The Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT) and Schaeffler AG have today signed a Memorandum of Understanding" (MoU) for a collaborative research project. Schaeffler and the KIT will investigate future-oriented questions regarding mobility and develop solutions. This will set new standards in collaboration in the research, development, and early industrialization of hybrid and all-electric drive systems and their components in order to meet the requirements of mobility in the future.
Dr. Peter Fritz, Vice President of Research and Innovation of the KIT, and Dr. Ulrich Breuer, Vice President of Finance and Business Affairs of the KIT, as well as Professor Peter Gutzmer, CTO of Schaeffler AG, have today signed the MoU on the KIT Campus East. This mutual declaration lays the foundation for a future contract.
"This partnership with a leading research facility like the KIT will open a new chapter in Schaeffler's collaboration with universities", says Prof. Peter Gutzmer. The globally active automotive and industrial supplier will be present on the KIT Campus EAST according to the company on campus concept and will deploy employees in the "Schaeffler E-Lab at the KIT". This will ensure direct, intensive collaboration geared towards results. Initially, a team comprising five employees from Schaeffler and the KIT will be formed. The research topics will be controlled by a joint steering group. A special advantage is that the expertise and infrastructures of both partners such as test stands, laboratories, and knowledge networks can be used in synergy. "The 'Schaeffler E-Lab at the KIT' means an attractive and inspiring working environment is being created for development engineers, economists, humanities and social science students and system-oriented scientists" says Dr. Peter Fritz, Vice President of Research and Innovation of the KIT.
The collaboration will further expand the cross-disciplinary, application-relevant research of the KIT Center Mobility Systems - and will especially strengthen innovation at the KIT. In particular, this will enable research aspects and requirements for sustainable electric mobility to be investigated, developed and evaluated directly on the new systems of Schaeffler AG much quicker than was previously possible. "This will mean the systems, methods and process research of the KIT in the areas electric mobility and power transmission will be strengthened overall", says Dr. Fritz.
The KIT's expertise in the field of electric mobility and the geographical and contextual proximity to the Bühl location were the most important reasons for Schaeffler's decision to collaborate with the KIT. "The collaboration in Karlsruhe will also strengthen Schaeffler's traditional location and LuK headquarters in Bühl that was founded in 1965", says Professor Peter Gutzmer.
"I am very pleased that we have been able to secure the KIT, a leading institute of technology in Germany, as a cooperation partner. This will enable Schaeffler to carry out more long-term projects in a university environment. I am sure that together we will set the trends for future mobility", summarized Professor Peter Gutzmer .
Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT) is a public corporation according to the legislation of the state of Baden-Württemberg. It fulfills the mission of a university and the mission of a national research center of the Helmholtz Association. KIT focuses on a knowledge triangle that links the tasks of research, teaching, and innovation.
The Mobility Systems Center bundles the KIT's activities relating to vehicle technology: Around 40 institutes with approximately 800 employees are currently working on the methodical and technical principles for the vehicles of the future. The objective is to develop concepts, technologies, methods and processes for mobility in the future. The scientists take the complex interaction between vehicles, drivers, traffic, infrastructure and society into consideration.
Dr. Peter Fritz, Vice President of Research and Innovation of the KIT, and Dr. Ulrich Breuer, Vice President of Finance and Business Affairs of the KIT, as well as Professor Peter Gutzmer, CTO of Schaeffler AG, have today signed the MoU on the KIT Campus East. This mutual declaration lays the foundation for a future contract.
"This partnership with a leading research facility like the KIT will open a new chapter in Schaeffler's collaboration with universities", says Prof. Peter Gutzmer. The globally active automotive and industrial supplier will be present on the KIT Campus EAST according to the company on campus concept and will deploy employees in the "Schaeffler E-Lab at the KIT". This will ensure direct, intensive collaboration geared towards results. Initially, a team comprising five employees from Schaeffler and the KIT will be formed. The research topics will be controlled by a joint steering group. A special advantage is that the expertise and infrastructures of both partners such as test stands, laboratories, and knowledge networks can be used in synergy. "The 'Schaeffler E-Lab at the KIT' means an attractive and inspiring working environment is being created for development engineers, economists, humanities and social science students and system-oriented scientists" says Dr. Peter Fritz, Vice President of Research and Innovation of the KIT.
The collaboration will further expand the cross-disciplinary, application-relevant research of the KIT Center Mobility Systems - and will especially strengthen innovation at the KIT. In particular, this will enable research aspects and requirements for sustainable electric mobility to be investigated, developed and evaluated directly on the new systems of Schaeffler AG much quicker than was previously possible. "This will mean the systems, methods and process research of the KIT in the areas electric mobility and power transmission will be strengthened overall", says Dr. Fritz.
The KIT's expertise in the field of electric mobility and the geographical and contextual proximity to the Bühl location were the most important reasons for Schaeffler's decision to collaborate with the KIT. "The collaboration in Karlsruhe will also strengthen Schaeffler's traditional location and LuK headquarters in Bühl that was founded in 1965", says Professor Peter Gutzmer.
"I am very pleased that we have been able to secure the KIT, a leading institute of technology in Germany, as a cooperation partner. This will enable Schaeffler to carry out more long-term projects in a university environment. I am sure that together we will set the trends for future mobility", summarized Professor Peter Gutzmer .
Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT) is a public corporation according to the legislation of the state of Baden-Württemberg. It fulfills the mission of a university and the mission of a national research center of the Helmholtz Association. KIT focuses on a knowledge triangle that links the tasks of research, teaching, and innovation.
The Mobility Systems Center bundles the KIT's activities relating to vehicle technology: Around 40 institutes with approximately 800 employees are currently working on the methodical and technical principles for the vehicles of the future. The objective is to develop concepts, technologies, methods and processes for mobility in the future. The scientists take the complex interaction between vehicles, drivers, traffic, infrastructure and society into consideration.
