Renault and Nissan have announced the establishment of a new research and development joint venture in Shanghai, China. The Alliance automotive research and development company, which will be referred to as Alliance Innovation Lab Shanghai (AIL-SH), will focus on autonomous drive, connected and electric vehicles.
Renault and Nissan each hold a 50% share of this new entity and technologies pioneered by the innovation hub will be potentially applied to Renault and Nissan vehicles sold in China and around the world.
“From a strategic point of view, it is vital that the Alliance has a development hub in this thriving market, where the Alliance sold more vehicles than anywhere else in 2018,” said Takao Asami, Alliance SVP, research and advanced engineering. “The knowledge and skills obtained here will be leveraged not just inside China but globally, helping to contribute to the demanding objectives of our Alliance 2022 mid-term plan.”
Under the 2022 mid-term plan, the Alliance aims to launch 40 vehicles with different levels of autonomy, while 90% of vehicles globally will be connected cars. The plan also includes a commitment to operating robo-vehicle ride-hailing mobility services.
Kenju Kobayashi, the Alliance global director responsible for the AIL-SH, said, “Shanghai is a leading hub for innovation in China for automotive related technologies and across a range of industries. By bringing together the talents of the Alliance with the range of expertise found in Shanghai and across China, we will be able to aggressively pursue open innovation that transcends industry boundaries and rapidly develop technologies driving the business growth of Alliance members.”