Movin’On, a ecosystem of strategic anticipation and co-innovation for sustainable mobility, has unveiled the three winners of the Movin'On Challenge Design. 

The theme for the 2022 edition was "DELIVERED: bringing people what they need", the company said in a statement. 

From 1 September 2021 to 1 March 2022, artists, designers, engineers, architects, urban planners and creative people from all over the world have participated in the competition evaluated by an international jury. 

Since its creation, the Movin'On Challenge Design has received more than 14,000 entries from 134 countries, the release claimed. 

The first prize went to the AGORA concept by Damián Mora, Pau Verdú, Fabiana Pando, Víctor Fernández, María Mora from Spain. 

The release said the new edition of Movin'On Challenge Design has been dedicated to the AGORA concept created by Damián Mora and his team of three industrial design engineers and a graphic designer. The young Barcelona native specialises in modelling, rendering and 3D animation. His work is recognised for its environmental consistency and attention to detail, the
release pointed out. 

Focusing on access to culture, the team's AGORA project draws its inspiration from Article 27 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights: "Everyone has the right freely to participate in the cultural life of the community, to enjoy the arts and to share in scientific advancement and its benefits. The AGORA concept thus plans to open up delivery - usually limited to goods or services - to other areas, allowing the most significant number of people to experience cultural and entertainment spaces in the flesh. 

The second prize went to Sharon Ramalingam Radhakrishnan from India for his GAC FORMA concept. A recent graduate of the Royal College of Art Intelligent Mobility in London, Sharon, interned as an OLA Electric Mobility interior designer, the release said.  

His project, called GAC FORMA, provides a new solution adapted to the challenges of automobile traffic present in many cities. Built around a subscription service, it predicts the end of a car ownership culture, a practice responsible for significant space consumption and street congestion for parking purposes. GAC FORMA is also planning a car model that folds widthwise, allowing a considerable gain in space. 

Imthiyas Ahmed Sheik, a second-year student at the M.I.T. Institute of Design, Pune, India, bagged the third prize for his R.R:ALPHA concept. The R.R:ALPHA project imagines an automobile capable of connecting rural and urban areas to open up regions that are sometimes isolated and subject to a significant departure. Combining a contraction wheel and a zorbing ball, R.R:ALPHA provides a feasible and functional solution, allowing the simultaneous transport of a large number of goods on different terrains; even in case of flooding, the vehicle becomes amphibious. 

The members of the jury were Nick Mailhiot, Movin'On Challenge Design Chairman; Craig Metros, Former Design Director, North American Truck, S.U.V. & Commercial, Ford Motor Company, Instructor of automotive design, College for Creative Studies; Chris Chapman, Former Design Director, Hyundai Design of North America. Design consultant; Angela Hariche, CEO of Catapult Design; Freeman Thomas, CEO of Meyers Manx, Former global advanced Design Director, Ford Motor Company; Stewart Reed, Chair, Transportation Design Department, Art Center College of Design; Dave Marek, Acura global Creative Director, Honda R&D Americas, Inc.; Frank Saucedo, Design Director, General Motors; and Damien Michelin, honorary juror. (MT)

Comments (0)

ADD COMMENT

Link Copied!

Global NCAP, the automotive safety watchdog, has announced the latest results for its #SaferCarsForIndia campaign, with two models from Maruti Suzuki India, the country's largest passenger vehicle manufacturer, receiving mixed results.

The latest crash test result saw Global NCAP awarding the Maruti Suzuki Celerio a three-star rating for adult occupant protection following the inclusion of six airbags as standard. A previous version of the vehicle, equipped with two airbags, had received two stars for adult occupant safety and one star for child protection.

The technical evaluations of the six-airbag Celerio indicated protection levels ranging from good to marginal. The assessment noted that both the footwell and the bodyshell were unstable. Tests also showed exposure of children’s heads during front and side impacts.

On the other hand, the company’s popular sedan model the Maruti Suzuki Ciaz received a 1-star rating in the same assessment. The report for this model highlighted:

• The absence of side head protection.
• An unstable footwell and bodyshell.
• A lack of three-point seatbelts in all seating positions.

In contrast, Global NCAP reported that the new Dzire and Victoris models achieved five-star ratings.

Richard Woods, Chief Executive Officer of Global NCAP, said, “We are encouraged that Maruti Suzuki is committed to improving safety with five star performance for new models like the Dzire and Victoris, it remains disappointing however that some legacy models fall short.”

The results follow a commitment from Maruti Suzuki to increase safety standards across its future vehicle range.

Comments (0)

ADD COMMENT

Link Copied!

CARS24 has announced the promotion of Divanshu Saxena to Chief Business Officer (CBO) of its NBFC arm, CARS24 Financial Services.

In his new role, Saxena will oversee the strategy, growth and execution of the financial services division. His responsibilities include scaling lending operations, managing risk and maintaining profitability as the company develops its financial services platform.

Saxena previously managed the consumer financing business for LOANS24. During his tenure, the division recorded growth in finance penetration and contributions from non-retail lending. The company noted that his work focused on unit economics and portfolio quality.

Ruchit Agarwal, Co-Founder & Group CFO, CARS24, said, “Divanshu has played a pivotal role in building CARS24 Financial Services into a strong and institutionally sound business. His disciplined approach to growth, deep understanding of lending economics, and consistent execution have laid a solid foundation for scale. We are proud to elevate leaders from within, and as CBO, Divanshu will be central to shaping the next phase of growth for LOANS24.”

Before joining CARS24, Saxena served as a Project Leader at Boston Consulting Group (BCG) within the Financial Services and Industrial Goods practice. He is an alumnus of IIM Calcutta, where he graduated with a silver medal, and Shri Ram College of Commerce (SRCC), University of Delhi.

Divanshu Saxena said, “Building LOANS24 has been about creating a lending business that balances speed with discipline and growth with resilience. As CBO, my focus will be on scaling responsibly, strengthening our fundamentals, and continuing to build a financial services platform that earns long-term trust from customers and partners.”

Comments (0)

ADD COMMENT

Link Copied!

South Korean auto major Hyundai Motor Group has announced executive appointments effective from 1st January 2026. The changes focus on the transition to software-defined vehicles (SDV) and the development of manufacturing technology.

In total, 219 executives have been promoted across the Group, comprising four Presidents, 14 Executive Vice Presidents, 25 Senior Vice-Presidents and 176 Vice Presidents. Approximately 30 percent of these promotions are within R&D and technology sectors.

Manfred Harrer has been promoted to President and Head of the R&D Division. Since joining in 2024, Harrer has managed vehicle development. His new role focuses on SDV competitiveness and development projects.

Juncheul Jung is promoted to President. Jung currently manages the Manufacturing Solutions and Procurement Divisions. His remit involves the Group's Software-Defined Factory (SDF) approach and the integration of robotics into production systems.

Yeong Il Choi becomes Executive Vice President and Head of Domestic Production. Choi also takes the role of Chief Safety Officer (CSO) for production facilities in South Korea.

The company also announced revamping leadership positions in its regional business, where it has appointed Seung Kyu Yoon as President of Kia North America Operations, Bo-Ryong Lee as President and CEO of Hyundai Steel Operations, Gang Hyun Seo as Head of Corporate Planning, Affiliate Business Optimisation, Sungwon Jee as Executive Vice-President, Hyundai Brand Marketing and Yongseok Shin as Executive Vice-President of HMG Business Intelligence Institute.

Hyundai Motor Group has internalised technologies including the 'Pleos Connect' infotainment system and 'Atria AI' for autonomous driving. Appointments in engineering include Jeonghun Seo in Battery Engineering and Duckhwan Kim in Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Engineering.

Jaehoon Chang, Vice Chair, continues to oversee the direction for mobility, hydrogen energy and robotics. Within the financial sector, Chang Hyun Cho (Hyundai Card) and Si Woo Jeon (Hyundai Commercial) have been promoted to Executive Vice-President.

"The appointments are intended to strengthen organisational resilience and expand the leadership pipeline across functions. In addition, the appointments reflect the Group’s commitment to turning global uncertainties into opportunities for renewal and growth. It will continue to advance bold leadership transformation and secure strong competitiveness in the SDV era," the company said.

Comments (0)

ADD COMMENT

Link Copied!

Maruti Suzuki India has attained a production milestone of 3.5 million units for the popular hatchback the WagonR.

The model, which spans three generations, was first launched in India in December 1999 and is currently manufactured at the company's facilities in Gurgaon and Manesar, Haryana.

The WagonR joins the Alto and Swift as models within the Maruti Suzuki portfolio to reach this volume. Globally, the Suzuki WagonR was first introduced in Japan in September 1993 and is now sold in over 75 countries. In August 2025, the model reached 100 million units in cumulative global sales.

The current WagonR is built on the fifth-generation Heartect platform. Standard safety features include six airbags, Anti-lock Braking System (ABS) with Electronic Brakeforce Distribution (EBD) and Electronic Stability Program (ESP).

On the inside, it comes with a 7-inch touchscreen infotainment system. Connectivity via Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. Bluetooth and voice command functionality.

The vehicle has been the highest-selling car in India for the previous four financial years.

Hisashi Takeuchi, Managing Director & CEO, Maruti Suzuki India, said, “This achievement is not just a production milestone, but reflects the enduring love and confidence that generations of customers have shown towards brand WagonR. It is rare for a vehicle to receive such acceptance even after 25 years since its launch. The WagonR kept evolving with the introduction of new technology and features over time, while retaining its original DNA. The WagonR has been highly appreciated for aspects like its iconic tall-boy design, spacious interiors and fuel efficiency, which aptly reflect our customers’ needs and expectations. We are deeply grateful for their continued support and remain committed to providing ‘Joy of Mobility’ for generations to come.”

Comments (0)

ADD COMMENT

Link Copied!