The AUTO21 Network of Centres of Excellence
Dr. Peter R. Frise, P.Eng., FCAE
AUTO21 Program Leader
What is an NCE and Why AUTO21?
Networks of Centres of Excellence (NCE’s) are
organizations formed to bring together a critical mass
of the best research talent in Canada to work with
public and private sector partners on programs of
applied research. The NCE grant is administered by a
network administrative centre and funds researchers
across Canada doing collaborative applied research.
AUTO21 was formed in 2001 to focus Canada’s best
researchers on the issues facing the future of the
automotive industry and to develop the highly
qualified people that Canada’s auto industry will need
to be competitive in the future. AUTO21 is hosted by
the University of Windsor and funds over 200
researchers at 28 universities.
What is an NCE and Why AUTO21?
Trends being addressed by AUTO21 include:

the shift in responsibility for design and engineering to auto
parts firms,

the enhanced requirements for vehicle safety, quality and
durability and performance,

the changing nature of societal aspects of automotive policy,

new business practices for the future automobile industry.
Networks of Centres of Excellence
Governance Structure
NCE
Steering Com.
Presidents &
Deputy Minister
Secretariat
Program staff &
Communication
… 22 NCEs with individual Boards...
International
Peer &
Selection
Committees
Why Canada built
Networks
Vast
country
Dispersed
institutions
Link
strengths
Create
critical mass
TL•NCE PENCE
SFM
AquaNet
CGDN
CBDN
ISIS
Wood-Pulps
GEOIDE
CIPI
CANVAC
AUTO21 IRIS
CITR
CLLRnet CSN
StemNet CAN MITACS
HealNet
CWN
Micronet
VISION
is focused on the
needs and priorities of the
automotive sector and on the
manufacture and use of vehicles.
RESEARCH THEMES
Design
Processes
Materials &
Manufacturing
Intelligent
Links to
Other
Organizations
Systems &
Sensors
Societal
Issues
Powertrains
Fuels &
Emissions
Health
Safety & Injury
Prevention
NCE Grant Award
Announced March 12/01
(Years 1-4)
Fiscal Year
2000/01
$3,951,000
2001/02
2002/03
$3,932,000 $4,919,000
Grand Total
2003/04
$5,077,000
2004/05
$5,234,000
$23,113,000
This award is 95% of the amount requested in the proposal and
provides an annual base budget of $5.778M
75% from NSERC (Engineering & Science Research Council)
25% from SSHRC (Social Science Research Council)
Present Research Program Metrics
(Year 1)
Researchers:
245 (including 195 in universities)
Universities:
28 + 3 hospitals
Partners:
over 120 industrial, government and
institutional partners
HQP:
approx. 70 u/g + 220 graduates
Research Budget: approx. $10 million/year
Member Institutions
PARTNERSHIPS (examples)
Theme A
Health, Safety and Injury Prevention
Research Projects
# of Researchers
 Safety Implications for Design Innovations
8
 Vehicle Safety for Vulnerable Populations
10
 Ind. Health and Safety in the Auto Industry
7
 Safety Restraints for Children During Collisions
4
Theme B
Societal Issues
Research Projects
# of Researchers
 The Automobile and Public Policy
4
 Labour Market & Restructuring
7
 Dynamics of Restructuring and Competition
5
 Anti-Social Behaviour and the Automobile
5
Theme C
Materials and Manufacturing
Research Projects
# of Researchers
 Magnesium Casting Processes
4
 Foam Processes for Automotive Parts
13
 Polymer Composites
23
 Sheet & Tube Forming
10
 New Generation Steels
7
 Advanced Mfg. Assembly and Inspection
16
Theme C
Materials and Manufacturing
(continued)
Research Projects
# of Researchers
 Advanced Light Metal Casting & Matl. Dev.
7
 Machinability of Lightweight Materials
6
 Welding and Joining
9
 Tools, Dies and Moulds
5
 Thermal Coatings
12
Theme D
Powertrains, Fuels and Emissions
Research Projects
# of Researchers
 Combustion Systems for Alternative Fuels
 Lean Burn Combustion for Reducing Emissions
8
10
 Reformer Technology for Fuel Cells
7
 Infrastructure and Safety for Hydrogen
8
Theme E
Design Processes
Research Projects
# of Researchers
 Best Practices and Design Methodologies
8
 Design for Rapid Manufacturing
4
 Design for High Energy Absorption
3
Theme F
Intelligent Systems and Sensors
Research Projects
# of Researchers
 Collaborative Driving System
6
 Construction of an Integrated Navigation
Information Infrastructure
4
 Interior Noise Environment
of Future Automobiles (active noise control)
14
Present Research Program Metrics
(Year 1)
Research Program Budget
Theme
NCE
Non-NCE
In-kind
Total
A
$473,311
$219,600
$545,400 $1,238,311
B
$447,763
$87,856
$78,000
$613,619
C
$2,321,213
$841,940 $1,707,477 $4,870,630
D
$612,131
$156,500
$125,000
$893,631
E
$104,226
$10,000
$31,000
$145,226
F
$510,621
$160,500
$263,500
$934,621
NIF
$415,000
$415,000
Total
$4,884,265 $1,476,396 $2,750,377 $9,111,038
Highly Qualified People
HQP from most
research programs
HQP needed by industries
and governments
People with deep
expert knowledge
People with expert
knowledge plus a
broad vision and contextual
understanding
The AUTO21 Student Seminar
AUTO21 will bring all of the students together annually
to learn about the breadth of automotive research and
about the auto industry and the breadth of automotive
research:

Seminar describing all of the research projects in the Network,

Plant tours,

Interactive, multidisciplinary workshops,

Meeting colleagues from other universities working on other
projects,

Talks by industry experts on major trends in the sector.
Developing Tomorrow’s
Automotive Professionals Today
A
B
C
INNOVATION
& WEALTH
CREATION
D
Expert
Knowledge
E
F
Broad Vision
and Context
AUTO21 Student Seminar - 2002
The first AUTO21 Student Seminar was held at the
Cambridge Ontario June 6-8, 2002:

Hosted by Toyota Motor Manufacturing Canada Ltd. (TMMC)
at their Cambridge assembly plant.

Tours of TMMC and the facilities of the Linamar Corporation
in nearby Guelph Ontario,

Over 100 attendees learned and worked together about
trends and careers in the automotive industry.
Administrative Offices
Centre for Automotive
Research and Education
754 California Ave. Windsor,
Ontario
(519) 253-3000 ext. 4134
Developing the best people and
the best technology for the future of
the automotive industry
www.auto21.ca
www.nce.gc.ca