The CTA Celebrates Over 15 Years of Innovation in Vehicle Engineering
A Look Back at Key Milestones and What the Future Holds …
SHERBROOKE, QC, March 30, 2023 – For over 15 years, the Centre de Technologies Avancées BRP-Université de Sherbrooke (CTA), located in the heart of the Sherbrooke Innovation Zone, Sherbrooke, has been providing the expertise needed to create cutting-edge technological solutions for Quebec and Canadian companies dedicated to developing
the vehicles of tomorrow.
On June 14, the CTA will celebrate its many successes at a recognition event honoring the four founding members of the CTA, who enabled the CTA to access best practices in R&D and become a key player in developing the next generation of talent and vehicle technologies.
“The CTA specializes in everything related to the future of mobility, with expertise and tools that enable, for example, the lightweighting of vehicles, the management of their noise and vibrations, their electrification, and the facilitation of their driving. “We are proud to offer value-added services and solutions that are currently in high demand given the enthusiasm surrounding the electrification of transportation. The CTA team is extremely motivated by the challenges that lie ahead in the coming years in an industry that is undergoing a major transformation and evolving at an extremely rapid pace,” said Pascal Ranger, Executive Director of the CTA.
15 YEARS OF GREAT ACHIEVEMENTS
In addition to working on numerous BRP projects and vehicles, the CTA has achieved notable successes with several major industry players, such as MDA and Canadensys —partners in Canadian space missions—Lion Électrique, recognized as a pioneer in Canada for its electric buses and trucks, Prinoth, Camso, IngéniArts Technologies (UGOWORK®), Bell Helicopter, and Hydro-Québec, to name just a few.
A COLLABORATIVE RESEARCH CENTER
With its collaborative R&D activities—which include research initiatives and eight laboratories equipped with the latest technologies for mechanical and vehicle electrification testing— the CTA is one of the few Canadian institutions to offer such a wide range of options to companies, all in one location.
“We like to refer to the CTA as a one-stop shop for vehicle engineering for companies that want to benefit from multiple services simultaneously. This allows them to reduce their costs and time to market without having to hire staff or invest in equipment,” adds Pascal Ranger.
FLEXIBLE SERVICES TAILORED TO BUSINESS NEEDS
Vehicle Intelligence
With laboratories dedicated to vehicle engineering, the “intelligent” aspect is becoming increasingly important at the CTA, driven by a strong interest in autonomous vehicles. In this regard, the Center is working to improve the driving experience through various features such as user-friendliness, safety, performance, and reduced emissions. “Our goal at the CTA is to develop more methods, algorithms, and combinations of components in systems that will enable vehicles to become increasingly smarter, more connected, easier to drive, and, eventually, more autonomous!” says Maxime Desjardins-Goulet, engineering project manager at the CTA.
Digital Engineering
Like most fields, engineering is undergoing a digital transformation. As a result, CTA is increasingly using methods and software that enable the execution of digital engineering tasks. “In addition to computer-aided design, we now use digital engineering to conceptualize and test designs. We are able to conceptualize a product virtually, which allows our clients to save a significant amount of time and money on development, while also enabling them to accelerate the time to market for their product,” explains Pascal Ranger.
Engineering and Collaborative Research
Thanks to its partnership with the University of Sherbrooke and BRP, the CTA is one of the few organizations in the industry capable of working in both applied research and new product development. Partnerships between educational institutions and industry make it possible to combine, under one roof, academic knowledge with practical experience. The organization brings together students, future engineers, and experienced professionals. This collaboration gives the CTA access to best R&D practices and the latest innovations, enabling it to play a key role in developing the next generation of professionals and vehicle technologies.
“The country needs talented, versatile, bright, and curious people who are committed to helping address some of the major societal challenges we face today. Making the world a better place, helping to make vehicles cleaner, safer, and more user-friendly. We will always need people who work with their heads, but also with their hearts, to make a difference,” said Pascal Ranger.
“Our partnership with the University of Sherbrooke allows us to develop stimulating research projects while raising our profile within the local and international communities. For us, it’s a tremendous opportunity for networking and recognition,” said Daniel Duceppe, Head of Engineering Services at CTA.
About CTA
A non-profit organization jointly founded in 2006 by BRP and the Université de Sherbrooke, with financial contributions from the federal and provincial governments, the CTA specializes in R&D on vehicles and their components in the following areas: electrification, lightweight structures, mechatronics, connectivity, noise and vibration management, digital and
predictive engineering, as well as simulation and virtual reality.
CTA’s expertise covers all stages of R&D, from the initial concept to the functional prototype. It enables companies and graduate engineering students to benefit from the synergy between research and engineering, supporting them in their respective development efforts.
The CTA serves a client base ranging from startups to international vehicle manufacturers, including SMEs, primarily in the fields of aerospace, mobility, transportation, and leisure.
Team members come from diverse cultural backgrounds and represent about ten different nationalities.
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For media inquiries:
Marie-France Iribarren
T +1.819.821.7657 #66022
communications@cta-brp-udes.com