NHTSA encourages tomorrow's vehicle safety ideas today with Student Safety Technology Design Competition

In the field of motor vehicle safety research, the International Technical Conference on the Enhanced Safety of Vehicles has been and continues to be one of the world's premier events. And in June 2011, the 22nd ESV Conference comes to the US, hosted by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

As part of that conference NHTSA is excited to announce the 4th Student Safety Technology Design Competition. For this exciting contest, teams of 2-5 undergraduates and a faculty advisor are challenged to develop models or mockups of new vehicle safety systems. The deadline for abstracts is October 29.

When it comes to developing safer cars, we want to hear creative, forward-thinking ideas from America's talented college students.

So the goal of this competition is to bring young professionals with innovative ideas into the growing field of automotive safety. NHTSA designed the competition to promote multi-disciplinary teamwork; enhance students' awareness of automotive safety; and embrace engineering, human factors, and biomechanics.

Teams whose abstracts are accepted can receive $2,000 to support the development of their model (pending availability of funding by the sponsor country). The top three teams will then gain international recognition by presenting their work at the ESV Conference, in the Washington, DC, area next June.

For student presenters, this is a very big deal. Attendees at the ESV Conference will include government safety agencies, the automotive industry, motor vehicle research engineers and scientists, medical professionals, insurance companies, consumer advocates, and media--from around the globe.

And when good vehicle safety ideas are introduced, we all win.

And for students considering this competition, there are plenty of safety areas to explore, including:

• Electric Vehicle Safety
• Unintended Acceleration
• Cell Phone Distractions
• Crash Avoidance Technologies
• Biomechanics

There are many more categories online at http://www-esv.nhtsa.dot.gov, where you can find all the contest guidelines.

For tomorrow's vehicle safety professionals the Student Safety Technology Design Competition is an opportunity to show the industry your talents, and showcase your safety ideas today.

Remember, the deadline for abstracts is October 29, so let's get started!

Please visit http://www-esv.nhtsa.dot.gov for more information.

Comments

[Washington James]

The students are getting ahead of the curve this year w/ that new electric car safety category. Although I think they are a bit late with the Unintended Acceleration Issues category after the whole Toyota fiasco.

[Michael E. Bailey]

This is a great idea. We need fresh concepts and ideas to deal with important transportation safety issues. One idea that hopefully will get a team's attention is how can we make streets and vehicles interactive with censors located at various points in the road and in the cars that would autmatically control speed, braking, stopping and starting, sense when someone is crossing the street and stop the cars until the person is clear. Best wishes, Michael E. Bailey.

[Hardship License Florida]

Its really a good job to involve students in such vehicle safety programs.

[Melbourne Website Design]

Agree that it's an awesome idea to have students involved, and a technology design competition is perfect!
Really curious to what some of the entrants came up with!

[Automotive Mesa AZ]

Indeed we do like the encouragement as vehicle safety today, tomorrow or any day is just as important as "Green Technology"; therefore I must completely encourage the 2011 Student Safety Technology Design Competition. These kinds of events only better the future of vehicle safety!