Chrysler 2011 Annual Report Download - page 53

Report on
Operations
52
Research and
Innovation
Following the demerger of activities by Fiat Group at the beginning of the year, Centro Ricerche Fiat (CRF)
remained a subsidiary of Fiat to ensure continuity of support to Fiat Industrial, a number of service agreements
specifically targeted at research and development activities have been set up with Iveco and CNH.
In addition, with Fiat’s increasing ownership interest in Chrysler, activities between the two have been expanded
from development of shared platforms and models to also include plans for a shared research and innovation
program. As a result, in March 2011, CRF reorganized its research and development activities and created a
new FGA-Chrysler Innovation & Methodologies Synergies unit whose main task is to facilitate bi-lateral sharing
and coordination. In this initial stage, innovation activities are being shared in the areas of connectivity, postural
and climate comfort, and fuel consumption reduction. Additionally, to promote a more intensive and focused
collaborative process, the two partners undertook a review of strategies and processes which led to the
formulation of a joint innovation plan for 2012. Other technology sharing initiatives include target deployment
and testing methodologies, particularly in the areas of ergonomics and fuel consumption, as well as joint
development of virtual simulation know-how. The primary objective for 2012 will be to expand the collaboration
between the two groups in order to fully leverage their respective technical capabilities and experience.
Expenditure on Research & Development1 totaled approximately €2.2 billion for the year, equivalent to 4.2% of
net revenues for the Industrial Activities, and R&D activities involved some 17,000 specialized personnel at 77
centers.
Centro Ricerche Fiat (CRF)
Profile
CRF (headquartered in Orbassano, near Turin) was established in 1978 to serve as a center of expertise for the
Group’s innovation and development activities. Recognized internationally as a center of excellence, its mission
is to provide a strategic lever for Fiat businesses.
With approximately 1,000 employees, CRF draws on a broad array of technical skills and a series of state-of-
the-art laboratories, covering all automotive engineering disciplines. CRF has achieved significant results over
the years, with 2,860 patents filed or pending, and a global network of over 1,760 industrial partners, universities
and research centers that further strengthen the Center’s innovation strategies, as well as facilitating local
implementation of projects and development of specialized know-how.
At the international level, CRF had 19 projects approved in 2011 under the EU’s Seventh Framework Program
for 2007-2013, bringing the total active projects under this Program to 133. Its status as a well-established
European research center together with its recognized know-how and extensive presence throughout Italy
have also led to its participation in public-private partnerships (PPPs) set up to focus public and private research
on areas of common interest and on industrial applications both in Italy and at the European level (Green
Car Initiative, Factories of the Future, etc.). Particularly active in the area of sustainable mobility, CRF studies
innovative mobility solutions through a 360-degree approach encompassing vehicles, components, energy,
safety, telematics, innovative materials and related technologies, and mechatronics, as well as innovative
concepts in engine technologies, alternative propulsion systems and transmissions.
(1) Includes capitalized R&D and R&D charged directly to the income statement
Research and Innovation