CSUN Team’s Project for Car of Future Runs Out of Time

For more than a year, a team of Cal State Northridge engineering students worked feverishly on a prototype for a car of the future, one that would surpass all known achievements in fuel efficiency.

They were racing against students from 11 other universities who were finalists this week in the Future Car Challenge, a competition co-sponsored by the U.S. Department of Energy and the Big Three auto makers.

Unfortunately, the Northridge entry didn’t even make it to Detroit.

The CSUN team had planned to bring a modified Chevrolet Lumina to the Motor City for tests that began last week.

But university officials said complications with the vehicle’s power and energy systems prevented students from completing the project in time.

Contest spokesman Jack Groh said Northridge was the only team absent from the event, which included a road rally, acceleration and handling tests. The Northridge team still has an opportunity “to work out the bugs” before next year’s final evaluation, he said.

“Sure they’re disappointed,” said Tim Fox, a CSUN professor of mechanical engineering and the team’s faculty advisor, referring to the 60 students who participated in the project.

Fox said the car would be ready to roll by September, and would be entered in the contest next year.