FKA GMBH

Their core work

fka is an independent automotive research and engineering company based in Aachen, Germany, closely linked to the RWTH Aachen University ecosystem. They specialize in vehicle development, automated driving validation, occupant safety simulation, and electromobility concepts. Their H2020 portfolio shows deep involvement in testing and validating automated driving systems, crash safety modeling with advanced human body models, and lightweight vehicle engineering. They serve as a technical expert brought into large consortia to provide specialized engineering analysis and test methodology.

What they specialise in

How they've shifted over time

fka's early H2020 involvement (2015–2017) centered on electromobility and lightweight vehicle design through projects like EU-LIVE, NeMo, and ALLIANCE. From 2017 onward, their focus shifted decisively toward automated driving — testing methodologies, large-scale piloting, occupant safety in autonomous scenarios, and cybersecurity. The trajectory shows a clear pivot from "how to build better vehicles" to "how to validate and certify vehicles that drive themselves."

fka is deepening its position as a go-to validation and testing authority for connected and automated driving, with increasing attention to cybersecurity and cross-border deployment challenges.

How they like to work

fka overwhelmingly operates as a third-party expert (7 of 9 projects), meaning they are brought in by consortia for their specialized know-how rather than leading or co-designing projects. They have never coordinated an H2020 project. With 159 unique consortium partners across 21 countries, they are well-networked but play a supporting specialist role — the kind of partner you call when you need rigorous automotive testing and engineering expertise without the overhead of a full consortium member.

fka has collaborated with 159 unique partners across 21 countries, reflecting broad European reach through large-scale transport and digital innovation consortia. Their Aachen base connects them naturally to the German automotive research ecosystem and major OEM supply chains.

What sets them apart

fka bridges the gap between academic automotive research (via its RWTH Aachen roots) and industrial vehicle development, offering independent testing and validation that OEMs and tier-1 suppliers trust. Their rare combination of occupant safety biomechanics, automated driving field testing methodology, and lightweight vehicle engineering makes them a versatile technical partner. For consortium builders, fka brings credibility and deep German automotive sector connections without the commercial conflicts of an OEM partner.

Highlights from their portfolio

• Hi-Drive
  Their most recent and longest-running project (2021–2025), focused on large-scale cross-border automated driving demonstrations — signals their current strategic direction.
• EU-LIVE
  Their largest funded project (EUR 468,294) and one of only two where they held full participant status, focused on efficient urban light vehicles.
• OSCCAR
  Combines automated driving with advanced crash safety using omnidirectional human body models — a unique intersection of fka's two primary expertise areas.