It is our aim to develop future, innovative and intelligent vehicle structures based on a targeted use of fiber composite materials. Combining fiber-composite-compatible construction and simulation opens up new ways which, on the one hand, lead to new development methods for such promising material systems, on the other hand, require a rethinking with regard to conventional, metal-based methods of construction.
Exciting challenges include the design of structures compliant with load paths and optimised for different crash behaviours to ensure that vehicles continue to be safe in the future. The results from calculations and simulation are validated by building prototypes of selected structural components and carrying out tests. This allows reliable recommendations to be made.