A' Vehicle, Mobility and Transportation Design Awards opens early entries for 2026

A' Design Award & Competition has opened early entries for its 2026 Vehicle, Mobility and Transportation Design Awards, with a June 30 deadline for preliminary submissions and results due May 1, 2027. The contest targets designers, manufacturers and mobility firms worldwide as the organization expands its recognition program for transportation innovation.

Why it matters: - The awards give mobility and transportation designers a global platform to showcase work tied to safety, accessibility, efficiency and sustainability. - Winning entries can receive marketing exposure, publication support and recognition that may help designers and brands reach new audiences. - The program also positions vehicle design as part of a broader push for innovative transportation systems with social, environmental and economic impact.

What happened: - A' Design Award & Competition opened early entries for the A' International Vehicle, Mobility and Transportation Design Awards 2026 on June 25, 2026. - The competition is open to applicants worldwide, including vehicle designers, mobility solution providers, transportation design studios, automotive engineers, vehicle brands, manufacturers, industrial designers, aerospace engineers, R&D firms, public transport authorities and related companies. - Eligible projects must have been designed within the last 10 years. - The early deadline is June 30, 2026. - Results will be announced on May 1, 2027.

The details: - The competition has two phases. - The first phase is free and lets entrants register, submit a work and receive a preliminary score. - Projects that pass preliminaries can move to nomination, which carries a nominal fee. - Entries are evaluated anonymously through peer review. - The jury panel includes more than 300 academics, journalists, design professionals, museum curators, investors and industry experts. - Representative submissions can include cars, motorcycles, bicycles, trucks, buses, trains, ships and aircraft. - Sub-category information is available here. - Professional-edition laureates receive the A' Design Prize, which includes a Design Excellence Certificate, a lifetime license to use the winner logo, a yearbook of best designs, exhibitions in Italy, an award trophy, an invitation to the gala night, translations into foreign languages, entry to Prime Clubs, and inclusion in World Design Rankings, Designer Rankings, Vehicle Design Classifications and Design Legends platforms. - Winners also receive an exclusive interview, a press release announcing the victory and a press kit with design images, photographs, logos and high-resolution visuals. - The press kit and A' Design Prize are provided free of charge to laureates. - Press materials will be distributed to thousands of accredited media members, and dozens of press partners have already agreed to publish a selection of winning projects. - Past winners are listed here. - Participants can register here.

Between the lines: - The competition is built as much around promotion as evaluation, with prizes, exhibitions, media distribution and rankings designed to amplify winning work. - The broad eligibility list suggests A' Design Award & Competition is trying to cast a wide net across traditional vehicle design and adjacent mobility innovation. - The emphasis on anonymous peer review and a large international jury is meant to frame the awards as credible as well as promotional.

What's next: - Designers and companies can submit early entries before the June 30 deadline. - Qualified projects will advance through the nomination phase ahead of the 2027 results announcement. - More information is available at designaward.com.