Revolutionary steering design saves money and the environment 21 April 2010

A young entrepreneur from Hammersmith has scooped a national award after creating an innovative steering design for vehicles.

Dubbed AAAS Steering (annularly arranged articulating segments), it promises operators improved manoeuvrability combined with reduced wear and tear on tyres and improved fuel consumption.

James Martin, aged 25, impressed the panel of judges in the Shell LiveWIRE Grand Ideas Awards, with his business idea, and received £1,000 to develop his AAAS Steering.

Martin, who says he has "always dabbled in design and engineering", won an Engineering Leadership Award in 2007, which allowed him to see some of the world's finest inventions.

That award, from the Royal Academy of Engineering, was funded by the Institute of Physics, and inspired him to create his own model idea.

Says Martin: "In such a tough economic climate, it's easy to be put off starting a business but I'd urge any young entrepreneurs with a good idea to have a go. There's a lot of support available from programmes like Shell LiveWIRE, which can help you turn your business idea into a reality."

Initially AAAS Steering will target the materials handling vehicle sector, particularly forklift trucks, he says. However, in the future, Martin says he would like to see the business diversify to become the steering norm for road going vehicles.

Author
Brian Tinham

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