Jaguar Land Rover using aerospace tech to develop lightweight materials

Jaguar Land Rover is taking part in research trials which investigate how technology developed for the aerospace industry can help create lightweight materials for vehicles of the future.

The two-year project will look at technology developed for aerospace to better understand how materials respond to corrosive environments.

Jaguar Land Rover will take new metals and composites which have a planned use in future vehicles and place them into aerospace-grade sensors. Once here, they’ll be put to test in some of the world’s most brutal conditions and used for over 400,000km (248,548 miles) across North America.

The in-built sensors will then record how well the materials perform, relaying key information with JLR’s product development team in the UK. By utilising this data, engineers will be able to predict how these materials will cope in future vehicles.

Matt Walters, lead engineer, metals and process materials for Jaguar Land Rover, said: “This research project is a prime example of our commitment to developing lightweight, durable and robust materials for our future vehicles. Using advanced aerospace-grade technology, such as these sensors, is testament to the quality and standards we are achieving.”

JLR is working alongside industry leaders as part of Gesamtverband der Aluminiumindustrie (GDA), a consortium of aluminium manufacturers and car makers who are researching how certain materials can be made lighter and more durable.