DASH+ Contest Winners Bring their 'Dashboard of the Future' to Motor City as part of the Progressive Insurance Automotive X PRIZE National Education Program

DETROIT, July 19 /PRNewswire/ -- As winners of DASH+, the high school contest that challenged students across the country to design an eco-friendly dashboard of the future, a team of three students and their mentor will begin a three-day Grand Prize VIP experience in Detroit today.  DASH+ is part of the education program funded by the U.S. Department of Energy for the Progressive Insurance Automotive X PRIZE -- the competition to inspire a new generation of viable, super-efficient vehicles.  To kick off the trip, the team will first pitch its dashboard that encourages fuel-efficient driving to industry representatives, gaining feedback on the team's designs and ideas.

The winning team, from Santa Barbara, Calif., is comprised of Dos Pueblos High School students Jake Moghtader, 16, Nikhil Shinday, 15, and Kelvin Noronha, 15, and their adult mentor Kevin Schantz, a software architect at QAD -- a global provider of enterprise software and services.  In keeping with the inspiration for their name, EDV Technologies -- EDV stands for El Diseno Verde, meaning "Green Design" in Spanish -- the team's design incorporates technology that continuously calculates maximum fuel economy as well as alerts the driver of environmental impact and awards 'GreenPoints' to create an eco-friendly competition within the driver's social network.

"We are all really eager to show off our design in Detroit," Noronha said.  "This could be a great way to kick off a career in green technology or the auto industry. It's a really exciting opportunity, especially as we're very interested in cars."

DASH+ challenged students to use their creativity and science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) skills to design a dashboard, complete a technical plan and create a pitch video.  More than 10,000 online votes representing all 50 states were combined with scores from an independent panel of expert judges to determine the winning team.

"Detroit was chosen as our Grand Prize destination to place the team at the center of the automotive industry," said Mitch Aiken, Director of Education, Progressive Insurance Automotive X PRIZE.  "The trip is both a fun reward and an opportunity to expand the students' awareness of the career options that exist in the automotive and environmental industries."

The Grand Prize trip itinerary includes the following experiences:

The Henry Ford in Dearborn, MI

While at the museum, members of EDV will present their innovative dashboard to a panel of experts representing automotive design, technology, engineering and history including Sherif Marakby and Jeff Greenberg of Ford, Chris Gamble of GM, Arvon Mitcham of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and Bob Casey of The Henry Ford.  They will also enjoy a discussion and private lunch with a current American innovator and one of the auto industry's most influential battery experts, Ann Marie Sastry. In addition, they will have a curator-guided tour of Henry Ford Museum and take the Ford Rouge Factory Tour, where they'll see the final assembly process for Ford F-150 trucks.

College for Creative Studies in Detroit, MI

In a one-on-one workshop with Professor Clyde Foles, the students will take their dashboard to the next level with software used by automotive designers.  They will also participate in a discussion with a college admissions counselor who will offer advice on developing a portfolio and pursuing a career in transportation design.

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency in Ann Arbor, MI

At the EPA, the team will have the opportunity to see environmental professionals at work.  They will also tour the facilities used to test emissions standards for vehicles and engines sold in the U.S., from small handheld devices to automobiles, construction equipment, long-haul trucks and more.

Progressive Insurance Automotive X PRIZE Final Stage at Michigan International Speedway, Brooklyn, MI Members of EDV will be recognized for their achievement at an evening reception during the Progressive Insurance Automotive X PRIZE National Education Program Day.  The event kicks off a host of exhibits and events happening throughout the country at science centers in the coming months and will feature key representatives from the U.S. Department of Energy, Progressive Insurance, The Henry Ford, Detroit Science Center and the Saint Louis Science Center.  While at the track, the team will also witness the final stages of the Progressive Insurance Automotive X PRIZE competition and meet the competing teams.

For more information on DASH+ and the Progressive Insurance Automotive X PRIZE Education Program, visit http://fuelourfuturenow.com/contest.

ABOUT THE DASH+ STUDENT CONTEST

As part of the Progressive Insurance Automotive X PRIZE Education Program, funded by a $3.5 million dollar grant from the U.S. Department of Energy, DASH+ challenges students to use their creativity, science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) skills to design, describe, and pitch the next generation of automotive dashboards. Members of the winning DASH+ team will make their mark in the automotive industry by inventing a new way to think about transportation and eco-driving behaviors by collaborating with fellow students and putting their STEM skills to the test. More information is available online at www.FuelOurFutureNow.com/contest.

ABOUT THE PROGRESSIVE INSURANCE AUTOMOTIVE X PRIZE

The goal of the Progressive Insurance Automotive X PRIZE is to inspire a new generation of viable, super fuel- efficient vehicles that offer more consumer choices. Ten million dollars in prizes will be awarded to the teams that win a stage competition for clean, production-capable vehicles that exceed 100 Miles per gallon or energy equivalent (MPGe). The Progressive Insurance Automotive X PRIZE will place a major focus on efficiency, safety, affordability, and the environment. It is about developing real, production-capable cars that consumers will want to buy, not science projects or concept cars. This progress is needed because today's oil consumption is unsustainable and because automotive emissions significantly contribute to global warming and climate change. For more information about the Progressive Insurance Automotive X PRIZE, please visit www.progressiveautoxprize.org or email [email protected].

ABOUT THE X PRIZE FOUNDATION

The X PRIZE Foundation is an educational nonprofit prize institute whose mission is to create radical breakthroughs for the benefit of humanity. In 2004, the Foundation captured world headlines when Burt Rutan, backed by Microsoft co-founder Paul Allen, built and flew the world's first private vehicle to space to win the $10 million Ansari X PRIZE. The Foundation has since launched the $10 million Archon X PRIZE for Genomics, the $30 million Google Lunar X PRIZE, and the $10 million Progressive Insurance Automotive X PRIZE. The Foundation is creating and conducting competitions in four prize groups: Exploration (Space and Oceans), Life Sciences, Energy & Environment, and Education & Global Development. The Foundation is widely recognized as the leader in fostering innovation through competition. For more information, please visit www.xprize.org.

SOURCE Progressive Automotive X PRIZE