SIAM Hosts 20th Styling & Design Conclave and 18th Automotive Design Challenge in Goa!

The Society of Indian Automobile Manufacturers (SIAM) successfully organised the 20th SIAM Styling & Design Conclave along with the 18th Automotive Design Challenge (ADC) in Goa, bringing together automobile designers, industry leaders, global experts and academic institutions under the theme “Collaborative Creativity: Building India’s Mobility Design Ecosystem.” The event highlighted the growing strategic importance of design in India’s automotive sector as mobility solutions evolve in response to sustainability goals, changing consumer expectations and rapid technological advancement.

The conclave focused on how automotive styling and design are no longer limited to visual differentiation, but are now central to shaping the overall vehicle experience across segments. Discussions explored the expanding role of aesthetics, form, materials and user-centric design in creating vehicles that balance desirability, functionality, affordability and environmental responsibility. SIAM emphasised that building strong domestic design capabilities will require deeper collaboration between OEMs, suppliers, design studios and educational institutions, supported by long-term investments in talent development and design thinking.

As part of its continuing efforts to strengthen India’s automotive design ecosystem, SIAM launched a white paper titled “Evolution of Automotive Design in India.” The document traces the development of design capabilities in the country and outlines how India can move up the value chain by integrating global best practices with local insights. It also highlights the need to embed design earlier in the product development process and to encourage closer engagement between industry and academia.

The Automotive Design Challenge provided a dedicated platform for emerging designers to showcase future-oriented mobility concepts aligned with evolving social, technological and environmental needs. A total of 53 students from design colleges across the country participated in this edition of ADC, presenting innovative ideas that reflected new approaches to mobility, inclusivity and user experience. The competition reinforced SIAM’s focus on nurturing the next generation of automotive designers and giving them direct exposure to industry expectations.

In his inaugural address, Prashant K Banerjee, Executive Director, SIAM, noted that meaningful mobility solutions are shaped by the combined impact of sustainability, desirability and affordability. He emphasised that these three pillars must work together to address India’s unique requirements while also responding to global environmental priorities and regulatory expectations.

G Sathiyaseelan, Chairman of the SIAM Styling & Design Group and Design Director at Ashok Leyland, highlighted that user experience should be driven by empathy and solution-oriented thinking. He stressed the importance of enabling gender-sensitive transportation solutions and improving last-mile connectivity to ensure mobility systems are inclusive and accessible to a wider population.

Offering a global perspective, Andreas Kurbos, Founder and CEO of StudioKurbos GmbH, observed that as design tools become more accessible worldwide, identity will emerge as a key differentiator. He noted that India has the opportunity to create stronger international resonance in automotive design by drawing inspiration from its cultural heritage, while also strengthening design education to support long-term capability building.

Saurabh Singh, Co-Chairman of the SIAM Styling & Design Group and Senior Vice President (Design & Modeling) at Maruti Suzuki India Ltd., added that emotionally engaging and thought-provoking dialogue is essential to trigger deeper conversations and meaningful action. He emphasised the need to build a more ambitious and forward-looking vision for India’s automotive design future.

The conclave sessions featured discussions on integrating aesthetics with functionality, material innovation, sustainability and design-led differentiation, alongside emerging trends influencing next-generation vehicle styling. A panel discussion also examined the importance of inculcating design thinking within automotive development teams to encourage creative problem-solving and closer collaboration between industry and academia.

The final round evaluation of the Automotive Design Challenge was conducted during the conclave. The top 10 students were recognised for their performance, with Mr. Akshit Salunkhe from Ajeenkya DY Patil University winning first prize, Mr. Aman Mujawar from IIT Delhi named first runner-up, and Mr. Chanakya Asangi from Strate School of Design announced as second runner-up. The event concluded with an interactive session between design students and industry professionals, reinforcing SIAM’s objective of fostering dialogue, mentorship and long-term growth in India’s automotive design ecosystem.