Meet Our Partner

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 network 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.

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.

CRF participates with a leading role in the European “Green Vehicle Initiative” and “Factories of the Future”, the Public Private Partnerships conceived by the European Commission in 2009 to focus public and private research on issues of direct and significant relevance to the Europe with regard to the competitiveness of industry and employment. Within this context, CRF is actively involved in key European Technology Platforms: ERTRAC (road transport), EPOSS (smart systems), EUMAT (materials), MANUFU-TURE (manufacturing) and NANOfutures (nanotechnologies). CRF is also supporting the Joint Technology Initiative ECSEL (Electronic Components and Systems for European Leadership). CRF joins the Human Factors and Ergonomics Society Europe Chapter, nonprofit organization promoting the understanding of human factors and the application of that knowledge to the project and the use of tools, vehicles, systems and environments. CRF is associated to EIT ICT Labs (Knowledge and Information Community on ICT), EUCAR (European Council for Automotive R&D) and other associations of European relevancy.

At national level CRF participates in the Cluster Trasporti Italia 2020, an association of enterprises, universities, research institutions and other entities fostering the innovation of surface mobility system.

The Intellectual Property developed by CRF includes a total of 2,173 granted patents, protecting 527 inventions. Over recent years the technology-driver role of CRF has enabled the industrialization and commercialization of a significant number of distinctive and highly innovative products for FCA including, in the powertrains area: the Diesel Common Rail system (UNIJET and MultiJet), the MULTIAIR system with the TwinAir engine, the CNG (Compressed Natural Gas) and the DDCT (Dual Dry Clutch Transmission) technologies; and in the vehicles area: energy saving air-conditioning systems, the Blue&MeTM connectivity product, Driving Advisor and Magic Parking driver-assistance systems and the ECODriveTM eco-navigation solutions.

CRF is in the project with the World Class Manufacturing Research & Innovation (WCM R&I) area, which specifically deals with innovation in Manufacturing

The WCM method is a structured, rigorous and integrated production methodology that involves the organization as a whole. WCM’s primary objective is to continuously improve production performance to ensure quality. Among the most important issues are the safety and the involvement of people. The WCM program also aims at the excellence of the plants and of the supplier park through the dissemination of the innovative concepts developed and the use of the principles and methodologies of WCM. The role of the WCM R&I area inside the FCA WCM group ensures a wide ( auditory for internal dissemination and exploitation actions.

WCM R&I area is in the project mainly with the “Factory Innovation” department. The main activity of the department is the research and innovation in relation to the factory and the manufacturing process in the fields of flexibility and productivity, innovative robotics, Man-Robot collaboration, quality monitoring, ergonomics and logistics). Support will be given by the Melfi Campus Manufacturing which, inside the WCM R&I makes research both on technologies and processes related to manufacturing with special attention (in relation to the call) to ergonomics, AR and VR technologies.