Towards smart and clean vehicles
Fontys, HAN and ACE Mobility are conducting research for the next four years with a SPRONG grant. The research group's full name is Future Autonomous Sustainable Transport (FAST).
Accessibility to products, services and people, that's what mobility is all about! Mobility must not come at the expense of livability. Mobility of the future must be cleaner, quieter, more efficient, safer, affordable and inclusive for citizens, businesses and society as a whole. That means some hefty challenges. The movement of people and goods puts great pressure on the climate, public health and livability. The future of road transport requires modern, smart mobility: efficient travel, reduced emissions, safer transport and a more accessible, inclusive transport offer. This is a complex issue that affects the whole world, as mobility does not stop at borders. International, national and regional ambitions in the field of mobility are therefore far-reaching.
Reducing CO2 and NOx emissions
Six lectorates/Centres of Expertise of Fontys and HAN, together with ACE Mobility, will therefore collaborate for four years on research into Future Autonomous Sustainable Transport (FAST). The aim is to contribute to reducing CO2 and NOx emissions from mobility and transport and improving the competitiveness of the Dutch economy. The research is made possible by the award of a SPRONG grant from the Regieorgaan SIA. Ger Post, lecturer at Fontys is leading the project.
Core themes energy transition and cooperative connected& automated mobility
The mobility industry (including Automotive) is one of the most important sectors of the Dutch economy. Besides car and truck manufacturers, the supply chains play an important role: almost every car in the world contains parts made in the Netherlands. This industry faces major societal challenges due to the necessary reduction of CO2 and NOx emissions. In this SPRONG project, the core themes are energy transition and cooperative connected & automated mobility (CCAM), focusing on freight transport and collective passenger transport. Ger Post: "The knowledge and expertise of the SPRONG group is being jointly deployed to achieve process improvements based on 'demand management' - wishes and requirements of stakeholders and end users. Therefore, we are developing a joint Virtual Mobility Lab as a digital environment for knowledge creation, circulation, adoption and business development."
SPRONG grant to form powerful research group
The FAST research group has been honored as a SPRONG group. With SPRONG, Regieorgaan SIA stimulates cooperation between researchers from different universities of applied sciences. FAST will receive €2.5 million for the first four years of the program. If the interim evaluation shows that the group is well on its way to becoming a powerful research group, another € 2.5 million will follow for another four years. With SPRONG, Regieorgaan SIA is making a major investment in the research infrastructure of applied research at universities of applied sciences. Jan van Wijk: "We are very happy with the commitment of the SPRONG grant. This gives us the opportunity to work intensively with the participating companies to strengthen practice-oriented research. In addition, we are jointly building an automotive & mobility learning community."
Partners in this project
Fontys University of Applied Sciences is the project's lead partner. Five of its lectorates/Centres of Expertise are involved: Future Automotive, CoE Supply Chains For Society, Industrial Engineering and Entrepreneurship, Designing the Future and Law and Digital Technology. From the HAN, the Automotive Research lectorate is involved.
ACE Mobility is responsible for project management. Several companies and organizations are also involved: DAF, Hyster-Yale, V-tron, Groenewegen, VDL, Conexxion RET, KLG Europe, Beurskens Cargo, AB-Inbev, RAI Association, Port of Twente, Siemens, TNO, municipalities of Helmond and Arnhem, and Province of Noord-Brabant.
