ACMA Mobility Foundation, Fraunhofer Institutes Join Forces to Propel R&D in India’s Auto Sector

New Delhi, India – ACMA Mobility Foundation (AMF), an initiative of the Automotive Component Manufacturers Association of India (ACMA), signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft, Germany, to foster cutting-edge research and development (R&D) collaboration for India’s auto component industry. Signed in the backdrop of the 18th Asia-Pacific Conference of German Business (APK 2024) in New Delhi, this strategic partnership aims to provide a robust platform for industry-driven research and innovation to the Indian auto component industry as it transforms to support the mobility industry in addressing challenges of carbon neutrality, circularity, safety, and environment. Through this collaboration, AMF and Fraunhofer will leverage their expertise to drive advancements in technology, sustainability, and product innovation, thereby contributing to the growth and competitiveness of the Indian automotive ecosystem.

Key Areas of Cooperation:

R&D Collaboration: Fraunhofer Institutes will work with AMF on applied research, focusing on new product development, process innovations, and competitive R&D for the Indian auto components sector.
Technical Expertise: Fraunhofer's technical experts will engage with Indian automotive companies to improve process technologies and introduce sustainable production methods.
Sustainability and Road Safety: Joint projects aimed at sustainable production and road safety will be explored, with a focus on circular economy principles and pre-competitive technologies that can be implemented across the automotive sector.

Vikrampati Singhania, Director, AMF & MD, JK Fenner (India), sharing his expectations of the partnership, said, “This is a significant milestone for the Indian auto component industry. Collaborating with Fraunhofer, a world leader in applied research, will strengthen our efforts to drive innovation, enhance product quality, and accelerate the transition to sustainable mobility solutions. This partnership underscores our commitment to shaping a future-ready automotive industry in India.”

Speaking on the occasion, Vinnie Mehta, Director & Secretary, AMF, emphasized the importance of this collaboration in elevating the R&D capabilities of India’s auto component industry. “This partnership will enable Indian companies to tap into Fraunhofer’s vast expertise and experience in applied research, helping them meet global standards while fostering innovation at a competitive cost,” he said.

Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft, with its 76 research institutes and a significant global presence, brings over €3.4 billion in annual research funding. The Fraunhofer Traffic and Transportation Alliance, with its cluster of 18 institutes, will be at the forefront of this collaboration, providing specialized research and development services to the automotive ecosystem in India.

Dr Johann Feckl, Director and Section Head Precompetitive Research and International Relations, Fraunhofer HQ, highlighting the strengths and capabilities of the Fraunhofer Institutes, elaborated, “India and Germany are strong and natural partners in mobility. Fraunhofer possesses excellent strengths in applied research around the entire value chain of mobility, from materials to manufacturing and even mobility concepts, and India’s strengths are in manufacturing and qualified manpower. We are delighted that, on the occasion of the intergovernmental consultations, we are concluding this very important partnership with ACMA. We look forward to strengthening our longstanding partnership.”

Anandi Iyer, Director, Fraunhofer Office India, highlighted the longstanding relationship between Fraunhofer and India. “Fraunhofer works closely with the industry to crunch the innovation cycle and bring new processes and products faster to the market. We are already working very strongly with the Indian automotive industry for the last 16 years with ACMA as a valued partner. It will be exciting to bring the German and Indian industry to work on India-specific challenges, create proof of concepts, and then scale it at a much faster pace, thus combining German engineering and Indian ingenuity for a win-win alliance, ”she stated.

This partnership is set to enhance technology and trade relations between India and Germany while creating a sustainable talent pool of skilled researchers and technical experts well-versed in global best practices. The MoU will be effective for an initial period of three years, with potential extensions based on mutual agreement.

Image Source: ACMA Mobility Foundation, Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft