Each year, seniors in the automotive design program at Detroit's College for Creative Studies design future cars based on briefings from businesses. This year, the American Chemistry Council sponsored the fall program, led by instructors Joann Jung and Eric Stoddard.
The students' brief was to imagine and create a vehicle for the year 2020 using plastics in ways that would reduce weight by 30 percent. Members of the automotive group within ACC met with students throughout the semester to provide them with guidance about materials — both those now in use and those currently in development — as well as processing.
That information will not only be used by students in their studies, but will also guide future developments as they enter design studios throughout the global auto industry, ACC officials said.
The 14 students in the fall 2013 program presented their final design studies to ACC members and their instructors on Dec. 9. Plastics News spoke to some of them about their projects.
Check out this video by PN staff reporter Rhoda Miel of the 14 students and some of their designs.