Japan’s Carmakers Launch Joint Engine Research Group

Eight Japanese carmakers and the Japan Automobile Research Institute have formed a coalition to identify research topics that could result in cleaner internal combustion engines.

Carmaker members of the Research Assn. of Automotive Internal Combustion Engines (AICE) are Daihatsu, Fuji Heavy Industries, Honda, Mazda, Mitsubishi, Nissan, Suzuki and Toyota.

The group has been launched with an annual budget of about 1 billion yen ($10 million) that includes a grant from the country's Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry. AICE will be headed by Keiji Ohtsu, a managing officer at Honda.

AICE intends to conduct joint basic and applied research to enhance the future of the IC engine and bolster Japan's expertise in combustion technology.