Reinventing the automobile: towards lighter, more connected and responsible solutions
On Thursday December 4, the Société des Ingénieurs de l’Automobile (SIA) and ESTACA organized a conference on the emergence of a new vehicle segment between the quadricycle and the automobile.
The afternoon opened with an exhibition of prototypes, followed by a visit to ESTACA’Lab, before continuing with a conference-debate at the crossroads of social, environmental and strategic mobility issues.
What if the future of mobility lay in a new type of car?
The automotive industry is facing a number of engineering challenges to improve energy efficiency and reduce pollutant emissions. Against a backdrop of changing regulations in the European Union up to 2035, automakers are thinking about new vehicle models.
New models are currently emerging between the light quadricycle and the traditional car and are creating a new segment: an intermediate vehicle, which is more fuel-efficient and better suited to everyday travel. But is this utopia or a necessity?
The question is not just a technical one, but also a societal one: what compromise are we prepared to accept between comfort, cost and environmental impact?
Ahead of the conference, a survey was carried out among ESTACA students to find out whether they, as car and petrol enthusiasts, would be willing to switch to a small, more fuel-efficient electric vehicle… The results show that they seem open to this new type of vehicle, intended for more moderate use.
The event brought together experts, manufacturers and students in a fascinating round table which explored the opportunities and challenges of this emerging segment, designed to meet the needs of everyday use while integrating the requirements of energy sobriety and reduced pollutant emissions.
→ Watch the replay of the conference
Training engineers for sustainable mobility
This meeting illustrates ESTACA’s dynamic and growing interest in innovative and sustainable mobility solutions, at a time when the automotive industry is facing major engineering challenges.
Tomorrow’s engineers will have to come up with vehicles that are lighter, more connected and more responsible, and able to adapt to increasingly diverse mobility needs.
Between the energy transition, the rise of electric and hybrid powertrains, and new technologies for safety and autonomy, every vehicle represents a real technical and environmental challenge.
ESTACA is a key player in training these talents capable of rethinking mobility, reconciling performance, innovation and sustainability, while anticipating changes in the industry’s social and regulatory environment.
→ Also worth a look:
- Interview with Bertrand Barbedette, Head of the Valorization Department and ESTACA’Lab expert teacher-researcher: Towards new vehicles for future engineers.
- Testimonials from 5th year students specializing in Engineering and design in project mode: Engineering students projected into the future.
