Buckeye Engineer named finalist in Magna Student Innovation Challenge

Chemical and biomolecular engineering major Erica Brackman has earned a finalist spot in the Magna Student Innovation Challenge and, along with it, a trip to the 2015 International Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas.

In advance of its participation at CES, global automotive supplier Magna challenged engineering and industrial design students throughout the U.S. to share their vision of the car of the future. Students like Erica submitted a Vine video showing what they think a car in the 2020s should do. The videos were evaluated by a panel of judges from Magna on criteria such as creativity, feasibility, and quality.

“I feel honored to have been chosen and to represent Ohio State’s College of Engineering at the Consumer Electronics Show,” Erica said. “I am looking forward to experiencing all that CES has to offer and, hopefully, contributing to the development of the car of the future.”

In her Vine video and essay, Erica suggests that Magna leverage its expertise in vision and camera systems to capture video evidence of certain events, like collisions.

“If Magna, a leader in camera technology development, could use their new camera product line, coupled with sensors, to snap a picture following an accident, more license plate numbers could be caught on film,” Erica wrote, “and more bad drivers could be held accountable for their actions.”

While at CES, Jan. 6-9, Erica and the 11 other finalists will compete in a design challenge at Magna’s booth and have a chance to network with industry leaders and experience one of the largest trade shows in the world. The judging panel will select the winners of the design challenge, each of whom will be offered the choice of a scholarship or an internship opportunity at Magna.

“The automobile is becoming far more than just a means of transportation,” said Swamy Kotagiri, Magna’s chief technology officer. “As global megatrends over the next 25-plus years drive our innovation and development activities, Magna’s outreach to universities, entrepreneurs and technical institutes will help us define how vehicles will become smarter, cleaner, safer and lighter.”