A Waterloo Engineering research project that will lead to lighter and stronger automotive components will receive substantial funding from Automotive Partnership Canada (APC). The project is one of five that will benefit from a total of $21.4 million in APC support that was announced February 22.
Michael Worswick, a mechanical and mechatronics engineering professor and part of the Waterloo Centre for Automotive Research (WatCAR), leads the Waterloo initiative. The research will result in the development of high-strength car components to improve resistance in side and front-end crashes. APC is providing the project with $1.1 million, which includes 605,000 from the Government of Canada and the rest in financial and in-kind support from Honda R&D Americas, Magna International, ArcelorMittal Dofasco and the Ontario Ministry of Research and Innovation.
A project headed by Amir Khajepour is also benefiting from the latest round of APC funding. Khajepour, a mechanical and mechatronics engineering professor and a member of WatCAR, is involved in a joint research project with Simon Fraser University that is investigating refrigeration and air conditioning for service vehicles that would produce fewer emissions. Waterloo's portion of the APC funding for that project is approximately $1 million. [news release] [Daily Bulletin article]