Tomorrow's Car Interior Re-Imagined in Student Design Competition

SOUTHFIELD, Mich., March 11 /PRNewswire/ -- Vehicle interiors that double as environmentally friendly gardens and seats that slide in virtually any configuration to meet passenger needs might be just around the corner.  At least, that's the future seen through the eyes of students participating in the first Ward's Auto Interiors Student Design Competition.

Organized by Ward's Automotive Group and the College for Creative Studies (CCS), the competition encourages CCS students to envision a vehicle interior that will meet the needs of a young, "green-minded" family in the year 2020.  The contest is sponsored by automotive suppliers International Automotive Components (IAC) and Lear Corporation, with support from SAE International.

"It's really fun to see the fresh ideas these incredibly talented students have for future vehicles," says Drew Winter, Editor-in-Chief of Ward's AutoWorld.  "The vehicle interior is more important than ever to busy families who expect their cars and trucks to not just transport them from point A to point B, but become part of their lifestyle.  And from an auto maker's perspective, the vehicle interior now is playing as important a role in establishing brand identity as the exterior design."

All design entries will be on display at the SAE World Congress (April 13-15, 2010, Cobo Hall, Detroit, MI) in Ward's booth M-1112.  Finalists will be unveiled during a ceremony at the Ward's booth on Wednesday, April 14 at 4:30 pm.  The finalists will then be honored at the Ward's Auto Interiors Conference (May 19, 2010, Ritz-Carlton Hotel, Dearborn MI), where the grand prize winner will be announced, along with recipients of special awards from IAC and Lear.

For more information on the Ward's Auto Interiors Conference, and to obtain high-resolution or web-ready photographs, visit  http://wardsauto.com/studentcompetition.

About Ward's Automotive Group

Ward's Automotive Group is a world-leading provider of auto industry news, data and analysis, having served the industry's information needs for nearly 80 years. Ward's AutoWorld is a monthly magazine serving more than 68,000 automotive professionals.  The twice-monthly newsletter Ward's Engine & Vehicle Technology Update provides analysis of engineering advancements and technical issues. WardsAuto.com is an online subscription service delivering virtually all the industry news, data and analysis compiled by Ward's Automotive Group, the world's leader in automotive industry information. A Southfield, MI - based division of Penton Media, Inc., Ward's Automotive Group also publishes the weekly industry newsletter Ward's Automotive Reports, the monthly magazine Ward's Dealer Business, and offers a wealth of other automotive information services including reference annuals, online databases, and customized data reports.

About Penton Media, Inc.

As a leading, independent, business-to-business media company, Penton knows business and how to create and disseminate the vital content that moves markets. Penton serves the information needs of more than six million business professionals every month in industries ranging from Agriculture and Aviation to Electronics, Natural Products, and Information Technology. Penton is where professionals turn to gain the critical insight, expert analysis, and relevant connections needed to compete and succeed.  Headquartered in New York City, the privately held company is owned by MidOcean Partners and U.S. Equity Partners II, an investment fund sponsored by Wasserstein & Co., LP, and its co-investors.  For additional information on the company and its businesses, visit www.penton.com.

About the College for Creative Studies

Located in Detroit, the College for Creative Studies is a world leader in art and design education and prepares students to enter the new, global economy where creativity shapes better communities and societies. A private, fully accredited college, CCS enrolls 1,400 students pursuing Master of Fine Arts degrees in Design and Transportation Design and Bachelor of Fine Arts degrees in Advertising Design, Art Education, Crafts, Entertainment Arts, Fine Arts, Graphic Design, Illustration, Interior Design, Photography, Product Design and Transportation Design. The College also offers non-credit courses in the visual arts through its Continuing Education programs and opportunities for over 4,000 Detroit youth annually through its Community Arts Partnerships programs. For more information visit www.collegeforcreativestudies.edu.

SOURCE Penton Media, Inc.