DETROIT, Jan. 10 /PRNewswire/ -- Michelin announced the theme for its international vehicle design competition Michelin Challenge Design(TM)(MCD) today, asking entrants of the 2007 program to explore the future of transportation design using safety as the focus and inspiration. "Road Safety for Everyone" is the official theme in what has become one of the country's fastest-growing design forums.

For 2007, designers will be challenged to create vehicles that are independently safe and can better share the road with trucks, motorcycles, passenger vehicles and pedestrians. They will have to consider how their design interacts with vehicles of other sizes and types while emphasizing accident avoidance, occupant protection and pedestrian safety. These principal criteria are to be balanced with consideration of commercial viability based on the design's overall visual appeal.

In the last five years, Michelin Challenge Design has been the catalyst for design students, design firms, professional designers from top car companies, and individual designers from all over the world to have their work exhibited at a major international auto show in support of a central theme. Last year, submissions were received from designers in more than 40 countries. The competition has featured five geographic design themes: Italian (2002); French (2003); Cars for the Emerging Chinese market (2004); German (2005) and California (2006).

According to Tom Chubb, vice president of marketing for Michelin Automotive Industry Division, the shift to a safety-focused program from a geographic one is significant and in keeping with the real-world challenges facing the global transportation community.

"Safety, like fuel economy and the impact on the environment, is a large and powerful consideration when it comes to vehicle design and research and development. It will continue to be a major area of focus in both existing and emerging automobile markets," said Chubb, "and one that will provide Michelin a solid basis for future design competition themes."

Vehicle designs that best represent the "Road Safety for Everyone" theme as determined by a jury of automotive industry experts will receive prominent display in the Michelin Challenge Design exhibit at the North American International Auto Show next January 7-21, 2007.

The world's largest tire maker, Michelin (www.michelin.com) manufactures and sells tires for every type of vehicle, including airplanes, automobiles, bicycles, earthmovers, farm equipment, heavy-duty trucks, motorcycles and the space shuttle. The company also publishes travel guides, maps and atlases covering Europe, Asia, Africa and North America. Headquartered in Greenville, S.C., Michelin North America employs more than 23,000 and operates 20 plants in 16 locations.