Auto X Prize
Over the last few weeks I've put together a "personalstatement" of why I might want to attend a "Motorsports Engineering Master's"program in the UK. A primary reason is because the studentpopulation is 40% male… and for the non math majors that means the campus is60% female, pretty close to the opposite of Cal Poly San Luis Obispo. Somewhere along the line I realized thatputting that down as a primary reason probably isn't the best idea. So I thought about it… a lot… I took the timeto really dig deep and answer the question of why I want to work in racing asan engineer. I've always known it wasthe challenges that attracted me to the position, but I was able to dig deeperthis time. It's the technical, socialand personal challenges in motorsports that appeal to me. I went on to elaborate on this and filled upa page…
Last morning I came across an email advertising the "Auto XPrize" competition. In short it's acompetition to design and build a vehicle that will revolutionize theautomotive industry. The organizers hopethat an energy efficient vehicle that is environmentally friendly and appealingto the general public will come from the competition. The details and all of the rules aren'tfinalized yet, but the winner take all prize is rumored to be multiple-millionsof dollars.
I'm not sure if it's the search for a challenge or the wantto change the world (probably a combination of the two), but this competitionreally called to me and I put my name on their email list. If I knew that I could get a project off ofthe ground and could compete in this competition without neglecting othercommitments I'd do it in a heartbeat. And so right now I'm just seeing if there is anyone that is interested. I really can't say right now that I cancommit to this as I might be swept away with a race team or shipped off toanother country; that and the rules haven't been officially released. But for right now, I'd love to brainstorm andjust come up with some numbers and see what's feasible and what would be needed.
I realize that I've gotten to meet some amazing people overthe last 24 years… the world's best automotive engineers, some greatpersonalities, good friends, a few great minds… and a lot of stubborn engineerswho won't take no for an answer (bastards!). So call me crazy, but I think this competition could have the largestimpact on the automotive industry since Ford started using the assemblyline. I also feel some responsibility asa motorsport engineer to be a part of this movement. The general public is counting on us to comeup with a solution to the technical, social and personal challenges. Granted I think the most difficult challengesare the social and personal ones seeing as the new Cal Poly supermileage teambuilt a car that got 800 some odd miles per gallon. But with some of the greatest minds workingin motorsports, I feel that there is some responsibility to benefit society(and I think formula one is going about it completely wrong). This is our chance to really make adifference in society, our chance to make history, to do something amazing…something significant, something that will leave a legacy. This is a chance for the motorsport industryto show the rest of the world what we can do…
So any takers?
http://autoblog.xprize.org/