AISI Celebrates 20th Anniversary of Annual Summer Internship

AISI joined College for Creative Studies (CCS) students in celebrating the 20th anniversary of AISI's annual automotive design internship program during the CCS design students' unveiling of their "Green Steel" concepts vehicles in Detroit on September 18, 2008.

"The internship program presents a great opportunity for design students to work on real-world challenges facing the automotive industry today," said Ronald Krupitzer, vice president of automotive applications for AISI. "Utilizing the benefits of advanced high-strength steels, the students created unique designs without compromising visual appeal, while gaining a personal understanding of environmental, safety, recyclability and cost issues."

This year's group of CCS design students was challenged with conceptualizing, rendering and designing environmentally-friendly vehicles for a mega-city transportation network for the year 2040. Students created a city grid system that was divided into three tiers of transportation, including: the underground superhighway that regulates traffic coming in, out and through the city; the traffic tier, where fully-automated vehicles commute through a steel sub-tunnel; and the pedestrian tier that is separated from traffic, to eliminate the risk of accidents.

The student-created concept vehicles that were unveiled at the "Green Steel" event include:

• Lincoln Continental, designed by Milton Ruiz, Ann Arbor, Mich.—An electric, two-passenger, cab-like vehicle that features limousine-like luxuries and incorporates high-end technologies, allowing vehicle-to-vehicle communication and the ability to capture images and identify passengers.
  
  
• Mazda Hyoryu, designed by Jesse Boyer, Port Sanilac, Mich.—An electric vehicle for the daily commuter that has the ability to drive itself. The design is inspired by wind, snow drifts and smoke, symbolizing a person with an active lifestyle.
  
  
• Mitsubishi Synthesis, designed by Dave Owsen, Harper Woods, Mich.—An automated, easy-to-maintain-and-disassemble-traveling "entertainment center" of the future that bridges the gap between public and personal transportation.

Since 1989, the AISI/CCS interns have faced design challenges that range from visual appeal to versatility of application. AISI has worked to mentor the CCS students by blending their creative vision with technological steel innovation to design concept vehicles that are safe, affordable, fuel-efficient and environmentally responsible. For more information, contact Deanna Lorincz.