EVE · Project

Smarter Vehicle Chassis Control for Safer, More Efficient Cars and Trucks

transportTestedTRL 5Thin data (2/5)

Imagine your car could constantly adjust its brakes, suspension, and tyre pressure all at once — like a skilled driver who never gets tired or distracted. A team of 15 partners across 9 countries built exactly that: an integrated chassis controller that manages all these systems together instead of separately. They tested it on a real instrumented vehicle and a hardware-in-the-loop test rig, aiming to improve safety, energy efficiency, and ride comfort simultaneously.

By the numbers

consortium partners collaborating on chassis control

countries represented in the research network

industry partners involved in development

EUR 571,500

EU contribution for integrated chassis research

total project deliverables produced

The business problem

What needed solving

Vehicle manufacturers face a costly engineering challenge: brakes, suspension, and tyre pressure systems are typically developed and controlled separately, leading to suboptimal performance, higher energy consumption, and compromised safety. Coordinating these subsystems into one intelligent controller requires cross-disciplinary expertise that most individual companies lack.

The solution

What was built

The project delivered an instrumented vehicle equipped with all developed hardware applications for final trials, and a test-rig-in-the-loop platform uniting different subsystems for hardware-in-the-loop and dynamometer testing. In total, 8 deliverables were produced including an experimental tyre database, advanced real-time vehicle models, and remote network-distributed testing technology.

Audience

Who needs this

Automotive OEMs developing active chassis and ADAS systemsTier-1 chassis component suppliers (brakes, suspension, tyre systems)Off-road and commercial vehicle manufacturersVehicle testing and validation service providersElectric vehicle startups needing integrated chassis control for energy efficiency

Business applications

Who can put this to work

Automotive OEMs & Tier-1 Suppliers

enterprise

Target: Vehicle manufacturers or chassis component suppliers developing next-generation active safety and comfort systems

If you are an automotive supplier struggling to coordinate brakes, suspension, and tyre pressure control into one seamless system — this project developed an integrated chassis controller tested on a real instrumented vehicle across a 15-partner consortium with 6 industry members. The controller targets simultaneous improvements in safety, energy efficiency, and driving comfort, reducing the need for separate tuning of each subsystem.

Off-Road & Commercial Vehicle Manufacturers

mid-size

Target: Companies building agricultural, mining, or construction vehicles that operate on unpredictable terrain

If you are an off-road vehicle manufacturer dealing with inconsistent terrain performance and driver fatigue — this project built hardware subsystems for brakes, active suspension, and tyre pressure control designed for both on-road and off-road mobility. The test-rig-in-the-loop platform allows you to validate integrated chassis behaviour before expensive field trials.

Automotive Testing & Simulation Services

any

Target: Engineering firms offering vehicle testing, validation, or simulation-as-a-service

If you are a vehicle testing company looking to expand your capabilities beyond single-subsystem validation — this project created a remote network-distributed vehicle testing technology and a test-rig-in-the-loop platform that unites different subsystems for hardware-in-the-loop and dynamometer testing. With partners across 9 countries, the platform was designed for distributed testing workflows.

Frequently asked

Quick answers

What would it cost to license or access the integrated chassis controller technology?

The project was funded under MSCA-RISE with EUR 571,500 EU contribution across 15 partners, primarily for staff exchange and collaborative research. Licensing terms would need to be negotiated directly with the coordinator at Technische Universitaet Ilmenau. Given this was a research mobility programme, IP arrangements may vary by partner.

Can this technology work at industrial production scale?

The project produced an instrumented vehicle and a test-rig-in-the-loop platform, demonstrating the integrated chassis control on real hardware. However, this was a research collaboration programme — scaling to series production would require additional engineering and industrialisation work with an OEM partner.

Who owns the intellectual property and how can we license it?

The consortium included 7 universities, 6 industry partners, and 2 research organisations. IP ownership likely follows the standard MSCA-RISE grant agreement terms. The coordinator, Technische Universitaet Ilmenau in Germany, would be the primary contact for IP discussions.

Does this technology meet current automotive safety regulations?

The integrated chassis controller targets improvements in safety, energy efficiency, and driving comfort. Based on available project data, the system was tested on an instrumented vehicle and test-rig-in-the-loop platform, but specific regulatory certification details are not provided in the project documentation.

How long would integration into our existing vehicle platform take?

The project ran from 2015 to 2017 and produced 8 deliverables including the instrumented vehicle and test platform. Integration timelines would depend on your specific vehicle architecture. The remote network-distributed testing technology could potentially accelerate the validation phase.

Can this work with our existing braking and suspension suppliers?

The project developed hardware subsystems for brakes, active suspension, and tyre pressure control. The test-rig-in-the-loop platform was designed to unite different subsystems, suggesting the architecture supports integration with various component suppliers. The 6 industry partners in the consortium likely represent existing supply chain expertise.

Consortium

Who built it

The EVE consortium brings together 15 partners across 9 countries (Germany, Belgium, Spain, Sweden, Netherlands, South Africa, USA, France, UK), with a 40% industry ratio — 6 industry partners alongside 7 universities and 2 research organisations. Coordinated by Technische Universitaet Ilmenau, a respected German technical university, the project had genuine cross-sector collaboration. The international spread including South Africa and the USA goes beyond the typical EU-only consortium, which is useful for global vehicle markets. However, the absence of any SMEs and the relatively modest EUR 571,500 budget split across 15 partners signals this was primarily a knowledge-exchange programme rather than a product development effort.

TECHNISCHE UNIVERSITAET ILMENAUCoordinator · DE
SKF BVparticipant · NL
UNIVERSITE DE TECHNOLOGIE DE COMPIEGNEparticipant · FR
INSTITUTO TECNOLOGICO DE ARAGONparticipant · ES
UNIVERSITY OF PRETORIApartner · ZA
DSPACE DIGITAL SIGNAL PROCESSING AND CONTROL ENGINEERING GMBHparticipant · DE
TENNECO AUTOMOTIVE EUROPE BVBAparticipant · BE
CENTRE NATIONAL DE LA RECHERCHE SCIENTIFIQUE CNRSparticipant · FR
UNIVERSITY OF SURREYparticipant · UK
VIRGINIA POLYTECHNIC INSTITUTE AND STATE UNIVERSITYpartner · US
TECHNISCHE UNIVERSITEIT DELFTparticipant · NL
CHALMERS TEKNISKA HOGSKOLA ABparticipant · SE

How to reach the team

Technische Universitaet Ilmenau, Germany — search for the EVE project lead in the Department of Automotive Engineering

Order a report on this consortium See TECHNISCHE UNIVERSITAET ILMENAU profile →

Next steps

Talk to the team behind this work.

Want an introduction to the EVE research team? SciTransfer can connect you with the right people and provide a detailed technology brief tailored to your vehicle platform.

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