Design students can now enter Magna’s 2022 Global Bold Perspective Award with their visions for mobility in the year 2035

The 2022 Magna Global Bold Perspective Award is now open for applications. The winner will receive $11,000 in prize money and recognition at the Car Design News LA Forum in November.

The brief for the competition asks designers to present “the living vehicle” – a vision of how vehicles look and act in the year 2035. Key touch points include sustainability, exterior innovation, and electrification, and judges are looking for details on specific use cases for the vehicle. The idea is to create both a compelling vehicle concept and a story behind it. Click here for the full brief. 

“Today, personal and commercial vehicles are evolving at an unprecedented pace,” says Larry Erickson, global director of exteriors design group at Magna Exteriors and one of the award judges. “We created this competition to help us understand what the future of mobility holds, and the designers of tomorrow play a key role in building that future. If you are a student designing mobility for tomorrow, join us for this challenge. With imagination, the possibilities are limitless.” 

Erickson advises entrants to think carefully on how their designs are part of a wider environment, and the role that they play in this environment. He suggests that the winning vehicle concept will successfully touch on the primary design elements listed in the brief while also showing value in detailed scenarios of operation. 

This was a crucial aspect of the winning entry in 2021, with Ali Shoghimojarad’s fire-proof pick-up truck taking top spot. His thorough research into climate change and the increasing frequency of extreme weather events was included in his application, and served as the challenging environment in which the pick-up was designed for. “The project demonstrated the power of storytelling combined with great design solutions, resulting in a compelling and informed presentation,” said Erickson. 

Joining Erickson on the board of judges is Brad Richards of Harley-Davidson Motor Company, Crystal Windham of Cadillac, Jay Shuster of Pixar Animation Studios, and Liz Wetzel of Lawrence Technological University. 

As well as an overall winner, three regional finalists will also be selected to represent China, Europe and North America. Each of the finalists will receive $6,000 (the overall winner receiving an additional $5,000).

The deadline for applications is 30th June 2022.