Southern Taiwan auto-parts makers to form R&D alliance

This article was published by the Taiwan Headlines on March 23, 2006. It reports that more than 50 major auto-parts makers in southern Taiwan recently announced their plans to set up the Southern Taiwan Auto-Parts R&D Alliance. The alliance will cooperate with the Industrial Technology Research Institute to conduct automotive-electronics R&D and upgrade the global competitiveness of these auto-parts makers.

The alliance is expected to become Taiwan's second R&D alliance among southern Taiwan's auto-parts makers. The first is the Advanced Frontlighting System (AFS) research alliance.

Some private auto-parts manufacturers in southern Taiwan recently proposed the establishment of a project to integrate their resources with the research capabilities of the Industrial Technology Research Institute, in order to strengthen the development of Taiwan's automotive electronic peripherals industry. These manufacturers also hoped that government authorities will help them set up a special auto-parts zone in the Yongkang Industrial Park in southern Taiwan's Tainan County.

At present, the automotive electronics sector has been designated by the government as a focal-point industry ready for special development. Many research and academic institutes have expressed their desire to assist the development of the sector. Several universities in Taiwan have already established automotive-related departments. The Taiwan Automotive Research Consortium has also been launched in recent years to integrate the efforts of the Mechanical and System Research Laboratories, the Center for Aerospace and System Technology, the Metal Industries Research and Development Center, and the Chung Shan Institute of Science and Technology. Finally, the Tainan County Government is expected to act as an intermediary between southern Taiwan's auto-parts makers and other research institutes.

Southern Taiwan is the center of Taiwan's auto-parts industry, with a regional cluster consisting of most major makers of auto lamps, body parts, aftermarket (AM) plastic body-parts, and engine parts.