California dreaming

Forward-thinking West Coast automotive design studios ponder recyclable cars, predetermined vehicle lifespan, and a reduced carbon footprint as part of the third annual Los Angeles Design Challenge.

Fast forward to the year 2015 and consider the scenario that the U.S. Department of Transportation has mandated that vehicles not only need to be 100% recyclable, but affixed a limited five-year lifespan as well. That's the premise that was proposed to the nine OEM automotive design studios from the West Coast that were involved in this year's Los Angeles Design Challenge-a designers' conference and competition, now in its third year, organized by the creative minds at Design Los Angeles.

As more and more automakers embrace the idea of going green-whether its General Motors' announced development of a plug-in hybrid version of the Saturn Vue, or Honda's FCX concept fuel-cell vehicle that's targeted for limited consumer sale starting in 2008-interest in alternative energy sources and sustainable vehicle architectures continues to show an increasingly strengthened presence in the automotive industry. So perhaps it was serendipity, or astute foresight, that the theme of this year's Design Challenge-which has become a growing attraction at the Los Angeles Auto Show-was “environmental sustainability.”