Auto Innovation Centre celebrates milestone

Australia’s Auto Innovation Centre (AIC) has celebrated its first birthday. Featuring the latest technology, equipment, and customised service offerings, the AIC says it has unique capability that is creating new opportunities for automotive companies to fast-track product development. In the 12 months since opening, the AIC has grown from strength to strength, despite the challenges of COVID-19.

“When we launched, the AIC was a very new type of business with a lot of unknowns. We undertook in-depth industry consultation to ensure we launched with the best possible service offering, which we have further developed and evolved over the ensuing 12 months,” said AIC Managing Director Luke Truskinger.

“It has been an exciting year and despite the impacts of COVID-19, more opportunities than we could have imagined have presented themselves and this means we have been constantly learning and evolving even at our young age. Most importantly, we have a lot of happy customers.”

AIC says that throughout the year it completed a large number of varied projects for customers of all shapes and sizes, who were impressed by the state-of-the-art facilities and the role the AIC can play in their product development activities. Customers included: Disc Brakes Australia, Impact Import Group, Ironman 4×4, Saber Off-Road, Tough Dog Suspension, Harrop Engineering and Ryco Filters. The AIC has also supported a number of companies through the Automotive Innovation Lab Access Grants (AILAG) program, and with their subsequent development work.

“It is so satisfying to hear people say we are helping them and making a positive impact on their business. No matter what the project, we are committed to going above and beyond to ensure our customers are satisfied and this will continue moving forward,” added Truskinger.

The AIC offers access to a vehicle fleet, the use of a cutting-edge workshop for test fitting, 3D scanning and post processing, 3D printing, dynamic vehicle testing (ADR 35/88) and ADAS calibration, a fully-fitted out training facility, laboratory-spec tensile/compression testing and a Damper Dynamometer.

In 2021 AIC plans to grow the vehicle fleet further and bring online new testing equipment, including hydraulic structural and vibration testing. The AIC scanning capabilities will continue to grow, using premium scanning and post-processing equipment to ensure the best possible data creation.  

The team has implemented a process of performing comprehensive teardowns of the AIC vehicle fleet, and building a vehicle data library. An AIC database and subscriber program will be launched by mid-2021 to enable customers easier access to AIC data and services.

In the next phase of its development, the Auto Innovation Centre will also launch a South Australian facility in the first quarter of 2021, which will offer further benefits for the industry.

“We’re very proud of what we have accomplished and how far our facility and service offerings have developed during our first year. We are hopeful that 2021 will bring better conditions to facilitate product development for more customers across Australia and internationally. I’m excited about the future of the aftermarket industry and I’m proud that we can be part of that future,” Truskinger.