Rethinking Automotive Engineering Education -- Deep Orange as a Collaborative Innovation Framework for Project-Based Learning Incorporating Real-World Case Studies.

Through the traditional education for engineering discipline, students are expected to be familiar with basics of engineering design and principles through stages of educational materials explanation and a series of assignments and/or class projects. Commonly, the knowledge flow offered to engineering students is based on a step-by-step process taught by faculty using textbooks. Real-world problems often necessitate solutions that are not obtainable from traditional textbooks, such as ideation and selection of meaningful solutions, learning to deal with trade-offs, balancing competing properties, collaborating and communicating with colleagues whose perspectives are shaped by different backgrounds, in addition to the ability to visualize solutions. This paper discusses the implementation of Project-Based Learning (PBL) within the curriculum of the automotive engineering department at Clemson University in collaboration with the transportation design department at Art Center College of Design (ACCD). The program, called Deep Orange, is focused on developing and producing innovative new vehicle concepts and is driven entirely by graduate automotive engineering and transportation design students as part of their education in collaboration with industry partners. The paper discusses and demonstrates the methodology followed to translate PBL components within the educational context as well as the process the students need to follow. During this process, the students start with translating the grand challenge (defined by the sponsoring industry partners) into consumer needs and wants incorporating market and trend analyses. The project proceeds with general explorations, investigation of various design and vehicle architecture alternatives including selection of one concept based on carefully balancing environmental, economic, and social aspects. During this process, the faculty serves as mentors rather than knowledge dispensers. The students are empowered to make decisions and justify their concept selection to different groups, i.e. faculty members and industrial partners. The last eight months of each project comprises of building a physical prototype and validation of target achievement. Extensive marketing of the project outcomes at trade-shows with graduates involved concludes each project. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]