Engineering company shortlisted for Lord Stafford Award
A STAFFORDSHIRE engineering services company which has worked with Warwick Manufacturing Group and Jaguar Land Rover to develop a system which makes electronics in cars more reliable, has been shortlisted for a prestigious innovation award.
The system developed by add2, which is based at Hawkesyard Hall, near Rugeley, has made major strides in improving vehicle electrical system testing techniques. The process will be vital in making the technology for hybrid vehicles viable.
The Warwick Manufacturing Group is the engineering research and development facility at the University of Warwick.
Now, the £10m project has been shortlisted in the Innovation Achieved category in the Lord Stafford Awards.
The awards recognise, showcase and celebrate the best in collaboration between business and academia across the Midlands.
Over the last six years, the add2, WMG and JLR have been working on the system with the support of the Technology Strategy Board.
Much of the initial testing issues and analysis of different battery conditions stemmed from WMG’s relationship with JLR before the hardware was developed by add2.
Peter Moore, sales and marketing director at add2, said: “Society demands cars that are more environmentally friendly, safer, more reliable and more comfortable.
“Probably the number one challenge in achieving this is the quality of the vehicle power supply and the reliability of the electronic and software systems.
“The introduction of stop-start engine technology with hybrid vehicles will make reliability an even more significant issue and the work we have delivered with WMG is going to be essential in the cars of tomorrow.”
Awards patron Lord Stafford said: “We all know the software and on-board computers of cars have come a long way in recent years. As we move towards electric vehicles the importance of reliability will become increasingly significant.
“This is a genuine collaboration between the Warwick Manufacturing Group and the businesses with a view to benefitting all three and has certainly succeeded in doing this.”
The awards, which are sponsored by BNY Mellon, will be announced at a ceremony being held at the University of Birmingham Great Hall on Thursday November 17.
