Advanced Centre for Automotive Research & Testing (ACART)
ACART began operation in early 2006. It aims to be a leading research and testing centre in the Asia-Pacific Region. ACART will provide the local automotive and transport industries with state-of-the-art infrastructure and highly skilled personnel for advanced automotive research and testing.
The Centre will be located at two nodes: the Ford Australia Proving Ground near Geelong and at the Department of Mechanical and Manufacturing Engineering, University of Melbourne. ACART will establish a new emissions facility and environmental laboratory testing facility (both located at Ford Australia), and an engine dynamometer facility (at the University of Melbourne). Together these facilities will ensure that Victorian based automotive manufacturers can continue to develop world-class products with increasingly sophisticated technology.
ACART's research at the University of Melbourne is headed by Associate Professor Michael Brear, and will focus on more fundamental research of novel automotive technologies in collaboration with Australian and international industry.
Strong established collaboration with several research groups within the Melbourne School of Engineering will also be strengthened.