Transport R&D skills on offer to companies

Scheme will develop products such as: condition monitoring of infrastructure assets; electric vehicle charging; gas vehicle fuelling; and intelligent signage and signalling

Design consultancy 42 Technology has launched a R&D capability to push forward innovation in the transport sector for projects such as reconfigurable train carriages.

This will build on the consultancy’s existing experience, which focuses on technology for the healthcare, consumer goods, energy and industrial sectors. The R&D resource will be for companies in the transport and infrastructure sectors that are developing products for areas such as: condition monitoring of infrastructure assets; electric vehicle charging; gas vehicle fuelling; and intelligent signage and signalling.

The work will be headed by Dr Zane Van Romunde. He said the decision to form the new department is in answer to demand for more innovative technology in transport infrastructure. Van Romunde said: “We have decided to set up a dedicated transport team following a review of our business and a series of major client wins. The team will enable us to offer a more targeted and integrated approach, to build on our track record, and to help clients more easily access the additional technology and engineering skills they need to fast track their product development programmes.”

Recent transport sector client wins include: the development of payload attachment systems for the Skylon reusable spaceplane (pictured above); the ruggedisation of safety-critical train equipment; and winning the Tomorrow’s Train Design Today competition with a concept for a passenger carriage that can be reconfigured for freight, such as supermarket deliveries or e-commerce goods. 42 Technology plans to unveil a prototype this year.