GM to Sponsor CU-ICAR's Next Concept Vehicle

General Motors is the official sponsor of the latest Deep Orange concept vehicle designed and engineered by students at the Clemson University International Center for Automotive Research (CU-ICAR) just outside Mauldin. 

The project is the fifth generation of Deep Orange, a program that offers a unique approach to teaching graduate automotive engineering students by immersing them in the world of vehicle manufacturers or suppliers. 

Over two years, CU-ICAR students design, engineer and build a vehicle and work closely with numerous industry partners to achieve technology targets. 

For Deep Orange 5, GM tasked students to create innovative solutions to personal urban mobility challenges faced by generations Y and Z: current and future consumers ages 9-28. The project will focus on young consumers in metropolitan areas with populations of more than 3 million people.  

“Gen-Y and Z-Generation consumers present unique challenges to the automotive industry,” said Paul Venhovens, CU-ICAR BMW endowed Chair in Systems Integration who heads the Deep Orange program, in a press release.  

“Trends for this consumer segment show far greater interest in personal electronic devices than in vehicles,” Venhovens said. “Over the course of this project, we will develop solutions to help overcome those challenges.”

During the next three semesters, Clemson University automotive engineering students will partner with design students at the Art Center College of Design in Pasadena, Calif. Together, they will address industry and societal challenges related to increased urbanization and mobile connectivity. 

“We are thrilled to be partnering with General Motors on this fifth generation vehicle,” said Imtiaz Haque, executive director of the Carroll A. Campbell Jr. Graduate Engineering Center at CU-ICAR, and chairman of the automotive engineering department.  

“General Motors’ long history of looking into the future of urban mobility dates to the Futurama exhibit of the 1939 World’s Fair," he said. "We are excited to collaborate with GM on this same topic through the eyes of today’s generation.” 

Jan Aase, director of vehicle systems at General Motors, said, “Working with CU-ICAR students on this project helps us develop a vehicle concept for peers by their peers. This is a valuable experience for General Motors and we look forward to the partnership on this project.” 

The GM-sponsored Deep Orange 5 project will continue through August 2014.