SAE Industry Technologies Consortia (ITC), an SAE International affiliate, announces the creation of the Defense Automotive Technologies Consortium (DATC).
SAE ITC was selected by the U.S. Army Tank Automotive Research, Development and Engineering Center (TARDEC) to create an “other transaction agreement (OTA)” to quickly and efficiently integrate innovative automotive technologies into military ground vehicles, ultimately resulting in speed of adoption of commercial technologies and improved defense capabilities.
“SAE has a long history of supporting the U.S. Army, dating back to World War I when our members designed and manufactured the crucial Class B Truck in just 69 days for the war effort,” David L. Schutt, PhD, President of DATC and Chief Executive Officer of SAE International, said. “We are pleased and honored to continue that support through the work of DATC. Helping to expedite the adoption of innovative technologies will greatly assist our nation’s defense capabilities.”
DATC, is a nonprofit incorporated in Michigan and will comprise commercial automotive manufacturers and suppliers and address key technology areas, including:
- Automotive Cybersecurity
- Vehicle Safety Technologies
- Vehicle Lightweighting
- Autonomous Vehicles and Intelligent Systems
- Connected Vehicles
- Advanced Energy Storage Technologies
“Headquartered in Troy, Michigan, DATC is open to small, medium or large companies, regardless of whether or not they have done business with the government in the past. DATC creates a very efficient way to do business with the government,” Dave Porreca, Executive Director of DATC, said. “The government and the U.S. Army need to move more quickly when adopting new vehicle technologies. DATC will help them award projects in as few as 60-120 days.”
The intended period for the OTA is seven years; during which up to $700 million in projects can be awarded by the government.
TARDEC is the nation’s laboratory for developing advanced military ground vehicle technologies, process integration expertise and system-of-systems engineering solutions for Force Projection technology, Ground Vehicle Power and Mobility, Ground Vehicle Robotics, Ground Systems survivability, and Vehicle Electronics and Architecture.
The SAE ITC's mission is to build industry infrastructure tailored to the respective technology, market and industry member groups while satisfying time horizons and providing the responsible resources to enable achievement of industry objectives.
