AutoTrain Project

Below you will find a description of the University of Birmingham AutoTrain Project, hosted by the School of Computer Science. This project was a forerunner of EuroMotor-AutoTrain LLP.

AutoTrain

AutoTrain is the online brand for the internet based training portal operated by EuroMotor
and focuses on the exploration of new training methodologies
for use by the European automotive industry. It aims to provide a low
cost information and communication resource and infrastructure via
the Internet which will be suitable and affordable for even very
small supplier companies.

AutoTrain-Europe

Funded by the Leonardo da Vinci programme, AutoTrain-Europe has been developing online training courses for the past decade to bring
e-learning to Europe’s automotive industry.

A partnership of universities, training organisations and industry throughout Europe have been working together to make this
possible. The aim of the programme has been to help automotive engineers and technicians to obtain the lifelong learning they need
without even having to leave their premises.

AutoTrain-Europe created a virtual college accessible through the internet that delivers training courses and video lectures across
Europe in four mayour European languages: English, German, Spanish and French. Most of the training materials are translated or
subtitled into two or more of these languages and with the support of the European Social Fund through the Leonardo de Vinci programme,
they have been available to users free of charge after registration on the website.

Members of the Pan-European network managed by EuroMotor include amongst others: Volvo, GKN, Land Rover, TRW as well as the
Universities of Aachen, Stuttgart, Lyon, Barcelona, Grenoble, Turin, Liege, Han, Leeds and Birmingham

Course topics and some of the more relevant training areas include Crashworthiness, Body engineering, Aerodynamics, Telematics,
Emissions, Vehicle dynamics and Lean manufacturing.

AutoTrain CoDesign

Environmental pressures and the End of Life Vehicle (ELV) Directive now require that automotive companies take full account of the
materials they use, the design of components for disassembly, reuse, recycling and disposal. As a result, product specifications and
manufacturing are changing and suppliers are now required to supply relevant information to their customers.

As part of the CoDesign project, our expert partners at ProEnviro Ltd provided training and course material on the environmental
aspects of product and process design and development.

Funded by the ESF, this project aimed to improve the design and development capabilities of the SME automotive suppliers in the West Midlands.

View the project flyer in PDF format

AutoNet 1

This project produced 20 training courses in Statistical Process Control, Information Technology, Electro-Magnetic Compatibility, and Environmental Management ISO140001 and trialed them. Autonet 2 will deliver these courses nationally to the sector as a whole. SMEs in manufacturing face global competition and need to invest in skills and adapt to e-business. Autonet 1 was affiliated with a number of similar European partner projects, through the ITREK project.

AutoNet 2

Funded by the Higher Education National ESF programme and builds upon the Adapt funded project Autonet 1. The project delivered vital training online to SMEs across the United Kingdom’s automotive sector and manufacturing sector as a whole.