CDN People Awards 2024 winners revealed

Now in its third year, the CDN People Awards has become a firm fixture of the automotive design calendar. The winners were revealed on stage tonight at another blockbuster evening in London, with the selections made by a panel of industry judges across 18 categories.

In addition, the winning concept and production cars from the 11th edition of the Car Design Review book were revealed, as well as a heartfelt speech from the recipient of the book’s lifetime acheivement award. A special award, the Peter Horbury Fellowship, also returned in tribute to the great man himself, while a sketch battle supported by Hyundai kicked things off.

As with past editions, People Awards judges are strictly forbidden to vote for themselves, their team or indeed anyone from another brand within their group; final votes are entirely unbiased and given on merit alone.

Without further ado, read on to see who took home the trophies.

Best Digital Modelling Team – sponsored by Linkage Design

• Bentley Motors Digital Team

• Nio Munich Digital Modelling Team

• Hyundai Design Digital Solution Team

• Italdesign Digital Modelling Team

• Rivian Digital Modelling Team

WINNER: Nio Munich Digital Modelling Team

Hyundai Peter Schreyer Sketch Battle Winner

WINNER: Sebastián Jiménez, CCS

Best Clay Modelling Team – sponsored by Kolb Design Technology

• Hyundai Design Model Solution Team

• Nissan Design Europe Clay Modelling Team

• Mahindra Global Design Clay Team

• Bentley Motors Clay Modelling Team

• Daniel Becher – FAW

WINNER: Nissan Design Europe Clay Modelling Team

Best CMF Team – sponsored by UE Studios

• Kia Next CMF Team

• Rivian CMF Team

• Lucid CMF Team

• Polestar CMF Team

• BMW Colour and Trim Team

WINNER: BMW Colour and Trim team

Best UX Design Team – sponsored by Contechs Consulting

• Harman Automotive Design Team

• Hyundai Global Interior Design Team

• Changan Global Design Center UX Design Team

• Verne UX/UI Team

• Polestar UX Team

WINNER: Polestar UX team

• Zeekr Design Technology & Innovation Team

• Verne Design Team

• Mercedes-Benz Exterior Detail Design & Light Engineering Teams

• Audi Light Design Team

• Hyundai Lighting Design Team

WINNER: Zeekr Design Technology & Innovation Team

Best Studio Engineering Team – sponsored by Volvo Cars

• Rivian Exterior Studio Engineering Team

• Hyundai Design Studio Engineering Team

• Aston Martin Design Studio Engineering Team

• Verne Studio Engineering Team

• Changan Global Studio Engineering Team

WINNER: Rivian Studio Engineering Team

Best Interior Design Team – sponsored by Ultrafabrics

• BMW Interior Design Team

• Volvo Cars Interior Design Team

• Zeekr Mix Interior Design Team

• Lucid Interior Design Team

• Rivian Interior Design Team

WINNER: Zeekr Mix Interior Design Team

Best Exterior Design Team – sponsored by Autodesk

• Rivian Exterior Design Team

• BMW ED-B-1 Exterior Design Team

• Lucid Exterior Design Team

• Kia Next Design Exterior Teams

• Zeekr Exterior Design Team

WINNER: Kia Next Design Exterior Teams

Most Sustainable Brand Team – sponsored by Bridge of Weir

• Rivian Design CMF Team

• Tesla Design Team

• Kia Next CMF Team

• Mahindra Global Design Team

• Zeekr Material Lab Team

WINNER: Rivian Design CMF Team

Best Supplier Award – sponsored by Ford Design

• Kolb Design Technology

• Harman Automotive

• Envisage Group

• Ultrafabrics Automotive Team

• Marelli Automotive Lighting Innovation Team

WINNER: Harman Automotive

Challenging the Industry – sponsored by Bentley

• Hyundai Commercial Advanced Team

• Kia Future Design Group

• Audi AI Design Team, FelGAN

• Czinger Design Team

• Tesla Design Team

WINNER: Tesla Design Team

Beyond Automotive Design – sponsored by Afry Experience Studio

• Ionity HPC Charging Design Programme – BMW Group Designworks

• Motocompacto – Honda R&D Americas & Honda Development & Manufacturing America

• Made to Last – Mahindra Global Design Team

• Bentley Beyond Design Team

• Tesla Product Design Team

WINNER: Moto compacto team – Honda America

Design Educator of the Year – sponsored by Mahindra Design

• Keun Lee, Hongik University, South Korea

• Richard Gilmartin, Staffordshire University, UK

• Nick Hull, Coventry University, UK

WINNER: Keun Lee, Hongik University, South Korea

Most Supportive Design Leader – sponsored by Konzepthaus Consulting

• Verne Design Leaders

• Philipp Siebourg, Harman Automotive

• Ian Callum, Callum

• Dalim Seo, Hyundai Motor Europe Technical Center

• Lesley Busby, Nissan Design Europe

WINNER: Ian Callum, Callum

AI Explorer Award – sponsored by Los Angeles Auto Show, Automobility LA

• Harry Franklin - Loughborough University

• Interactive Cabin Design team – Xi’an Jiaotong University

• Kasturi Kailas Katale – National Institute of Design, Ahmedabad

• Shima Solati and Jason Song – General Motors & College for Creative Studies

• Markus Leszczyk – Umeå Institute of Design

WINNER: Markus Leszczyk – Umeå Institute of Design

Undiscovered Talent – sponsored by Zeekr Design

• Harry Franklin, Loughborough University

• Nicolà Borrer, Royal College of Art

• Shima Solati and Jason Song, College for Creative Studies

• Alisson Liu, China Academy of Art

• Alban Lerailler & Alexandre Bernini, ISD RUBIKA

WINNER: Alisson Liu, China Academy of Art

Peter Horbury Fellowship Award – sponsored by Bridge of Weir

WINNER: Edward Johnson - Royal College of Art

CDN Production Car Design of the Year

WINNER: Renault 5 E-Tech

CDN Lifetime Achievement Award

WINNER: Shiro Nakamura