It’s interesting to note that Michelin Tyres is helping to shape the future of motoring by running a competition to design city transportation for the year 2046. Specifically, participants must design a personal, ground-based vehicle capable of transporting between two and ten people. Whilst this might sound like a bit of an airy-fairy design contest, Michelin Tyres believe that their 2012 Michelin Challenge Design competition will help to plan the future of both transport and tyres

The theme for the 2012 competition is "City 2046: Art, Life and Ingenuity” and Michelin Tyres has chosen the year 2046 to acknowledge the 100th anniversary of its first radial tyre. In fact Michelin Tyres has set some fairly demanding requirements for the 2012 Michelin Challenge Design which was first introduced in 2001 and is now in its tenth year. Pre-registration for the event has already commenced and Michelin Tyres says a record year is expected from initial feedback.

Participants in the Michelin Tyres competition are asked to present their vision of city transportation for Paris, Shanghai, Mumbai, Rio or Los Angeles for the year 2046. Each of these cities has been chosen by Michelin Tyres because it offers specific challenges, and ‘disruptive innovation’ may be needed to get transportation from today’s formula to that of 2046. In selecting a city, the designer must provide a solution to those transportation issues unique to that city. 

Introduced by Michelin Tyres to give designers around the world an opportunity to promote their work, the Michelin Challenge Design programme has seen an increase in designs submitted of some 700% whilst designers from 98 countries have taken part. And although the competition might clearly be expected to build awareness of Michelin Tyres and its products, there can be little doubt that it can also help to stimulate ideas from which all motorists will be able to benefit in the future.

As an early pioneer of tyres and now one of today’s leading manufacturers, Michelin Tyres is no stranger to innovation and can claim many ground-breaking ideas to its credit. Michelin Tyres products have played a leading role in all branches of motor sport and are widely used around the world by both businesses and private individuals. Indeed it is only by innovation that development ensues and Michelin Tyres certainly deserves credit for its outstanding record in this respect.