MIRA Boosts EV/HEV Battery Services.

MIRA, the global development partner to the automotive and defence sectors, has installed a comprehensive battery test and development suite at its dedicated component development centre near London.  The new equipment will support the rapid development of the latest Electric Vehicle (EV) and Hybrid Electric Vehicle (HEV) powertrains and continue the quest for compact, durable, high-energy charge storage solutions.

MIRA Introduces Fixed Price Certification to the UK.

MIRA has simplified the automotive certification process by offering a new solution that reduces cost, increases flexibility and delivers on a guaranteed price.

By collaborating with the Dutch certification authority (RDW), MIRA has achieved Technical Service status across 72 categories of test.  This enables MIRA to both perform and witness a wide range of certification tests necessary for whole vehicle type approval and homologation. By removing the reliance on a separate witnessing authority, MIRA are able to offer the market a fixed price certification service.

MIRA Key Partner in Low Carbon Vehicle Technology Project

Details of the ground-breaking Low Carbon Vehicle Technology Project announced today include:

MIRA is naturally at the heart of all these areas and we are delighted to work alongside those here today to ensure we continue to deliver the technological solutions to the pressing issues facing our society. What’s more, the low carbon agenda has for the first time in decades changed the rules of engagement in the auto industry. The need for completely new components, sourced from new partners and assembled into new modules is forging new alliances. If we are adept in this time of change, this region will emerge stronger than ever as the primary source of low carbon technology for the global marketplace.”

The project is pivotal to Government’s decision to declare West Midlands a Low Carbon Economic Area for advanced automotive engineering, announced by Business Secretary Lord Mandelson last week.

GAC Selects MIRA for Vehicle Development Partnership

Guangzhou Automobile Co. Ltd (GAC) and MIRA have signed a contract for MIRA to provide support on a new vehicle programme for GAC.  Through a combined GAC/MIRA team of engineers, this engineering programme will help GAC to deliver its new passenger car to the market.

MIRA Opens Brussels Office

Today in Brussels, vehicle engineering specialists MIRA announced the opening of a dedicated office to support the growth in EU research and development projects.  The Brussels office ensures MIRA is better able to react to the evolving political landscape and deliver appropriate technology advice to policy makers.

Construction go-ahead for world-leading intelligent transport centre.

It was announced today that approval has been given for construction to start on innovITS – ADVANCE, a new UK centre for the development of intelligent transport innovations.  Based at Nuneaton, Warwickshire, this world-class technical facility is the result of a unique collaboration between innovITS, MIRA and TRL, with £6.5 million funding support provided by Advantage West Midlands.

MIRA Ltd the global development partner to the automotive and defence sectors has appointed of Dr Geoffrey Davis as Business Development Director.  As a main board director Dr Davis will provide new impetus to the company’s sales and marketing strategy and will lead the business development teams in the UK and around the world. Dr Davis joins MIRA’s board on October 5th 2009.

A new vehicle safety standard ( ISO 26262) has been published governing safety-critical control systems. Advanced control technologies, promising lower carbon emissions, have edged towards commercial reality through the creation of this safe operating framework.

MIRA has developed a new range of power conditioners and EMC filters that enable military vehicles destined for current operational theatres to meet the latest MOD electrical & EMC standards. A comprehensive range of power conditioners are now available with dedicated distribution points for a full suite of communication systems and electronic countermeasure equipment.

Rail Crash Demo Previews New EU Legislation.

Britain’s first full scale rail crash test in over 20 years drew stakeholders from across the rail industry to the Motorail Logistics site at Long Marston, where vehicle engineering specialists MIRA performed a live impact demonstration on May 14th. The event showcased technology transfer opportunities between road and rail ahead of new EU safety regulations targeting the crashworthiness of modern trains.

Leadership roles at Low Carbon NGO’s are being filled by senior figures drawn from prominent technology providers. 

MIRA’s Chief Exec Dr George Gillespie welcomed the news: ”The appointment of Professor Neville Jackson can only be applauded and serves to augment the appointment of my predecessor here at MIRA to chair the TSB’s Advisory Panel for their Low Carbon Vehicle initiatives.  Together I see these as a positive step that enables key NGO’s to be more effective when lobbying for government funding opportunities on behalf of UK automotive technology providers – which as we all know is where the real innovation happens and the solutions are born.”

MIRA has responded decisively to the recent update to Defence Standard 61-5 part 6 by becoming the first company in the world accredited to perform vital certification work. The engineering service provider has been swift to secure approval from UKAS to extend its accreditation, following Dstl’s move to publish the new Def Stan in mid-February. 

Renown Italian design house Torino Design and global development partner MIRA have signed a collaboration agreement that delivers a turnkey design, development and certification service to automakers, targeted at providing the highest quality design and engineering on a global basis.  The Anglo-Italian collaboration is founded on a lean business model that offers world-class service at a very competitive cost.

The MOD has renewed its focus on the electrical systems in frontline vehicles by updating Defence Standard 61-5 part 6 issue 6. The scope of the new Def Stan encompasses all new and existing vehicles destined for current operational theatres - stakeholders throughout the defence community should take note.

Automakers can increase the efficiency of their aerodynamic development process & design aerodynamic cars that produce less CO2, thanks to a new flow visualisation and measurement technique.  Wind tunnel time becomes more productive as aerodynamicists can ‘see’ the entire airflow & directly correlate modelling predictions with test results in a common analysis environment. By bringing wind tunnel development and the virtual world together, aerodynamics has taken a huge technological step forward.