The automotive industry is one of the driving forces behind Baden-Württemberg's economic success.

We therefore need pioneering vehicle-technology research that generates forward-looking innovations", said Minister of Science Professor Dr. Peter Frankenberg on the occasion of the vehicle technology materials symposium in Stuttgart on 25 June.

Up to the 26th of June, representatives from science and industry discussed the latest research results and future innovations in the automotive sector. A central topic was lightweight vehicle construction. "The progress made in lightweight constructions is making a substantial contribution towards a reduction in the weight of vehicles. This emission of pollutants will also be reduced accordingly. These new cars do less harm to the environment than their predecessor models. In this area in particular, Stuttgart, as a science location, possesses outstanding expertise, from which the industry is profiting enormously", said Frankenberg.

In the words of the minister, personal resources and not just innovations are important for continued development of the industry. "The industry needs well trained engineers. The educational development program entitled 'Hochschule 2012' (university/college 2012), which will create 16,000 additional university/college places for students, concentrates on the engineering and business sciences", commented Frankenberg, when talking about the state's contribution to the looming shortage of qualified employees.

In the automotive sector, there is a long tradition of collaboration between scientific institutions and companies and this tradition is repeatedly re-energised. Last year, the Fraunhofer innovation cluster "KITehyLITE Technologies for Lightweight Hybrid Construction" was established. It encompasses several Fraunhofer institutes, the University of Karlsruhe and number industrial enterprises. This initiative is being sponsored by the state and the Fraunhofer society to the tune of three million euros each, while another three million euros is being thrown in by the industry.

The materials symposium "Fahrzeugtechnik 2009" (= Vehicle Engineering 2009) in Stuttgart serves as a bridge between new research results and the forward-looking application of trends in the materials used in automotive engineering. The main themes of the symposium are innovative concepts regarding the materials used in vehicles, trends in the use of plastics and composite materials in vehicles, new aluminium and steel materials for body construction as well as economically attractive methods of construction and innovative manufacturing technologies.

Source: Ministry of Science, Research and Art