Overview
The FP7 project EAGAR benchmarked the current public automotive research activities at international level, in particular the European Union with North America, Japan, South Korea, India, China and selected other emerging economies.
The European Commission stated objectives to improve the competitive position of the EU for economic benefit. Benchmarking and competitor assessments are essential tools for developing strategic plans and focussing investments. Until now, there has been no perspective available to compare global RTD strategies and priorities.
EAGAR created a methodology for collecting consistent information on automotive RTD to enable benchmark comparison between countries on an equal basis.
EAGAR identified the national road transport visions and roadmaps, research priorities, supported key topics, technology pathway, as well as the level of investment. This enabled a direct comparison of national automotive R&D policies relating to the environment (energy, CO2, pollution, recycling, noise), safety and congestion. The comparison of visions and roadmaps contributes to ERTRAC, the European Technology Platform for Road Transport and its Strategic Research Agenda and Implementation Plans.
The EAGAR study provided a key perspective on global investments designed to improve automotive technologies for a greener, safer and smarter road transport system. It set out to assist in defining the future direction of the European automotive sector. The benchmarking study benefited the competitiveness of Europe and enables the stakeholders to adjust its visions & plans for the future.
- To create a methodology for collecting consistent information on automotive RTD to enable benchmark comparison between countries on an equal basis.
- To provide overviews of national road transport visions and roadmaps where available and a comparison with the outline vision developed by ERTRAC.
- To provide details and comparisons of automotive research priorities (relating to the environment, safety and congestion) and investments for Europe, North America, Japan, South Korea, China, India and selected ASEAN nations.
- To highlight areas of strength and weakness in European RTD compared to these countries.
- To identify potential international cooperation areas and to make recommendations for future research and related policy measures in Europe in order to cover areas of weakness.
The project was configured into a range of work packages (WPs) with nominated work package leaders and contributors. The objectives of each working package can be found below.
WP1: Planning & Methodology
Development of the key methodologies and processes, which was used in the subsequent work packages. The methodologies ensured that the data from the various target countries was obtained in consistent formats, allowing in WP 5 the comparison of RTD topics, investments, roadmaps and priorities for a successful benchmarking.
WP2: Mature Economies
The collection of information on roadmaps, research priorities and investments in road transport for the mature economies of Japan and North America
WP3: New and Emerging Economies
The collection of information on roadmaps, research priorities and investments in road transport for the new and emerging economies of India, China, South Korea, and other new and emerging economies.
WP4: Europe
In this work package information about the public funded automotive research activities of those EU member states, which play a major role in the automotive industry was gathered and analysed. As in WPs 2 and 3 the main aim was to collect information on roadmaps, research priorities and investments in road transport.
WP5: Analysis
The objectives of this work package were:
1) To analyse and benchmark the RTD data collected in WP 2-4 to draw key messages and conclusions and to make recommendations for future research in Europe based on the benchmarking assessments
2) To write the interim and final reports
WP6: Dissemination
Objective of this Work Package was to disseminate the key messages from the study to the European automotive community and to the relevant public authorities.
WP7: CSA Administration and Management
This work package provided the necessary management support and administrative services for implementing the proposed Coordination and Support Action. It supported the interaction with the Commission and the other participants and ensures, that the contractual obligations are completed in due time.
Funding
Results
- The main deliverable of the EAGER project is a benchmarking report. This report recommends methods to enable the key stakeholders in automotive research to adjust their visions and plans for the future. EAGAR has researched the public automotive Research and Technology Development (RTD) activities of 22 selected countries around the world as well as the EU itself.
- The EAGAR project has created a methodology for collecting consistent information on automotive RTD to enable fair comparisons between the EU, 12 EU member states, USA, USA, Canada, Japan, South Korea, Brazil, Russia, India, China and Malaysia. National road transport visions and research priorities, technology pathways, and the levels of investment have all been compared.
Policy implications
The data sets gathered specifically for the EAGAR project have been combined with existing knowledge and information in order to make six key recommendations for future research and related policy measures in Europe:
- Public investment in automotive RTD should be strongly competitive with other major economies.
- Public funding of automotive RTD appears to be most efficient and easy to access when directed when directed through fewer organisations, or ideally one organisation.
- A regular consultation process that includes all stakeholders should be established to define RTD programmes.
- Targets for Europe's competitiveness should be established that are understandable and measurable and supported by dedicated RTD programmes.
- Research agencies should be aware of, and endeavour to apply, best practice from European and global arena, especially funding structures and execution processes.
- Online information about research programmes and supported projects improves the automotive RTD funding at all levels and encourage more international collaboration.
Strategy targets
Innovating for the future: technology and behaviour.