Canada's automotive R&D powerhouse celebrates 14-year life span

OTTAWA, ON, May 25, 2015 /CNW/ - The AUTO21 Network of Centres of Excellence (NCE) will celebrate 14 years of automotive innovation at its final annual conference May 26-27, 2015 at The Westin Ottawa. The Network completed its term as a NCE in March 2015 and will continue its knowledge and technology exchange activities until March 2016 to further develop industry-academic partnerships and maximize the ultimate impact of the Network.

Launched in 2001, AUTO21 was the largest Network of Centres of Excellence ever funded and one of the broadest, involving disciplines ranging from medical doctors and nurses to scientists, engineers, sociologists, lawyers, psychologists, geographers and human kinetics researchers.

Since 2001, the network has:

• Trained more than 2,500 young professionals
• Funded 152 research projects
• Supported more than 500 researchers
• Had 686 industry and public sector partners
• Connected 48 universities across Canada
• Resulted in more than 7,700 patents, licenses and publications
• Invested more than $140 million, including partner funding, in automotive research

A 2011 independent Economic Impact Study, conducted by the U.S.-based Center for Automotive Research, estimates AUTO21 research has generated nearly $1.5 billion in economic and social benefits to Canada. This includes fuel savings, industrial process improvements, jobs created or retained annually in Canada and prevention of life loss, personal injury and property damages.

The two-day conference highlights the accomplishments of the Network and showcases the latest automotive technologies while exploring a new age of automotive advancement and innovation. Please visit our conference website for program information eventmobi.com/auto212015.

AUTO21 is supported by the Government of Canada through a Networks of Centres of Excellence program and its administrative centre is hosted by the University of Windsor.

SOURCE AUTO21

Kristie Pearce, Communications Manager, AUTO21 Network of Centres of Excellence, Tel: [phone], ext. 4128, Cell: 519.562.4902, [email protected]