Automotive R&D gets major boost with six new collaborative R&D projects

Cross-sectoral automotive research is taking a major step forward with the announcement of six new projects under Automotive Partnership Canada (APC). Slow in gaining momentum, the five-year, $145-million multi-partner program is significantly boosting the amount of R&D conducted in Canada, after decades in which US and other foreign automakers looked to Canada primarily as a automotive producer and assembler while keeping R&D close to headquarters. Five of the projects are underway with the sixth set to commence April 1st.

The new projects are valued at $34 million, with $19 million coming from APC partners and the remainder from industry and other partners (see chart). That brings the number of projects approved under APC to 53 with a total project value of $142 million —$80 million from APC and $72 million from partners. The Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council (NSERC) is the largest partner in the consortium with $85 million.

In addition to NSERC, the other APC partners are the Canada Foundation for Innovation ($15 million), National Research Council ($30 million), the Canada Research Chairs program ($10 million) and the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council ($5 million). The CANMET Materials Technology Laboratory (Natural Resources Canada) is also a key, albeit unofficial partner, having approached APC to express interest in participating in select projects. The facility, which recently relocated from Ottawa to Hamilton, also has a member on the APC steering committee.

GM Canada is a major participant in APC projects with three in the latest batch of new projects and several in the past. Key program attributes attracting GM have been a deepening of its interaction with academic researchers across Canada, relatively quick turnaround on project proposals and access to highly qualified personnel.

"The program could be a game changer. It's opened up opportunities to become more engaged in R&D collaborations. It's industry-led and driven which helps companies like us to undertake exciting research," says Dr Justin Gammage, GM Canada's chief scientist. "NSERC has been a strong partner for years through collaborative research and research chairs. APC takes it one step further."

With the latest announcements, NSERC has committed $42.5 million to APC projects. It has also established a presence in southern Ontario with the appointment of automotive veteran John Wood as the executive director of the Automotive Project Office, co-located at NSERC's Ontario regional office (in turn co-located with the provincially funded OCE Inc). Wood describes his role as a concierge, engaging at the early stage of project development to answer questions and help to match people.

"This is a research and commercialization program with a large amount of knowledge and technology going back into the companies," says Wood, a 30-year veteran of the automotive industry with GM and Toyota. "We're trying to do something different. I've pushed to get company engineers involved, to take time out of the development process."

The six latest projects include participation by 22 companies, from large players like GM Canada and IBM Canada through to Tier I suppliers, reflecting depth of engagement and raising the prospect of producing transformative R&D complete with supply chains.

"APC was launched when the automotive sector was hurting (so) it may take more than five years to fully invest NSERC's $85 million. But the APC is accelerating now and attracting more projects," says Janet Walden, NSERC's VP research partnerships program. "APC has two unique elements. It has six partners actively engaged in management and mix-and-match funding. And the project office run by John (Wood) is integral to getting partners to the table."

The program does not issue calls for proposals but deals with projects as they come forward and Walden notes that, while each project is peer reviewed, not all are always judged by academic peers. Those on the review committees could include industrial peers or government researchers — "those that understand the interface".

The NRC is the largest APC partner after NSERC and accounts for the majority of projects approved to date — 34 with a total value of $22 million. To date, just one of the projects in which NRC leads or is involved has been announced but that will change once NRC officially completes its realignment to highlight programs and portfolios.

"We'll be taking our various automotive research groups and giving them a national focus and more visibility," says Ian Potter, NRC's VP engineering. "Our relationships with industry are unique and we understand their needs ... We help academics and organizations bridge to that."

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