SIAM Hosts 20th Styling & Design Conclave, Focuses on India’s Mobility Design Ecosystem

The Society of Indian Automobile Manufacturers (SIAM) recently organised the 20th SIAM Styling & Design Conclave alongside the 18th Automotive Design Challenge (ADC) in Goa. Held under the theme “Collaborative Creativity: Building India’s Mobility Design Ecosystem,” the event brought together automobile designers, industry leaders, academicians and students to discuss the evolving role of styling and design in India’s automotive sector.

The conclave underscored the growing importance of collaboration between industry, academia and the design community to strengthen India’s automotive design capabilities. Discussions revolved around changing consumer expectations, the role of aesthetics and form, and the need to deliver holistic vehicle experiences across segments. As part of the event, SIAM also launched a white paper titled “Evolution of Automotive Design in India,” highlighting the journey and future direction of automotive design in the country.

Industry Leaders Share Design Perspectives

In his inaugural address, Prashant K Banerjee, Executive Director, SIAM, said, “Meaningful mobility solutions emerge from the confluence of sustainability, desirability, and affordability. These three essential pillars that must work together to address local needs while aligning with evolving environmental priorities.” 

Echoing the importance of inclusive design, G Sathiyaseelan, Chairman, SIAM Styling & Design Group and Design Director at Ashok Leyland, emphasised empathy-driven design with a focus on gender-sensitive transportation and improved last-mile connectivity.

Global perspectives were also shared during the conclave. Andreas Kurbos, Founder and CEO of StudioKurbos GMBH, noted that India’s rich cultural legacy could serve as a strong foundation for creating distinctive design identities. Saurabh Singh, Co-Chairman of the SIAM Styling & Design Group and Senior Vice President at Maruti Suzuki India Ltd., said, “Shaping India through thought-provoking and emotionally engaging dialogue is essential to spark deeper conversations and meaningful action, and the country must set its sights on a bolder, more ambitious vision for its automotive future.”

ARAI’s Swayam-GO Test Car is Learning About Indian Roads to Power Your ADAS Features

Multiple sessions of discussion around design

During the first session of the conclave, industry leaders and company spokespersons shared perspectives on the evolving role of automotive styling and design. The discussion largely centred on aligning aesthetics with functionality, advancing material innovation, addressing sustainability, and leveraging design-led differentiation to meet changing customer expectations. 

The second session featured insights from industry and design leaders on next-generation automotive styling and design. The session highlighted innovation, creative approaches and emerging trends shaping the future of vehicle design. The third session, a panel discussion titled “Inculcating Design Thinking for Creative Solutions,” underscored the importance of embedding design thinking within automotive development processes. 

The discussion focused on encouraging creative problem-solving and strengthening collaboration between industry and academia to support innovative mobility solutions.  The final round evaluation of the Automotive Design Challenge (ADC) was also conducted during the conclave, during which the top 10 students were felicitated in recognition of their performance. 

Akshit Salunkhe from Ajeenkya DY Patil University was announced as the first prize winner, followed by Aman Mujawar from IIT Delhi as the first runner-up and Chanakya Asangi from Strate School of Design as the second runner-up.The conclave concluded with an interactive session between design students and design professionals, facilitating knowledge exchange and industry interaction.