Internationalisation of collaborative model for automotive research

Deakin’s success in collaborative research in automotive materials and technologies has been further recognised globally.

The Sino-Australia Initiative for Automotive Materials and Technologies (iAMT) was officially opened in Hefei last month by Mr Christopher Wright, the Australian Deputy Consul-General in China.

The iAMT is a research consortium between Deakin University and Hefei University of Technology (HFUT) in advanced automotive materials and technologies. It is one of the most important recent developments for both the Australian and Chinese automotive industry and was headline news in national media in China.

HFUT is located in Anhui province, 300km from Shanghai and is home to the two most popular Chinese automotive brands, Chery and JAC.

“The collaboration between Deakin and HFUT will absolutely help Australian and Chinese automotive industry in developing new and lightweight materials and introducing green manufacturing technologies,” said Mr Wright when opening the Consortium.

“Australia is one of the very few countries in the world that has the technologies and capacity to build cars from concept design to manufacturing and Australia is certainly interested in working together with the Chinese industry.”

Two Australian Federal Ministers, Simon Crean MHA and Senator Kim Carr visited China recently to help promote this country’s world-class automotive technologies.

Deakin University’s Professor Peter Hodgson also welcomed the new research consortium.

“Deakin is very excited at the opportunity of establishing this platform with HFUT to develop new materials and technologies for the automotive industry, particularly in relation to green technologies and systems,” he said.

Strongly supported by the Victorian and Commonwealth Governments the iAMT will work with Australian components companies and Chinese motor companies on the most challenging issues including emission control and efficiency improvement of vehicles, light metals and green manufacturing.

“This will support Australian components companies in accessing the huge Chinese market,” said Associate Professor Lingxue Kong, Deakin’s coordinator for the iAMT.

His participation in this project has been made possible by a “Taking Deakin University Forward” grant.

As a market, China is expected to overtake the United States in 2009 with more than 10 million cars being sold.

The opening of the iAMT was a highlight of the two-day 2nd Joint Forum on Automotive Materials and Technology between Deakin and HFUT.

Leading research scientists from the two universities and automotive companies presented their recent work, including representatives from Futuris, Chery, JAC and MA Steel. The third forum will be hosted by Deakin University and held in Geelong in 2010.

Other highlights of the Forum include Deakin’s awarding winning design, Ford Model T² from Dr Bernard Rolfe and a presentation on Quickstep from Dr Russell Walker.

Deakin University would like to acknowledge the strong financial support provided by the Victorian Government in enabling the Forum.

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