Challenge Bibendum paves the way for the future

Can you imagine how mobility would be 75 years from now? How people and products would be transported from one place to another?

As most experts predict fossil fuel may either be all pumped out or just so darn expensive even for many industries to afford, much more for the ordinary motorists. What can this generation do in order to mitigate the possible miseries of our children’s children and the other generations to come?

This was just one of the many issues that were extensively discussed at the recently concluded "2006 Challenge Bibendum". Held in Paris, France last June 8 to June 12, the 8th edition of this powerful conference put together by Michelin Tires had its beginnings in 1998 — to celebrate the 100th birthday of Bibendum, the Michelin Man.

So to celebrate the Bibendum’s centenary in style, a Challenge aimed at promoting clean technologies in the motor industry was set up, not in a laboratory but on the roads — not to be just described but to be proven to actually work.

That was when the idea of a rally came up between Michelin’s head office in Clearmont-Ferrand and the famous Avenue Des Champs-Elysees in Paris. During the competition, technical trials were organized at the Magny-Cours circuit, home of the French Formula One Grand Prix and at the famous Montlhery Circuit. Originally, the event was to be a unique one-off event. But it aroused real interest in the motor and transport industry. For at least one reason: as Michelin isn’t a car maker, it could provide a guarantee of total impartiality between the competitors. It was therefore decided to hold the event again in September 2000. The route was the same, with the exception of Montlhery being replaced by the Le Mans Circuit, well-known in the motor industry.

With the continuing success, it was decided to venture across the Atlantic to organize a new Challenge Bibendum in the United States. The event, which was by then annual, took place in Los Angeles. The world’s eight leading carmakers and energy producers, along with leading universities, and a number of high technology firms all took part.

The technical events, with the possibility for journalists and personalities to test the vehicles, were held on the California Speedway in Fontana near Los Angeles. The rally, meanwhile, crossed the Nevada desert to Las Vegas. The third Challenge Bibendum ended with a symposium on sustainable mobility in conjunction with the Specialty Equipment Manufacturers Association (SEMA) Show. SEMA is America’s largest show for motor spares and accessories.

In 2002, it returned to Europe and Heidelberg in Germany. The events, tests and trials took place on the famous circuit on the outskirts of Hockenheim. The road event ended in Paris and more specifically at the Paris Motor Show.

The following year, Challenge Bibendum once again crossed the Atlantic. In 2003, the event took place in the attractive Sonoma wine region, about 100 km north of San Francisco, and on its Infineon Raceway, home to many American motor sports competition.

About 100 vehicles took part in the different competitions. For the first time, buses and trucks took part in the event. A sign of the times, even before the recent surge in oil prices, half of the private vehicles in the competition were entirely or partially electrically-powered: 12 all-electric, 13 hybrids.

In 2004, the sixth Challenge Bibendum took place in Shanghai; trials were held on the magnificent Formula One Circuit. The event was dominated by hydrogen-powered vehicles, as well as hybrids and biofuel cars. Another star was the electric battery, whose improvements are making credible solution for two-wheelers, buses, taxis and delivery vans.

The recently held Challenge Bibendum further reflects the commitment of everyone in the automobile stakeholder community — carmakers, energy suppliers and their technology partners to non-government organizations and politicians, to enhancing and clarifying the current debate concerning sustainable mobility. Such a commitment is essential if we want to more effectively promote the type of road mobility that is capable of meeting the energy, environmental and people challenges of tomorrow.

During the last century — and it is still true today — economic growth and social development benefited immensely from the growing use of trucks, buses and cars to transport people and goods. The considerable progress enjoyed by people in North America, Europe and Japan has been largely driven by the internal combustion engine and oil.

When this model is extrapolated into the future, however, its limits soon become apparent once we integrate the economic development of more and more densely populated countries, along with other issues such as limited fossil fuel reserves, urban growth, air quality, the demand for greater security and conservation of the natural environment. While huge progress has already been made in some areas, it is nevertheless quite obvious that we still need to make a number of course adjustments.

In this spirit, Challenge Bibendum is dedicated to the single goal of helping to find new ways forward. How? By giving today’s opinion leaders, the media and decision-makers a clear, impartial, credible look at how the "state-of-the-art" in science and technology can pave the way to the development of appropriate forms of mobility. A real commitment to progress in this crucial area will require decisions impacting all of society. Ultimately, everyone has a role to play, whether government, industry or consumers.

Challenge Bibendum is designed to provide unbiased information on the latest technological advances in the field of eco-friendly vehicles.

Challenge Bibendum is not intended to provide solutions, but rather to spotlight the most significant advances in sustainable mobility. It helps people to understand the technologies involved, through practical demonstrations, and to see how each technology fits in the overall picture.

Challenge Bibendum 2006 explored three main issues, namely: the energy challenge for tomorrow’s road transport, in as much as trucking accounts for 17% of emissions of CO2, the most important of the greenhouse gasses that cause global warming; advanced technologies to support increasingly urban road mobility, as more and more people live in cities; and technology and road safety.

The first three days of the event were reserved for technical tests, ride and drive, presentations and round table discussions with the fourth day, Saturday, June 11, set aside for the rally of all participating vehicles that started from CERAM, a government owned and operated testing facility that included a circuit, up to the heart of Paris. All the participating vehicles powered by different alternative fuels and technologies were presented to the public while they pass over a ramp set up near the Eiffel Tower for everyone to see.

On Monday, June 12, the International Forum actually capped the event. That was were the conclusions from the different tests and various round table discussions centering on the main issues being tackled this year were presented. Due to our departure schedule, we could only listen to the discussions on energy and road safety.

It was very interesting to know the advances of the research, development and actual use of "biofuels" in Brazil. We also learned that hydrogen, as an alternative fuel is being extensively studied and even in limited use in California with no less than its present governor, one-time box office buster, Arnold Swarzenegger initiating the moves for its promotion. What was interesting to learn also was the extent of the development and use of natural gas in many parts of the world.

Of course, we could easily relate to biofuels and natural gas as these are on the table in our country for us to explore further as alternative fuels and hedge for the seemingly unending fuel price increases.

Now the topic of road safety, very close to the Philippine media contingent (Popong Andolong of Business Mirror & Rev Magazine, Ron delos Reyes of Auto Review and myself representing the The Philippine STARr and Sunshine Television), being all founding members of the Society of Philippine Motoring Journalists (SPMJ) whose advocacy is "Road Safety Education for the Youth," had quite an extensive discussion with no less than France’s Minister for Transport, Equipment, Tourism and Maritime Affairs, Mr. Dominique Perben, on the lead.

We learned from the French Minister that 3,000 people a day die and 90% of these are pedestrians, cyclists, motorcyclists or public vehicle users. In France, road safety is being promoted through three major factors, namely; Vehicles, where the use of speed governors or limiters is being pushed by the government, Infrastructure, wherein the decentralization of road network management is being espoused and the optimize use of extensive road signs and Behavior, where driver behavior is being improved by strictly penalizing reckless and drunk drivers and educating the youth on road safety.

It was a very educational travel experience to Paris, France that we had, with side trips lead by Popong Andolong, tracing the "Da Vinci Code" clues. Thanks to Don Popong’s "get by" knowledge of the French language, we found our way through the subways of Paris.

But what was really rewarding was the new knowledge we bring back regarding the efforts being exerted worldwide, with this one in particular being initiated by Michelin, to find ways and means to sustain if not improve on what we already have today for the benefit of the generations to come to meet their travel and mobility needs and requirements in this planet.

We thank Riz Dalangin, country representative of Michelin in the Philippines for the opportunity, along with Ms. Rebecca Lee, of Michelin Asia and based in Singapore, who’s wholesomely "infanticipating." Based on how pretty she still became, Don Popong and I have predicted that she would have a girl for a first-born. We would also like to thank Ms. Grace Chee for the expert handling of the needs of the Philippine motoring media group.

Happy Motoring!!!

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