SEAT has signed an agreement to transfer a vehicle for the development of innovation projects with the laboratory inLab FIB of the Faculty of Computer Science of Barcelona (FIB) of the UPC.

The rector of the Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya · BarcelonaTech (UPC), Francesc Torres, received on March 8th, by Stefan Ilijevic, head of Predation, Patents and Innovation of SEAT, the key to the vehicle, the Ateca model, that this company is transferring to the laboratory inLab FIB of the Faculty of Computer Science of Barcelona (FIB) of the UPC, for the development of joint research and innovation projects.

The event, which has taken place in the Manuel Martí Recober room of the FIB, was also attended by Josep Casanovas, director of inLab FIB; Josep Fernández, Dean of the FIB; Jordi Berenguer, Vice President of Transfer of Knowledge and Innovation at UPC, and by SEAT, Vanesa Martínez, of the Department of Talent Acquisition, HR, and Oriol Mas, responsible for Parking, Rear Radar & Camera Systems.

Throughout the session, the importance of the agreement established between both institutions has been demonstrated and a video about the collaboration between SEAT and the inLab FIB of the UPC for more than 20 years has been seen. As mentioned by the director of the center, Professor Josep Casanovas, “a large part of this work has been based on the commitment of these entities to innovation and an effective promotion through the SEAT Chair of the UPC, of the CARNET program and what is derived in the immediate future of the European project EIT, KIC Urban Mobility, MOBiLus.”

The Dean of the Faculty, Professor Josep Fernández, highlighted “the Talent program, which allows us to train students in a comprehensive way and improve their transversal competences by participating in real projects”, and emphasized “the importance that companies like SEAT work constantly to improve the experience and the quality of use of mobility systems and their commitment to the challenge of sustainable mobility, to be able to live in healthier cities and more friendly environments.”

“Automotive is an emblematic example of multidisciplinary engineering, integrating mechanical, energy, ICT and infrastructure. The concept ‘Safety + Security’, related to the connected car, is also a reference in aeronautical navigation, so that a car looks more and more like a connected aircraft”, said Jordi Berenguer, vice president of Knowledge Transfer and Innovation at the UPC. And he emphasized: “In addition to this agreement, another example of our longstanding collaboration with SEAT, inLab FIB also participates in an emblematic project, the CARNET consortium, a disruptive reference of collaboration between the university and the industry, and that has also encouraged the KIC to be placed here in Barcelona on Urban Mobility”.

Vanesa Martínez referred to “the historical commitment of SEAT to training” and stressed: “Given the challenges associated with connectivity, new energies, the autonomous car and mobility services is essential to attract young talent that contributes to this process of transformation, in which continuous training is essential and, above all, to take into account the professional career of the people”.

“The vehicle has gone from being merely mechanical to being a computer with wheels”, said Oriol Mas. “I am glad to see that the essential university-business ecosystem, which I experienced during my Erasmus stay in Germany, when I was a student of the ‘telecos’ at the UPC, some time ago is also consolidating here and, from SEAT want to continue contributing our bit and continue to help with all our knowledge and skills, overcome together, some of these challenges related to mobility”.

Stefan Ilijevic, who has valued the importance of collaboration between university and company for SEAT, also stated that “at SEAT we are experiencing the biggest transformation that has ever been in the history of the automotive sector, which arrives with the connectivity of the car, the sharing, the change of behavior of the customer with regard to the use of the vehicle, the autonomous driving and the electrification of the traction “. Ilijevic added that “we are facing a revolution in the automotive world. We live a transformation that is not only technological and we need a new type of engineers and engineers. The university, in turn, faces great changes as a result of the new forms of learning and insertion in the labor market”.

The head of Predation, Patents and Innovation at SEAT has also explained that “we have the same objective, which is to transform and improve society”. And he added: “You have to awaken your minds to realize that there is a lot to do. I think we have to go deep into this collaboration between SEAT and the UPC. We have a great opportunity with the KIC Mobilus. I invite you to make proposals of joint projects that can bring value to society “.

UPC’s rector, Francesc Torres, after thanking everyone for this project, said that “in an increasingly transversal and profound change industry of the automotive industry, engineers and engineers trained in UPC can play a very important role. We have a long way to go forward together”. The rector emphasized that “the Talent program of inLab FIB is an example of a technology community involved in the progress of the territory, creating a future for ours Young people, promoting projects where students and teachers can work in collaboration with industry, through innovative projects that create wealth and future, and this is what we want to promote from our government action, thanks to the work of centers like this”. Francesc Torres concluded: “I hope to continue sharing with SEAT a broad and long collaboration. As engineers and engineers it is up to us to live a fascinating stage. We have the opportunity to contribute, jointly, to social progress. As a public university, we understand it as the quest for a better coexistence: healthy buildings, friendly cities, progress compatible with the care of the environment, and trying to leave a better world for our children”.