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Mitsubishi Motors Australia has issued the following press release:
A $230 million expenditure package for a new automotive R&D; centre was launched today by Mitsubishi Motors Australia Limited (MMAL).
The centre, to be referred to as Mitsubishi Motors R&D; Australia (MRDAus), will contribute to the development of Mitsubishi products worldwide, including two new models due for release post-2005.
The R&D; initiative flows from the announcement in April last year of support from the Commonwealth Government and South Australian Government for MMAL’s manufacturing operations.
Tom Phillips, President & CEO of MMAL said the establishment of MRDAus and the investment of in excess of $900 million in MMAL’s manufacturing operations underlined the degree of commitment by its Japanese parent company.
The biggest single investment in MRDAus will be a total of $12 million spent upgrading and expanding the Mitsubishi test track facilities near Tailem Bend, east of Adelaide. It will include a new $10 million high-speed test track, making it one of the largest facilities of its kind in the Southern Hemisphere. — Mitsubishi's production expansion in China.
’The 5.5km high speed track will enable us to conduct consistent and safe testing of cars at up to and beyond 200kmh, stressing them to the limit so that we can improve both their safety and reliability,’ Mr Phillips said.
’The remaining $2 million will be spent upgrading our existing test track facilities, which include a structural endurance course, handling roads and a skid pan.’
Mr Phillips said the high-speed track would be built on 440ha of land that had been acquired next to the existing track, which would enable the company to undertake substantial environmental remediation in the area.
This would include planting 25,000 trees to boost the existing mallee scrub and more than 2 million native seeds that had been gathered in the region.
Mr Phillips went on to say MRDAus will build on the company’s existing skills in vehicle styling and design, prototype building, emission testing, and noise, vibration and harshness testing. — Nissan's new production launch.
The centre will be headed by Mr Lee Kernich, General Manager R&D; Australia, who led the negotiations for its establishment with Mitsubishi Motors in Japan.
’The decision by Mitsubishi to locate this R&D; facility in Adelaide, rather than expand its existing facilities in Japan, Europe or the US, is recognition that MMAL has the capability to be involved in the development of new models for markets overseas as well as Australia,’ Mr Kernich said.
’Already this has resulted in MMAL gaining a greatly increased share of Mitsubishi’s global workload and integrated us much more closely into Mitsubishi Motors global engineering network as a whole.’
’Government support played a big role in Mitsubishi’s decision to establish MRDAus, but it was also due to the fact that our engineers have a reputation for being innovative, they’re very competitive on a global scale, and we have the technical infrastructure that enables us to do this work well,’ Mr Kernich added.
The creation of the R&D; Centre with an increased work force is resulting in expanded facilities for MMAL engineers, technicians and administrative staff. This includes a $5 million IT upgrade to improve the ability of its designers and engineers to work on-line with their counterparts in Japan and two other smaller R&D; groups in the US and Europe. — PSA's new plant development in Slovakia.
In addition, the company has further developed the collaboration between MMAL and the University of Adelaide’s engineering faculty.
’We worked closely with the University of Adelaide on our feasibility studies so when we needed help with designing the track to meet our vehicle testing requirements, they were an obvious choice.
’They have delivered a world class high speed design which I am sure will be outstanding for our product development work. Having such a significant test facility located in South Australia will enhance the overall capabilities of MRDAus,’ Mr Kernich added.
Mitsubishi is also working with the University’s Road Accident Research Unit (RARU), headed by Dr Jack McLean, looking at real world accidents and using the research information gained to develop vehicle passive and active systems for pedestrian protection and crash avoidance.
