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Did you know?
• Israel exports around $800 million worth of automotive parts and systems annually, many of which are utilized by leading manufacturers such as Daimler, Jaguar, BMW, VW, PSA, GM, MAN, International Truck & Engine, Renault-Nissan, Ford and Volvo as well as to Tier 1 suppliers such as: Delphi, Bosch, Valeo, Autoliv, Faurecia, Johnson Controls and Magna Styer.
• Major international companies, such as General Motors, Toyota and Robert Bosch are utilizing Israel's technological know-how and creativity.
• A majority of the most successful automotive technology companies were established 15 to 20 years ago to support the defense industries.
• Several Israeli technological companies are currently working with leading Chinese and Indian OEMs such as FAW and TATA motors.
• Four benefits of outsourcing to Israel are: more advanced and innovative technical solutions, lower costs, reliable on-time delivery, and high-quality parts.
Main Industry Segments
Advanced Electronics and Automation Technologies
Israeli companies offer electronic systems, equipment and products which improve the accuracy, quality and efficiency of vehicle production. Theyare also leaders in the field of driver vision systems, biometric-based security and integrative communications systems, including night vision systems, on-board driver assistance systems, telematics, navigation & control systems, sensors, voice processing solutions and testing & measurement solutions. New Israeli "vehicle to environment" communications systems including satellite TV reception promise to change the entire driving experience. Performance improvement features include engine control modules, an electronic voltage regulator, and a system to monitor fluid quality and temperature.
MobilEye Vision Technologies introduced the Advanced Warning System (AWS), a camera based driver assistance system for accident prevention and mitigation which alerts the driver when the car is too close to the vehicle in front of it or when the vehicle is about to exit the roadway or change lanes. The company's customers include BMW, Volvo and GM. MobilEye is the recipient of several prestigious awards including the Red Herring Top 100 Innovators Award and the Frost and Sullivan Company of the Year Award in the Automotive Industry.
General Motors Advanced Technical Center – Israel, located in Herzliya, was established in 2008 to create a world-class R&D organization that guides creative thinking into unique innovations in areas of strategic importance to the automotive industry. GM Israel also has an engineering department which is working on technologies that will be included in future car models as well as a $100 million venture capital fund seeking opportunities in two of the world’s most promising tech landscapes. Earlier this year, the fund supplied $5 million to Israeli startup Powermat, which makes wireless charging mats for cell phones and other electronic devices. GM plans to include the mats in vehicles as soon as 2012, allowing drivers to easily recharge their devices while on the road without having to resort to their cigarette lighter as a power source.
PrimeSense has developed a revolutionary low cost 3D capturing device. Its application in cars includes: controlled air bag activation based on spatial detection of the occupant’s movements; driver awareness detection based on head and eyelids spatial position; driver attention monitor; and a child abandonment detection system; as well as easy and reliable operation of car systems with hand or head gestures. The company is cooperating with a leading Japanese vehicle manufacturer to develop a unique and innovative infotainment system. (Picture: PrimeSense entertainment system courtesy of PrimeSense)
Nextec Technologies specializes in high precision, non-contact 3D laser scanning for geometric inspection, quality control and reverse engineering applications. The technology is now incorporated into vehicles manufactured by VW, Audi, Mitsubishi, and Rolls Royce.
Innovative Materials
Israel's application of innovative materials for the automotive industry combines increased safety with the utmost in comfort. Breakthroughs have included TexoPlast's tough, lightweight fabric featuring a soft, luxurious-to-the-touch material on one side with a hard plastic shell on the other, and Raviv's carbon fabric heated seat pads that offer safer, more energy efficient, uniform seat temperature. BGN Technologies, the technology transfer company of Ben Gurion University has available innovative materials such as lightweight, high-strength boron-carbide armor; consolidated light alloys with nano/sub-micron structure – light materials based on aluminum, magnesium and titanium; and cellular magnesium foam for special energy absorbing applications. FriCSo Ltd. provides a patented, environmentally friendly, nano-layer based surface treatment that significantly reduces friction between moving parts.
Measurement and Tools
CogniTens provides dimensional measurement solutions focused on improving engineering and manufacturing processes. The company was awarded the Automotive News PACE Award honoring innovative automotive suppliers as well as Frost & Sullivan’s Technology Innovation of the Year Award. Customers include: Daimler, Ford, GM, Honda, Magna International, Mazda, and Toyota among others.
One of the biggest success stories, Iscar is a producer of unique cutting tools for metalworking, many of which are used in the automotive industry
Equipment for OEMs
About 35 companies serve as OEM and Tier 1 suppliers to the world's leading automakers. These companies combine traditional engineering precision with advanced design and the latest technologies, and come from many industries including plastics, rubber, metal and electronics.
Mivrag Ltd. produces a wide range of metal parts, bolts and unique metal accessories in cold forming technology.
Raval Ltd. specializes in the development and production of automotive fuel tank venting systems in response to new international environmental and safety regulations. Customers include, among others: Porsche, Audi, VW, Daimler, GM, Hyundai, Mazda, Bentley, and PSA.
Tadir-Gan Group – TG Group covers the three High Pressure Die-casting processes: aluminum, magnesium and zinc, with full synergistic cooperation and higher capabilities. Tadir-Gan (Precision Products) 1993 Ltd. is a two-time winner of the GM Worldwide Supplier of the Year award for its achievements in quality, service, technology and price.TG Group's customers include: GM, Ford, VW/Audi, MAN, Porsche, Jaguar, PSA, TRW, Valeo, Autoliv, Draexlmaier, and ZF Lenksysteme.
Taditel, which develops software for placement behind the dashboard of automobiles and commercial vehicles, is a sole supplier to General Motors, among others manfuacturers.
After-market suppliers
Alex Original makes HVAC systems, rooftop units for minibuses and transport refrigeration, while Delek Lubricants creates lubricants based on minerals and synthetic oils for transportation and industry.
Bus and Vehicle Bodybuilders
Merkavim Transportation Technologies is a bus manufacturer chosen by Volvo as a major regional body builder, which develops, designs and manufactures a large variety of models.
Cleantech Initiatives
With the world increasingly challenged by congested roads and polluted air, Israel’s ground-breaking automotive technologies are in the forefront of improving performance, efficiency, safety and cleanliness.
One example from BGN Technologies is its partnership with Exxon Mobil Corporation to manufacture a container for alternative hydrogen fuel that is exceptional in its content ability as well as in the amount of security it provides.
ETV Motors Ltd. is an Israeli start-up developing innovative electric vehicle propulsion technology. The company's activity is focused on a novel, high-efficiency, dual–power micro-turbine and a proprietary high voltage lithium-ion battery. Integration of these optimized components will result in an unparalleled electric vehicle propulsion platform.
Furthermore, the Israeli government has made a strategic decision to support the development of an infrastructure for mass transportation using electric vehicles, in cooperation with Better Place, a project initiated by Israeli entrepreneur Shai Agassi. Agassi is currently traveling the world promoting Better Place-Renault cars with switchable batteries that extend the driving range of electric cars.
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