‘It was the Institute of Automotive Technology at TUM that contacted us. They regularly organise a collaborative project on various themes, where students from different countries work together on degree projects’ explains Björn Oskarsson, Senior Lecturer in Logistics.
This year, the project is called GlobalDrive: Future of Logistics. The aim is for the students to develop an overarching vision for the logistics sector 10–15 years from now. Within this framework, they will then carry out their respective theses.
Complements
‘Our areas complement each other well, so there are good opportunities for fruitful collaboration in this project as well as for future research partnerships’ notes Björn Oskarsson.
While research at LiU’s Division of Logistics and Quality Development often focuses on logistics aspects of electrifying freight transport, TUM is more oriented towards technical issues such as autonomous vehicles.
‘The atmosphere is truly inspiring. A fantastic place to work and study. We were impressed by the positive, can do-attitude of everyone we collaborated with! The aim of the exchange is to explore new strategically important topics within logistics and freight transport systems. Through GlobalDrive, both parties gain new perspectives on the subject, which helps us identify new interdisciplinary research questions’
Would you like to collaborate with LiU in the future?
‘We have seen that we work on complementary topics and can learn a lot from each other. We would very much like to continue this collaboration going forward’ says Georg Balke.
A partner and financier in the project is TRATON, with brands such as Scania, Volkswagen and MAN. They are one of the world’s leading manufacturers of commercial vehicles – trucks, buses and light utility vehicles. They contribute funding as well as expertise and advice to the students.
Electrification
The LiU students presented their project plans together with their German counterparts. After each presentation came questions and suggestions from students, teachers and a representative from TRATON.
The projects dealt with both technical solutions and logistics related to electrification, battery life and battery replacement. Victoria Johansson presented a project idea on how batteries can be fully reused and how to assess their lifespan.
‘It is still just an idea. We will soon be in contact with Scania to discuss their needs and how our thesis can fit into their operations’ explained Victoria Johansson.
"Interesting question"
She received immediate feedback and some tips from Lei Chen, who works at TRATON on research into transport systems and innovation:
‘An interesting question. These are quite new issues. Since electrified vehicles have not been around for very long, we do not yet know everything about the actual lifespan of batteries’ commented Lei Chen.
Victoria Johansson is pleased after the presentation:
‘It was great to get so much feedback – from industry, from both students and teachers from Munich and from our supervisors. Several of us also received concrete tips on research and names of researchers working on similar topics. That is, of course, valuable’ says Victoria Johansson.
Going to Munich in spring term
The exchange with the German students will continue throughout the academic year, and in the spring the LiU students will travel to Munich. It has meant a flying start to the thesis work and a lot of hard study. But also coffee breaks (Swedish ‘fika’) together and socialising in the evenings.
‘Linköping University seems to have a very dynamic study environment, not so hierarchical. It is interesting to see the differences – for example, that we do our theses individually, whereas Swedish students often work in pairs’ says TUM student Jing Wang.