Shortlist revealed for Car Design News People Awards 2025

Car Design News is proud to unveil the shortlist for the award-winning People Awards 2025, celebrating the extraordinary individuals and teams whose work shapes the future of automotive design. 

From creative visionaries and modelling experts to UX innovators and sustainability leaders, this year’s shortlist highlights the full spectrum of talent across the global design community.

The CDN People Awards continue to shine a spotlight on the often-unsung heroes of design studios, recognising the collaboration, skill and dedication that drives innovation in automotive design. 

The quality of entries this year raised the bar once again, demonstrating how design excellence continues to evolve in response to new technologies, sustainability goals and user expectations.

AI Explorer Award 

• ChangAn Global Design Center, AI Explorer Team 
• Shima Solati & Hoda Solati, College for Creative Studies 
• Sara Fallahi, Stellantis 
• Qifeng Gao, IM Motor 
• Onpoint Team 
• Bart van Lotringen, DAF Trucks 
• Kyoungkwun Shin, Kia

 Best Clay Modelling Team Award sponsored by Kolb Design Technology 

• Slate Auto, Clay Team 
• Mahindra, Clay Modelling Team 
• Audi Design, Clay Modelling Team 
• ChangAn Global Design Center, Modelling Team 
• JLR, Clay Modelling Team 
• Volvo Cars, Physical Modelling Team 
• General Motors Design, Europe Clay Team 

 Most Sustainable Team Award sponsored by Bridge of Weir Leather 

• Slate Auto, Design Team 
• Mahindra Global Design, CMF Team 
• Xiaomi EV, CMF Design Team 
• Lotus Creative, CMF Team 
• Rivian, Rivive Studio 
• Hyundai, CMF Team 
• firefly, CMF Team 
• Citroën, C5 Aircross Design Teams 
• Ultrafabrics, Product Development Team 
• Kia Next, CMF Group

Best Studio Engineering Team Award 

• General Motors Advanced Design Europe, Design Technical Team 
• Hyundai Europe, Design Engineering Team 
• ChangAn Global Design Center, Studio Engineering Team 
• firefly, ST-ENG Team 
• Volvo Cars, Shanghai Studio Engineering Team 
• Italdesign, Studio Engineering Team 
• Mahindra Global Design, Studio Engineering Team 
• Kia, Design Engineering Team 

Design Educator of the Year Award sponsored by Mahindra Global Design 

• Sanghamitra Datta, Coventry University 
• Prianjali Kapur, Pininfarina 
• Shaun Hutchinson, Coventry University 
• James Hope, China Academy of Art

Unsung Hero Award sponsored by ChangAn 

• Ford Design, E-Tech Team 
• Claudia Bester, Harman Automotive 
• Lincoln, Nautilus Design Team 
• Tata Motors, Design Visualisation Team 
• Maruti Suzuki, Hard Modelling Team 
• Mahindra Global Design, Design Operations 
• Jooeun Lee, Harman Automotive

Beyond Automotive Design Team Award sponsored by Swarovski Mobility 

• Jakub Szewczyk & Cao Shi, Umeå Institute of Design 
• Hyundai, Genesis Future Design Team 
• Xpeng Design Center, AEROHT Design Team 
• Ultrafabrics, Product Development Team 
• Hyundai Europe, Insteroid Design Team 
• Tata Motors Design India, Commercial Vehicle Team 
• Rivian, Industrial Design Team 
• Bentley Motors, Design Strategy (GDS) Team 
• Mahindra Global Design, BEV Showroom Team

Challenging the Industry Award sponsored by Bentley 

• Hyundai, Genesis Future Design Team 
• firefly, Design Team 
• Patrick Jordan Patrikios, Luxesound 
• Tata Motors Design Europe, Avinya Brand Design Team 
• Lotus Creative, Design Teams 
• Slate Auto, Design Team 
• Audi, E5 Sportback Design Team 
• Harman Automotive, Design Team

Best Lighting Design Team Award 

• Bentley Motors, Lighting Design Team 
• Kia Next, Design Exterior Team 3 
• Citroën, C5 Aircross Lighting Design Team 
• Lynk&Co, Infinity Light Design Team 
• ChangAn Global Design Center, Lighting Design Team 
• Lotus Creative, Theory 1 Lighting Design Team 
• Tata Motors, Design Teams 
• Harman Automotive, Design Team 
• feno GmbH, Design Team 

 Best Supplier Award 

• Uedelhoven GmbH & Co. KG 
• Kolb Design Technology GmbH & Co. KG 
• Bridge of Weir Leather 
• Marelli Motherson Automotive Lighting India 
• Harman Automotive 
• Incari GmbH 
• AFRY Experience Studios 
• Saint-Gobain SEKURIT, Advanced Engineering & Design Team

 Best CMF Team Award sponsored by UE Studios 

• Lotus Creative, CMF Team 
• Rivian, CMF Team 
• Bentley Motors, CMF & Bespoke Team 
• Slate Auto, CMF Team 
• Kia Next, CMF Group 
• Citroën, Ami & Ami Buggy CMF Design Team 
• Volvo Cars, Shanghai and Gothenburg Studios, ES90 CMF Team 
• firefly, CMF Team 
• Citroën, C5 Aircross CMF Design Team 
• Chery Europe Advanced Design, Color & Material Team 

Best Digital Modelling Team Award sponsored by Contechs 

• Kia, Digital Design Team 
• Ford Design, RS2.00 Design Team 
• General Motors Advanced Design Europe, Digital Modelling Team 
• firefly, Digital Modelling Team 
• Hyundai Europe, Digital Design Team 
• Pininfarina S.p.A., Design Team 
• Xiaomi EV, Digital Design Team 
• Harman Automotive, Industrial Design Team 
• Rivian, Digital Modelling Team 
• Karma, Digital Modelling Team 
• Bentley Motors, Digital Surfacing Team

 Best Exterior Design Team Award sponsored by Autodesk 

• Tata Motors, Avinya Exterior Design Team 
• Kia Next, Design Exterior Group 
• Citroën, Ami & Ami Buggy Exterior Design Team 
• Mahindra Global Design, Exterior Design Team 
• Xpeng, Exterior Design Team 
• Lamborghini, Exterior Design Team 
• Tata Motors, Sierra Exterior Team 
• firefly, Exterior Design Team 
• Hyundai Europe, Insteroid Exterior Design Team 
• Karma, Exterior Design Team 
• Bentley Motors, Exterior Design Team

 Best Interior Design Team Award sponsored by Ultrafabrics 

• Tata Motors, Avinya X Interior Design Team 
• Hyundai, Ioniq 9 Global Interior Design Team 
• Audi, Interior Design Team 
• Volvo Cars, Interior Design Team 
• firefly, Interior Design Team 
• ChangAn Global Design Center, NEVO Interior Design Team 
• Kia Next, Interior Design Team 1 
• Citroën, Ami & Ami Buggy Interior Design Team 
• Hyundai, NEXO Interior Design Team 2 
• Bentley Motors, Interior Design Team

 Best UX/UI Design Team Award 

• Tata Motors, Avinya UX/UI Team 
• Bentley Motors, UX Design Team 
• Lamborghini, Pilot Interaction UX Design Team 
• Tata Motors Design India, UI/UX Team 
• Granstudio, DigiPHY and UX/UI Design Team 
• firefly, UI/UX Design Team 
• Hyundai Europe, Insteroid Design Team 
• Rivian, Digital Studio Team 
• Lotus Creative, UX/UI Team 
• Harman Automotive, Design Team

 Undiscovered Talent Award sponsored by Zeekr 

• Bartu Harmandagli, Royal College of Art 
• Hanil Kim, Coventry University 
• Jane Kim, Mahindra Advanced Design Europe 
• Juean Chen, Umeå Institute of Design 
• Siddharth Camarushy 
• Ryan Wei, China Academy of Art 
• Henrik Svanvig, Royal College of Art 
• Josh Tandy, University of Staffordshire 
• Henry Zhang, China Academy of Art 
• Farah Amjad Al Khamissi, Umeå Institute of Design 
• Shima Solati & Hoda Solati, College for Creative Studies

 Best Advanced Design Team Award sponsored by Afry 

• Tata Motors, Avinya X Design Team 
• Chery Design Shanghai, Advanced Design Team 
• Forvia, Saphir Concept Design Team 
• GAC Group, Guangzhou Advanced Design Team 
• Hyundai Europe, Insteroid Design Team 
• General Motors Advanced Design Europe, Design Team 
• Mazda Design Europe, Design Team 
• Peugeot, Advanced Design Team 
• Lotus Creative, Design Team 
• Mahindra Global Design, Design Team 
• Audi, Design Team

Winners will be announced at the CDN People Awards 2025 ceremony on Thursday 4 December, hosted at the iconic Old Billingsgate in London. This unmissable event brings together the global design community for an evening of celebration, inspiration, and recognition. 

Join us for a three-course dinner, networking with the industry’s top talent, exclusive car reveals, the Hyundai-Peter Schreyer Sketch Battle, and an unforgettable after-party.

Whether you’re shortlisted, attending in support of your team, or simply passionate about automotive design, we invite you to be part of this special night. 

Book your place now and join us as we celebrate the people who make car design happen.