NID students show the power of Indian design

Last month students at the National Institute of Design (NID) gathered to celebrate recent graduates across its three campuses in Gujarat, Ahmedabad and Bengaluru. In attendance was Indian President Droupadi Murmu, and by all accounts it was a memorable experience for the young designers and course leaders alike.

To learn more about the nature of studying transportation design in India and what the latest crop of graduates have been working on, we caught up with Balaji Rengarajan, Discipline Lead - Universal Design at the NID Bengaluru campus. Read on and more than a dozen student projects are outlined further down, showcasing what Indian design is all about.

“The NID emphasises a ‘hands on, minds on’ approach when it comes to design,” says Rengarajan, “and the students are always encouraged to take the chosen brief through a thorough process. We always look forward to seeing their research and ideation leading to products, well represented in both virtual and physical models without losing sight of the story behind the concept.”

From perusing the work, it seems many students collaborated with an industry partner as a guide or tutor. This is not a firm expectation, says Rengarajan, and is more of an open opportunity for students to pursue what works for them. Some work independently, while others choose to pursue a sponsorship with an industry partner. “This varies depending on their interests, opportunity and prospects,” he observes. “Of course, working with the industry exposes them to the best practices in the studios early in their career and get to ‘taste’ the reality of professional design.”

The beauty of design is that each region around the world has its own unique characteristics and influences. What is it like studying car design in India, and more specifically in a vibrant city such as Bengaluru – and what do students learn here that they may not learn elsewhere? “India has an incredible diversity in terms of language, food, culture, architecture, mobility and so on,” says Rengarajan. “This itself gives a designer enough opportunity to engage in research, gather unique insights and steer their projects to original outcomes.”

With that, let’s look at the concepts.

Varruna Setty – Project Primal

Working alongside Mitsubishi Fuso, Setty has made a call for sustainable overlanding with this project, a hydrogen-powered camping and exploration vehicle. While Fuso is more of a commercial vehicle brand (owned by Daimler Truck) the project does tap into Mitsubishi’s heritage with models like the Delica, a go-anywhere do-anything people carrier. Setty says particular attention went toward the CMFG strategy (colour, material finish and graphics) which “reimagines Fuso’s design language through nature-inspired biomimetic materials, adaptive surfaces and sustainable finishes.” As a side note, kudos should go to Setty for highlighting not only his work but that of his peers.

Taranvir Singh – TVS Morph

It should come as no surprise to see two- and three-wheeler concepts at an Indian design school. Both markets are enormous and rightly draw focus from many students.

The TVS Morph envisions a new motorcycle that blends “personalisation and sustainability with self-expression.” The idea is to celebrate the individuality of riders and their motorcycles, with this concept integrating colour-changing panels, modular attachments and sustainable power sources (we would love to know more about what Singh has in mind) with a view to launching in 2040.

Sourabh Mahajan – Hyrra

They say that in life, it is all about balance. This enclosed motorcycle with built-in gyroscope should certainly help, at least on the way to work and play. Hyrra was inspired by post-war motorcycles which grew in popularity as consumer budgets became particularly tight. This particular bike aims to bring the agility of a motorcycle and the safety and comfort of a car, with a self-balancing feature and cocoon-like cabin.

Sidharth Sharma – Eicher semi-autonomous truck

Any length of time travelling in India will make clear the strength of the truck industry. Tapping into that here, Sharma envisions a sleek and modern HD truck that ”moves away from boxy, heavy forms.” Utilising materials more closely associated with motorsport and supercars, the materials list includes carbon fibre and aluminum, while aerodynamics has been given an additional focus with “smooth curves and sculpted edges.”

The cab remains bold and upright, but is indeed more rounded than a conventional truck. From certain angles, there is a hint of ‘xenomorph’ about the front end. The interior addresses the traditional considerations of driver comfort and ergonomics, with a “spacious, clutter-free cabin” and a climate control system that adapts to external conditions.

Shubham Mane – Alfa Romeo Velocità

Alfa Romeo may not be the most established brand in India, but that didn’t stop Mane from focussing on the brand for his project. Velocità explores the idea of an EV-centric evolution for Alfa, championing electric mobility while preserving the essence of driving.

This particular concept is an electric hypercar that utilises “supercapacitors, autonomous mobility, service-based business models and seamless technology integration.” Everything you would expect from a top-end EV from 2050. Mane drew inspiration from historical concepts like the Bertone-designed Bat Cars in particular, and emphasises the importance of honoring the past while embracing the future.

Shreyas Vyas

The brief for this project was to reimagine the passenger experience for Indian Railways through the lens of CMF. Supported by the Railway Design Centre at NID Ahmedabad, research found that passengers were keen for designers to reconsider the accepted connotations of ‘inexpensive’, stating that affordable interior designs “need not be cheap or inhuman.” Vyas says that this concept “transforms the way passengers experience train travel, redefining Indian railways with a balance of tradition, innovation, and human-centric design.”

Rishikesh M – Vida 4U

Another two-wheeler concept, this one aims to provide delivery drivers with an aspirational, if not desirable means of transport. More than a work vehicle, if you will. The renders certainly do a good job of getting that across, with the fictional rider looking objectively cool at the side of the road.

Vida 4U is a low-speed scooter with plenty of smart storage and a lightweight construction that maximises range. “At the core of the design is a plug-and-play concept,” says the designer, “allowing users to customise battery placement based on specific needs, enhancing both flexibility and efficiency. By prioritising personalisation and modularity, this project sets a new benchmark for aspirational low-speed vehicles, catering to current and future demands of users and demand aggregators.”

Priyang Priydarshi – Yava

Autonomous vehicles remain a theme across many design courses today, but perhaps less prominent than prior years. Regardless, this project imagines a compact self-driving vehicle that would improve access to mobility for a wide range of user groups, particularly those that are widely underserved by existing means of public transit.

“Whether for school drop-offs, office commutes, shopping, or leisure trips, it provides a smooth, connected experience,” says Priyadarshi. “Its intuitive interior displays only essential information, prioritising a transparent, tech-driven journey.” The interior sports a fetching combination of green, peach and cream, with space to store (or hang) bags and a digital display to communicate with the car’s digital assistant.

Nachiketa Jena – SKÄR: Volvo Vision GT 2050

Sponsored by Volvo Trucks India, this concept totally reimagines the form of a long-haul truck, almost to the point where the cabin is unrecognisable compared to today’s tractors. It is aerodynamic for a reason, designed for the racing videogame Gran Turismo in 2050.

The result is SKÄR, a heavy-duty truck that offers a modular mobility system with both autonomous and driver-assisted modes. Even the briefest of research on things like hours of service (HOS) and distracted/drowsy driving will illustrate the potential of such a system, relieving truckers of mentally and physically draining periods of driving and ensuring they are fresh when needed – such as taking off, navigating dense traffic and pulling into busy depots.

“The design integrates futuristic aerodynamics, digital cockpit interfaces, and a reimagined interior that prioritises comfort and connectivity,” says Jena.

Mahavir Vank – Austin Arrow

Picture the scene: the year is 2030, and amid the sea of affordable, homogenous EVs, is the Austin Arrow, back as part of the British brand’s surprise return to the market. But it is not entirely blue sky thinking, with India based manufacturer MJP Motors reportedly in talks to do just that. For now, this sporty concept drawws on the legacy of Austin Motor Company and aims to embody the spirit of the brand while recognising the state of the market in 2030.

A cab-rear, two-seat open-top sports car is the result, showcased in British Racing Green (or very close to it) with a tan interior. A pair of simple circular headlamps go against the current horizontal lightbar trend, while a proud grille is flanked by partially-open front wheels.

Karan Borah – M-Flip3

Fans of Tron will surely rejoice at the sight of Borah’s motorcycle concept. M-Flip3 depicts an adaptable interior that is able to transform depending on different use cases, illustrated nicely in the renders below. Borah explains that an adaptive frame can switch between a prone and upright posture, allowing different riders to really engage with the journey like a racing bike on flowing roads, or simply hop on in comfort on the way to work.

Avishkar Kumbhar – Renault in-car gaming

This concept feels entirely feasible with a playful, colourful aesthetic that is in line with some of Renault’s own concepts of recent years. Kumbhar’s project explores the future of entertainment in autonomous vehicles, reconsidering what is possible when the driver does not need to have their eyes fixed on the road at all times.

There is space for four passengers, with a central “globe-like” structure that uses what Kumbhar describes as Volumetric Display Technology, “transforming the entire cabin into an immersive gaming environment – essentially a gaming café on wheels.”

Akash Kedar – Meteora

By 2025, some five million two-wheelers will be on the market in India, projected to hit nine million by 2030. That is the basis Kedar was working to, at least, and came up with a concept that addresses the ecosystem behind those vehicles which in its current state “falls short in meeting user needs.” Enter Meteora, an advanced aerial solution that “iimproves customer satisfaction and lays a foundation for future innovations in EV servicing.”

We like to assume the name of the project came after listening to Linkin Park’s pivotal second album of the same name.