Ford Motor Company to sponsor Clemson Deep Orange 10 autonomous vehicle prototype

Ford Motor Company will sponsor the 10th generation Deep Orange vehicle prototype designed and conceived by automotive engineering students at the Clemson University International Center for Automotive Research (CU-ICAR).

Deep Orange is hands-on project-based learning focused on systems integration and innovation. The project showcases advanced technology and provides students an opportunity to work directly with automotive industry partners to develop innovative ideas and concepts.

For the tenth iteration of Deep Orange, students will develop a clean slate, purpose-built, electric autonomous mobility concept for 2030 Smart City life. Automotive engineering students will gain real-world experience by developing an ingenious vehicle design, open autonomous vehicle architecture and disruptive innovations. As part of the educational experience, students will explore innovations in user experience, such as ride comfort, voice and gesture control, and integration of passenger biometric and pose information with vehicle functions.

“We look forward to the fresh insights and the energy that the Clemson students will bring to the vehicle development process,” said James Forbes, technical leader UX Implementation for Ford Motor Company. “This collaboration will provide us a new perspective on the opportunities presented by cutting-edge technologies now available to us.”

The program runs the course of two academic years in parallel with Clemson’s master’s program in automotive engineering.

Pierluigi Pisu, associate professor at CU-ICAR who leads the Deep Orange 10 project, said this represents a unique and exciting challenge for students and faculty.

“Deep Orange 10 will give students an opportunity to experience the complexity of modern vehicle development and overcome the challenges of human-centered innovation for the autonomous vehicles of the future,” he said.

Clemson University International Center for Automotive Research

The Clemson University International Center for Automotive Research (CU-ICAR) is a 250-acre advanced-technology research campus where university, industry and government organizations collaborate. CU-ICAR offers master’s and Ph.D. programs in automotive engineering and is conducting leading-edge applied research in critical areas, such as advanced product-development strategies, sustainable mobility, intelligent manufacturing systems and advanced materials. CU-ICAR has industrial-scale laboratories and testing equipment in world-class facilities available for commercial use. www.cuicar.com

Ford Motor Company

Ford Motor Company is a global company based in Dearborn, Michigan. The company designs, manufactures, markets and services a full line of Ford cars, trucks, SUVs, electrified vehicles and Lincoln luxury vehicles, provides financial services through Ford Motor Credit Company and is pursuing leadership positions in electrification, autonomous vehicles and mobility solutions. Ford employs approximately 202,000 people worldwide. For more information regarding Ford, its products and Ford Motor Credit Company, please visit www.corporate.ford.com.