T2 takes Deakin's dynamic duo to Detroit

Deakin University’s entry for the Ford Global Challenge had all the cloak and dagger, top-secret stuff you would expect of a design for a car for the 21st Century.

That’s of course unless you happened to be at the Geelong Waterfront Campus when the 1/10 working modeled of the cryptically named T2 was being trialed up and down the hallways.

“I hope no one from the other universities was watching when we were doing that,” said a smiling Stuart Hanafin; in between yet another sip of the coffee that had been keeping him awake during the last days and nights of getting the entry ready.

Stuart and his mates were pretty safe. Deakin is the only Australian university invited to take part in Ford’s Global Challenge to design a Model T for the 21st Century.

“Yeah, and I can’t image the other uni’s from Europe or America would have sent someone out just to watch our model in action,” said Tim de Souza, who with Stuart, made the trip to Ford’s fabled headquarters at Dearborn in Detroit with the entry.

The relief before they flew out was palpable.

“It’s been a lot of fun,” said Tim, “but it’s been a lot of hard work, and meeting the deadlines has placed a lot of pressure on not just Stuart and me, but a whole range of people who have worked really hard to get the entry ready.”

Typical of Deakin’s famed cross-disciplinary approach to research, it wasn’t just the University’s talented young engineers involved in preparing the entry, but designers, even researchers from business and law.

“It’s not just about designing the car, it’s about creating the new society and environment that goes with it,” said Stuart.

But he wasn’t about to say much more.

“Until the announcement in Detroit on October 1, the rest is all top secret!” he said, gave another weary smile and reached for the coffee cup.

For more information: www.deakin.edu.au/research/stories/dynamic.php?story_id=72

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