The Progressive Insurance Automotive X PRIZE

The goal of the Progressive Automotive X PRIZE is to inspire a new generation of viable, super fuel-efficient vehicles that offer more consumer choices. Ten million dollars in prizes will be awarded to the teams that win a stage race for lean, production-capable vehicles that exceed 100 MPGe. The Progressive Automotive X PRIZE will place a major focus on affordability, safety, and the environment. It is about developing real, production-capable cars that consumers want to buy, not science projects or concept cars. This progress is needed because today’s oil consumption is unsustainable and because automotive emissions significantly contribute to global warming and climate change. For more information about the ProgressiveAutomotive X PRIZE, please visit www.progressiveautoxprize.org or email progressiveautopress@xprize.org.

The X PRIZE Foundation

The X PRIZE Foundation is an educational nonprofit prize institute whose mission is to create radical breakthroughs for the benefit of humanity. In 2004, the Foundation captured world headlines when Burt Rutan, backed by Microsoft co-founder Paul Allen, built and flew the world’s first private vehicle to space to win the $10 million Ansari X PRIZE. The Foundation has since launched the $10 million Archon X PRIZE for Genomics, the $30 million Google Lunar X PRIZE, and the $10 million Progressive Automotive X PRIZE. The Foundation is creating prizes in five areas:Exploration (Space and Underwater), Life Sciences, Energy & Environment, Education and Global Development. The Foundation is widely recognized as the leading model for fostering innovation through competition. For more information, please visit www.xprize.org or email prcontact@xprize.org .

ABOUT BDCOTSRUS

We are thrilled to be competing in the Progressive X Prize Competition. BDCOTSRUS is a horizontally integrated group of engineers, consultants, and friends that share a common goal of increasing the efficiency of an existing design. This is an exciting opportunity to be a part of a competition to further promote changing the way people and corporations view, produce, and utilize automobiles. We have all become increasingly aware of the necessity to reduce our consumption of fuel. Increasing the efficiency of our cars is a start.

We want to promote a design for personal transportation that is safe, environmentally friendly, fuel efficient, and cost effective. We believe that a car that achieves one-hundred miles per-gallon does not need to be proto-typical because, the technology is currently available. Towards that end, we intend to use off-the–shelf components that are currently available in the market. Our plan is to convert an existing compact car to meet the fuel efficiency requirements while not re-inventing the production process.

About Bob

Robert McNeill earned his undergraduate degree in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Central Florida and his graduate degree in Industrial and Systems Engineering from the University of Florida. He is a registered engineering intern in the State of Florida. He has extensive mechanical experience in engineering design and manufacturing and has taught mechanical and industrial engineering students in a hands on laboratory environment at the University of Central Florida.

Over the course of his career, Robert has gained a broad spectrum of experience and brings his wisdom, extensive hands on capability and creativity to the bdcotsrus team. Career highlights include:

Member of the research and development team for an automotive industry company that manufactured injection molded and stamped components

Working in the tradeshow and marketing industry

Employment in the entertainment field designing and developing methods to enhance their buildings throughout the United States and Europe

Teaching graduate and undergraduate engineering level lab sections to students

Consultant involved in the design and manufacture of small arms and small arms components as well as squad level weapons and training systems

Engineering manager for a company that manufactured components for use in medical and military devices and systems

Designed and manufactured hardware for simulated countermeasures training system

Robert is a member of the Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE).

About Doug

Douglas Hungerford earned his bachelors degree in Electrical Engineering from the University of Central Florida. He has extensive electrical and technical experience in engineering design and manufacturing and takes pride in working from concept to completion.

Over the course of his 24-year career, Douglas brings to the bdcotsrus team a wealth of expertise, passion and a genuine commitment to winning the X Prize Competition. Career highlights include:

Control system designs and programming for industrial plants, multi-axis motion simulators, and theme park attractions/rides worldwide (Includes Class 1 level safety system designs of hardware and software)

Research and development in water treatment systems, electro-coagulation, and photo catalytic oxidation/reduction

DoD simulation experience includes weapons training systems, maintenance trainers and familiarization trainers

Douglas is a member of The International Council on Systems Engineering (INCOSE).