Research content must show new ways at a conceptual, methodological and technological level of how the agreed environmental and climate protection targets can be achieved and implemented in a timely manner. Future concepts, methods and technologies to improve and secure the future of mobility can only be realised in a targeted manner if a systemic approach is applied that takes into account the needs of road users, the transport system including infrastructure and relevant vehicle technologies in a holistic manner.
Orientation and objectives
As part of the FFAE project, research questions are answered starting at the material, subsystem, system and vehicle level and their integration into the energy system, which are the content of the Helmholtz application "Proposal for a Helmholtz Research Programme Transport". This technological and methodological work thus opens up new possibilities for sustainably supporting the transformation of road transport as a contribution to an emission-free, more efficient, resource-conserving and sustainable transport sector.
The work is bundled in focus applications and across the board in lighthouses, thus providing a holistic system view and presentation in the programme topic of road traffic and transport. At the level of the FFAE project and the road transport programme theme, 'focus applications' are dealt with, while 'lighthouses' are presented at the level of the transport programme.
Key research and development activities are addressed, covering the following areas:
- Focus applications - (complete vehicle) concept
- System-relevant vehicle technologies
- Vehicle production
- Infrastructure / sector coupling
incl. the necessary development methods. The FFAE's own potential of the overall systemic approach is ensured by assigning the methods and technologies to be developed to focus applications. These are, for example, a Long Haul Robot Truck, the U-Shift and the NGC People Mover. The objectives of the project are the conception, design, realisation and verification of resource-saving methods and system-relevant technologies for road transport vehicles. All phases of the product life cycle are taken into account.
Project structure
FFAE is funded from DLR's own resources. Twelve DLR institutes and research organisations are involved. The project is led by the Institute of Vehicle Concepts. In order to achieve the overarching goals of the project and at the same time enable an efficient and goal-orientated project structure, the content has been divided into five thematically and functionally meaningful sub-projects (TP)
- SP 1000: Vehicle / Body / Interior / Exterior
- TP 2000: Powertrain / Storage
- TP 3000: Material solutions
- SP 4000: Ventilation / Comfort / Decontamination
- TP 5000: Energy management / sector coupling
These contribute individually, but also through the holistic approach of the entire project, to a holistic view of the challenges for future road transport vehicles.
Focus applications
Project duration
2022 bis 2025
Budget
approx. € 32 million
Institutes involved
- Institute of Aerodynamics and Flow Technology
- Institute of Structures and Design
- Institute for Vehicle Concepts
- Institute of Composite Structures and Adaptive Systems
- Institute of Materials Physics in Space
- Systems Engineering
- Institute of Technical Thermodynamics
- Institute of Combustion Technology
- Institute of Transport Research
- Institute of Transportation Systems Engineering
- Institute of Networked Energy Systems
- Institute of Materials Research