Complete Vehicle Engineering

Whether it’s climate change or mobility change, the automotive industry is constantly on the move. Legal frameworks and a growing market demand are playing a major role in the further development of alternative drive systems. Electrification is also making it easier for new players to enter and shape the market, introducing innovative ways of developing and implementing drive systems.

Magna has many years of experience with alternative propulsion systems – 30 years in alternative powertrains alone, along with 20 years in hydrogen powertrains. The drive system is designed with the complete vehicle in mind, both in terms of complete vehicle development and in sub-projects.

Electric and electronic systems are increasingly vital components of all modern vehicles, and the number of user-focused and internal systems is constantly increasing. With this in mind, integrating these systems into vehicles requires ever an more specialized skillset. Magna has the expertise required to design and build complete E/E architectures, as well as to integrate and secure complex systems.

The future is digital and automated - also for mobility. As a result, infotainment and user experience will become increasingly important. Automation must be able to keep pace with this development because end customers expect an ever-greater choice of features. Advanced Driver Assistance systems not only have a practical value, but also serve to create recognition and differentiation from the competition. Whoever sets the tone here can win the market.

Magna builds not only on many years of experience in integrating and validating Advanced Driver Assistance Systems, but also on the cooperation with its own HMI department. As a full-service provider, Magna thus offers both a competent supplier network as well as the complete infrastructure and access to all relevant testing facilities.

The rise of digitalization is seeing software and HMI become more and more important. A trend that is steadily growing is the fact that autonomous driving will also mean that, in the future, passengers will have time to use even more features while driving. Smartphones, tablets, and similar gadgets are already raising customer expectations in terms of usability. More and more, the user experience in the vehicle is acting as a way to boost recognition and differentiate it from other systems and vehicles and make the proprietary brand stand out.

We support you in successfully developing your HMI solution. As an established automotive group with more than 120 years of experience, Magna has long since developed an eye for the "big picture". Building on extensive expertise, the latest technologies, a reliable network of suppliers, and engineering centers around the world, we can provide you with holistic support in the area of Human Machine Interface.

With our many years of experience in developing and manufacturing vehicles, you can count on us to understand exactly what you need and produce a product to meet your individual needs. Integrating modules and systems to meet geometrical and functional requirements is part of our core expertise, and so are the systems used to test them. Our efficient project and process management procedures make sure everything runs smoothly and that your finished product meets all your targets when it comes to cost, functionality, weight and technical requirements.

Launching an electric vehicle requires not only an innovative vehicle concept, but also high levels of investment in new technologies, staff, and production facilities. Increasing cost pressure caused by stringent government regulations coupled with slowly rising sales figures for electric vehicles are contributing to the fact that stand-alone development and production are not profitable for many vehicle concepts.

With Magna, automakers have a leading international partner in Platform Solutions. With an eye for the complete vehicle, Magna has been involved in electric mobility for 30 years and has also been working on its platforms for a considerable time. Based on a global supplier network, a Magna EV platform has been developed and industrialized, and several platform-sharing solutions have been implemented.

Magna’s Engineering Services Department is a world-renowned specialist in vehicle engineering, powertrain systems, alternative propulsion systems, application software, and a full range of testing services.

Powertrain technology will continue to develop rapidly in the future. Automation and electrification have become increasingly important in recent years, and efficient automatic transmissions are every bit as important to the powertrain as electrified on-demand systems. We focus on the technologies of the future, with a strong emphasis on applying our deep knowledge of electrification and associated systems.

Magna‘s prototype shop manufactures concept vehicles, test vehicles and prototypes for all stages of the design process, as well as highly-customized, low-volume finished vehicles and parts. We aim to achieve proof of concept for mass-production and new technology at the prototype stage, before the finished parts/vehicles go into production. We also carry out on- and off-road vehicle reliability and component testing.

Vehicle safety has improved enormously in recent decades and it has become a must-have for successful vehicle sales. Both active and passive safety systems require thorough testing before the start of series production. Furthermore, alternative propulsion systems and increasing digitalization pose new challenges to vehicle safety and security. An increasing number of derivatives on global vehicle platforms strain testing capacities for established vehicle manufacturers, whereas many new entrants have no testing facilities yet.

Magna is your partner for vehicle testing with long-standing complete vehicle expertise. From safety testing to ADAS testing right through to comprehensive high-voltage battery testing, we offer flexible and tailor-made services. In addition to custom-made test benches for specialized requirements, we also certify and test dummies.  

The tests are carried out in the independent and impartial test laboratory of ACTS GmbH & Co. KG, a wholly owned subsidiary of Magna Steyr. ACTS is accredited as a testing laboratory in accordance with DIN ISO 17025 and its TISAX certification ensures the highest level of information and prototype security.