Michelin-CSS Competition

The third year students faced a pair of design challenges. First, the interpretation of an Italian design influence in a vehicle, and to propose a futuristic wheel and tire design for the year 2010, based upon the unique configuration of Michelin's revolutionary tire/wheel technology - PAX System.

The students were shown the current Michelin Pax system and were asked to think what it could become in the future, with the only limits being their own creativity.

As students at one of the world’s leading transportation design colleges, they drew upon their own imaginations and the heritage of Italian marques including Ferrari, Maserati, Lamborghini and Ducati for vehicle designs. The students then created tire, wheel and suspension designs that showed innovative construction, added functionality and creative integration of materials.

“This marks the 13th year of our Michelin design competition with CCS and once again the students have outdone themselves with some truly outstanding work,” said Steve Lash, Manager of Concept Development and Innovation for Michelin North America. “The judges were very impressed by the level of detail presented.”

The student design work will appear on the Michelin stand at the North American International Auto Show this January, together with concept vehicles from Pininfarina, Bertone and ItalDesign Giugiaro.

Winners for Vehicle Design:
1st: Matt Sperling, Grosse Pointe, Michigan
2nd: Randy Rodriguez, Vancouver, B.C. Canada
3rd: Brian Izard, Houston, Texas

Winners for Tire and Suspension System using Michelin PAX System Technology:
1st: Randy Rodriguez, Vancouver B.C., Canada
2nd: Kyle Evans, Vienna, Virginia
3rd: (tie) Mike Chan, Houston, Texas
3rd: (tie) Matt Sperling, Grosse Pointe, Michigan

First place winner for Tire and Suspension System, Randy Rodriguez based his wheel design theme on an electric motor , with parts such as a tri-rotor armature, field magnets and brushes." In 2010 there will be different emissions and government regulations and therefore many electric vehicles will occupy the streets. I looked to electric motors for inspiration and studied up on electromagnetism to drive my concept" said Randy.

The spokes act as fans to help cool the wheel and the arrow-like tire design is meant to symbolize the direction of the magnetic field. The tire also has a translucent center to expose the Michelin Pax run flat system. One of the spokes as a quick release lever to remove the wheel. This wheel design is a clean, strong source of power and braking.

Randy's vehicle design is of a Ferrari, with inspiration coming from the Ferrari Challenge races and Schumacher's F1 car. It is meant to be a full bodied exotic to cruise the streets and when taken to the track to race, it has a partially removable body to be like an open wheeled F1-like 'race terror'.

Matthew Sperling winner of the Vehicle Design category, explains his concept: "Since we were given an assignment to convey our interpretations of classic and modern Italian design, I tried to think of an icon that helped illustrate this, yet set itself outside of the norm. Being a personal fan of rally cars, I looked to Lancia's lineup past and present and found their Stratos to be the most unique and exotic example of an inspiring Italian sports car". Matthew's bold renditions showed a unique new interpretation of the classic Stratos theme.

The wheel Matthew designed has a corresponding rugged tread for off road and a function set within the wheel design. Each spoke is configured with pnuematic shocks, a spring and a small weight positioned near the center of the wheel. As the wheel spins faster, the weights are forced to the outside of the rim, altering the wheels polar moment of inertia, and stiffening suspension. This suspension is automatically altered while on the course, and could be adjusted by altering the spring tension within the wheel.