantSumanth
Mahindra Reva: HrishikeshNeve

>> Report of the Bangalore Workshop – PDF

9^th Styling & Design Conclave 2015 and 07^th Automotive Design Challenge 2014

SIAM Styling & Design Conclave Looks at Future of Automobiles

Society of Indian Automobile Manufacturers (SIAM) organized the ninth edition Styling & Design Conclave at Hotel Hyatt in Pune. The Styling & Design Conclave of SIAM reiterated the fact that the Govt. of India, SIAM and the design institutes of India needed to follow a consortium approach for developing India as a destination for automobile styling and designing.

The theme for the conclave was ‘Innovation through design’ which was kept very broad allowing for a vast range of subjects to be covered. The day-long event was divided into 4 sessions followed by an award ceremony to conclude the day.

This year, SIAM started a new initiative of commemorating the contributions of senior leaders, who played a significant role in advancing the causes of Automotive Styling and Design in India. The award was presented by Mr. Sumit Sawhney, CEO and MD, Renault India to Mr. Bidyabijay Bhaumik, the former Chief Designer at Mahindra & Mahindra for his contributions to the domain.

Mr Anil Saini, Chairman, SIAM Styling & Design Group and Head of Design, General Motors started the day with his welcome address and talked about the activities of the Group. It was followed by the keynote address by the noted two wheeler designer Mr. Glynn Kerr who focused on the journey of design of two-wheelers in the world and in India specifically. He said that despite the huge progress made by the industry in the recent years, there still remains a scope for improvement and classical design still has a market.

Mrs. Rashmi Urdhwareshe, Director, Automotive Research Association of India(ARAI) in her address as Guest of Honour said that in India transportation needs is what drives all the design innovations. She said that the innovations need not only be from the automotive domain but can also be inspired from different domains.

Mr Jayant Sankrityayana Head – Commercial Vehicle Design, Tata Motors chaired the first session. Mr Manoj Kothari, Chief Design Thinker & Innovation Strategist, Onio Design was the first speaker of the session and focused on Megatrends. He said, “Megatrends have evolved from being just about the colour, design, style and finish to now a part of corporate strategy”. Mr. Andreas Maashoff, Director Industrial Design, Johnson Controls briefed the participants about the functioning of Johnson Controls and the innovative measures it takes to design its products.
The second session was chaired by Mr Sathiaseelan. G, Head, Styling, Ashok Leyland. Mr. Toru Kimura, Chief Liaison Officer, Kawasaki, Japan was the first speaker of the session who talked about the company and its racing DNA. He said that the focus of the company has remained to make more powerful engines without making the engines huge. The presentation was followed by that ofMr. Asok Abraham George, Design Director, Volvo Design and Innovation Center, Shanghai who also focused on how important it was for the industry to stay ahead of its time while maintaining a harmony with the environment.

The third session was chaired by Mr Lalit Narkhede, Design Group Manager, General Motors. Mr. Mark Jarvis, Design Manager, Visteon was the first speaker of the session. He explained the concept of Envision, Innovate and Develop which is adopted by his company. Citing several examples around automated driving, he said that innovation remains the key to success. He said that it was necessary for all the people in the domain to remain curious.The final presentation of the day was by Mr K V Veerapandian, Head of Manufacturing Technical Support India &SAARC, Autodeskexplained how Autodesk has helped manufacturers design automobiles more innovatively and efficiently.

In the final session of the day, the winners of the SIAM Automotive Design Challenge were announced. Rajshekhar Dass of Mumbai bagged the top honours and was followed by Mathew Vinod and Mark Timothy respectively. All the winners are from DSK ISD Rubika. The Automotive Design Challenge has emerged as a national automotive design competition involving the premier design institutes of India was initiated with the objective of providing the young students and designers a platform to showcase their talent and hence offer Indian Automotive Manufactures a talent pool of designers. It is envisioned as a step towards encouraging young students to take-up automotive design as a career option. The attempt is to raise the profile of Automotive Industry as a desirable and accessible career choice in India.

8^th Styling & Design Conclave 2014 and 06^th Automotive Design Challenge 2013

India set to drive automotive designs for Emerging markets

Society of Indian Automobile Manufacturers (SIAM) organized the 8th Styling & Design Conclave and Automotive Design Challenge’13 in New Delhi. The central theme for this year’s conclave revolved around “Emerging Markets: Creating Value through Design“. The day long annual conclave showcased country’s potential in becoming a Global Automobile Styling and Designing Hub, and served as a platform for Industry stalwarts and students to exchange ideas, concepts and role of design in building and sustaining brands.

The conclave in its eighth consecutive edition had senior designers from across the globe who shared their experiences through trends reports, technology developments, case studies on iconic products, evolving design processes and on role of design in building and sustaining a brand’s value.

The event was graced by imminent speakers like Mr. Pankaj Jhunja, Chairman Styling and Design Group, SIAM, Mr. Ian Callum, Design Head, Jaguar Cars, Mr. Tarun Aggarwal, Design Head, Maruti Suzuki Ltd., Mr. Mike Simcoe, Design Head (Asia – Pacific), General Motors, Mr. Siddharth Lal , MD and CEO, Eicher Motors Ltd., Mr. Anil Saini, Design Head, GM India, Mr. Axel Breun, Director (Concept Cars), Renault Design, Mr. Romulus Rost, Head of Interior Design, VW Potsdam Studio, Mr. Magnus Aspegren, Director (Design Works), BMW, Mr. Richard Chung, Vice President (Design), John Controls giving detailed presentations on topics related to the Automotive designing, followed by a Q & A interactive session.

Mr. Michael Simcoe, Executive Director, Global Design at General Motors spoke about the development of concepts car for Chevrolet portfolio. Addressing fellow designers and students, Mr. Simcoe said, “GM’s concept vehicle which is a global answer to the needs of emerging markets, particularly of India. While designing this car, GM has focused on emotional and rational needs of the local market of India.”

Mr. Ian Callum, Jaguar Director of Design discussed the evolution of Jaguar design, which has taken the brand into an exciting new era. “Jaguar has always been a forward thinking company, pushing the boundaries of design and technology. That philosophy informs the work of Jaguar design to this day, demonstrated most recently with the F-TYPE sports car and C-X17 sports crossover concept vehicle, with the latter demonstrating Jaguar principles of agility, performance and beauty in a completely new way.” He said.

The conclave concluded with an award ceremony for the Automotive Design Challenge 13’ subjected on ‘Re-Interpret a Classic’. The competition saw participation from more than 150 students representing approx. 10 colleges such as DYPDC, NID, DSK-ISD, IITs, etc. The designs being worked on since June 2013, gave a vista of concept in store for future. The winners were all students from DSK ISD Pune. They were Vinay Raj, Saquib Sarang and Samath Ajayan and were awarded for concept design model of Lambretta 125D, Tata Semi-Forward & BMW Isetta.

7^th Styling & Design Conclave 2013

SIAM Organizes the Seventh Styling & Design Conclave

Society of Indian Automobile Manufacturers (SIAM), organized the Seventh Styling & fifth Automotive Design challenge (ADC’12) at The Taj West End in Bangalore. The conclave focus this year was “Trends impacting automotive design” and it witnessed experience sharing by senior designers of the industry through trends reports, case studies, evolving design processes and role of design in building and sustaining brands.

The day long event comprised of three sessions including Inaugural session, and discussions on Consumer Trends, Customer Touch Point Ecstasy, Emotional Design, Insights for Automotive Applications, User experience trends for Automotive Infotainment systems and The ABCs of Forecasting.

The conclave was attended by eminent speakers like Mr. Arvin Baalu Director, Harman India, Mr. Shombit Sengupta, Chairman, Shining Consulting, Mr. Mark Jarvis, Innovation Manager, Visteon, Ms. Gaowa Wulin, Design Director, General Motors, China, Mr. Nick Talbot, Global Design Head, Industrial Design, Tata Elxsi, Mr. Vikram Kirloskar, Vice Chairman, Toyota Kirloskar Motor, Mr. Vikram Gulati (Director – Operations, NATRIP and Mr. Anil Saini, Director – Design Studio, General Motors. They spoke on different ranging topics like diversity of the Indian market in styling and Designing. It concluded with Award ceremony were designs by Shitij Sood from NID, Ankur Singh from IIT Delhi who designed Micro car Tilaq and aerodynamically designed Bike Torro felicitated.

Mr. Pankaj Jhunja,Chairman, SIAM Styling & Design Group spoke about the theme for this year stressing on the need for educational institutes to give focused inputs for developing the basic skills of automotive designing and introducing new thinking styles at the same time.

“The auto sector is ever evolving and the designs are swiftly moving to the next level. We must looking at bridging the gaps within various design styles as there are many different aspects and skills which are required in the process. A platform like this really helps as it enables us to present our point of view from the industry prospective.The idea is to share the success mantra which fills the gap between what a student is expected to do and what he is being taught and from an industries prospective also to give a kind of reality check,” he said.

Mr. Ambuj Sharma, Joint Secretary, Ministry of Heavy Industries and Public Enterprises said “The automobile industry is growing in the country and there is an increasing need of talented auto designers. The government is proposing to set up an auto design centre in partnership with National Institute of Design, SIAM, ACMA and Indian Institute of Technology, to address the concern of the industry. The centre is being planned to be set up in Pune or Chennai.” He also said that “the timeline has already been fixed for the completion of the project and the cost would run into several hundred crores. “

The conclave that was conducted in Bangalore, also saw a mentoring session with 70 students from 25 design school like NID, IIT Delhi, etc. The objective of the Automotive Design Challenge (ADC) was to provide young students and designers a platform to showcase their talent and hence offer Indian Automotive Manufactures a talent pool of designers. The students got a chance to interact with the industry professionals and got clarity and understanding of what the industries expects.

The sessions on the second day were highly interactive, where queries from industry representatives were addressed by experts. It was reiterated that the role of National Automotive Board that focuses on R&D in the industry has a greater role in the integration of designers to enhance the capability of the Indian Styling and Design market.