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The Institute of Advanced Automotive
Propulsion Systems (IAAPS), in Bath, UK.
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AVL joins Bath University
in the creation of IAAPS,
advancing R&D in future
propulsion concepts.
While the combustion engine
has dominated powered mobility
for over a hundred years, its place in
the future of propulsion is most cer-tainly
under pressure, as the world
seeks to reduce the impact of pro-pulsion
technology on our planet’s
climate. Innovation in alternative
concepts is accelerating, and AVL
collaborates as a technology part-ner
on projects across the globe to
provide the right solutions and sys-tems
to make this happen.
One such collaboration is with
the University of Bath in the UK,
which is home to the new Institute
for Advanced Automotive Propul-sion
Systems (IAAPS). The new
£70 million facility is intended to
accelerate the pace of innovation
across companies of all sizes. It will
increase the supply of engineers to
the industry with the skills needed
to develop the next generation of
vehicle propulsion systems.
From new development tools and
processes to simulation techniques,
education initiatives and indus-try-
wide collaborative programs,
IAAPS is focusing not simply on
the “what” but also the “how”. And
this is made possible with a foun-dation
of next level technological
research and development.
ADVANCING TOMORROW’S
PROPULSION TODAY
IAAPS offers 11,300 m² of R&D fa-cilities,
education resources and re-search
cells. It features the latest en-gine
and powertrain dynamometers,
future fuel laboratories, and a host
of testbeds for research into high-voltage
battery packs, supercapaci-tors,
new cell designs and other high
energy electrification technologies.
To meet its technological goals, IAAPS and AVL joined together with a
Research Collaboration Agreement that sees AVL becoming the key equip-ment
and software partner in the project. However, in order to conduct
work that will help to shape the far-future of the automotive landscape, it
isn’t enough to simply have the very latest of today’s cutting-edge tech-nology
installed at the Institute. And so, as well as supplying a full suite of
state-of-the-art equipment to the facility, including test rigs and testbeds that
can support everything from individual components right up to complete
vehicles, AVL will also be partnering with IAAPS in a variety of ambitious
research projects to accelerate the evolution of future propulsion concepts.
A FOCUS ON DIGITAL DEVELOPMENT
A key aspect of the work carried out at IAAPS will be digital develop-ment.
As vehicles become more complex, more connected, automated and
software-defined, the development and production process must also em-brace
digitalization. AVL is already a pioneer in this field, and given the
rapid advancement of automotive innovation and the constantly changing
global legislative landscape, digital development and testing environments
are the only way to ensure tomorrow’s vehicles keep pace with the tough
expectations placed on them.
Furthermore, IAAPS also includes a Centre for Doctoral Training, educating
future specialists who will be ready to tackle the unseen challenges facing
the automotive industry in the future. As a partner in the project, AVL is
sponsoring 10 PhD places, securing the skills, the tools, and the technology
that will be required to build the clean, efficient global fleet of tomorrow.
IAAPS is set to become one of the foremost centers of automotive R&D.
And with AVL on board to provide the know-how behind the vision, it is
equipped to drive innovation in the propulsion landscape for many years
to come.