CRF (Centro Ricerche Fiat), headquartered in Orbassano (Turin) with other branch sites in Italy, was established in 1978. As a focal point for research activities of FCA (Fiat Chrysler Automobiles), CRF has the mission to:
– develop and transfer innovative powertrains, vehicle systems and features, materials, processes and methodologies together with innovation expertise in order to improve the competitiveness of FCA products;
– represent FCA in European collaborative research programs, joining pre-competitive projects and promoting networking actions;
– support FCA in the protection and enhancement of intellectual property.
Also through the cooperation with a pan-European and increasingly global network of more than 1700 partners from industry and academia, CRF conducts collaborative research initiatives at the national and international levels in partnership with all the key public and private stakeholders concerned with sustainable mobility, targeting specifically the industrial exploitation of research.
With a workforce of approximately 900 full-time professionals, CRF develops research and innovation along the three principal axes of sustainability: Environmental Sustainability, which encompasses all aspects relating to energy efficiency as well as to the reduction of the impact on the environment over the entire lifecycle of the vehicle; Social Sustainability, focusing on the safety of transportation systems through the development of active, passive, preventive and cooperative solutions while addressing the mobility of all users irrespective of their specific needs; Economically sustainable competitiveness, oriented towards viable innovation, i.e., improving the performance and functionality of new vehicles in a cost-effective manner while reducing the time-to-market of research results.
The CRF research activities imply strategic competences not only in the field of automotive engineering, but also in the fields of manufacturing, advanced materials, ICT and electronics, as well as a wide range of state-of-the-art laboratories and extensive test facilities, including advanced engine & vehicle testing facilities, EMC chambers and a dynamic driving simulator with immersive virtual reality.
Website: www.crf.it
Country: Italy
