GKN Automotive’s expertise to assist Formula Student innovation

GKN Automotive is lending its expertise to the University of Nottingham Race Team (UoNRT) to help bring innovation to Formula Student.

UoNRT is a rookie team with a big ambition to become the first UK team to produce a competitive car with an in-house developed electric powertrain capable of both RWD and 4WD. UoNRT currently has a working custom prototype drive unit on each corner of the car, and with GKN Automotive’s technical collaboration they strive to develop the next generation corner unit which is smaller, lighter and more effective. Integral steps of this process include thermal analysis on a GKN Automotive motor dyno and reliability testing of the custom inverter drive. UoNRT also intends to utilise the enormous road-testing expertise of GKN Automotive in creating a robust torque vectoring strategy which can be tuned in real-time to suit the different dynamic events of Formula Student.

Rick Townend, Chief Engineer at GKN Automotive Innovation Centre in Abingdon, said “Formula Student is a fabulous learning ground for training young engineers. Here at the GKN Automotive Innovation Centre we are looking forward to helping the UoN Race Team with their ambitious goals of developing an advanced race-car eDrive - technologies that are also road relevant for the production cars of tomorrow. We are excited to lend our expertise and testing facilities to support UNRT’s move from concept to a fully operational powertrain”.

About GKN Automotive

GKN Automotive is the world’s leading supplier of automotive driveline technology and systems. As a global company serving more than 90% of the world’s vehicle manufacturers, GKN Automotive develops, builds and supplies an extensive range of automotive driveline technologies – for use in the smallest ultra low-cost car to the most sophisticated premium vehicle demanding the most complex driving dynamics. GKN Automotive is a leading global producer of Sideshaft and Propshaft Systems, AWD Systems, Trans Axle Solutions and eDrive Systems and operates in 21 countries at 54 locations employing approximately 29,000 people. Its evolving technology has featured on more than nine billion vehicles around the world.

Find out more at www.gknautomotive.com.