At end-2005, Research and Advanced Studies was restructured around a strategic Technology Plan divided into four areas: CO2/environment, safety, interior comfort, and driving performance.

Renault’s Technology Plan is rolled out across all functions and departments. Updated yearly, it announces the technology and innovations of the future that meet customer needs. 

The plan contains a medium- and long-term vision for each strategic area. This vision is rolled out through innovation projects approved by the Group’s senior management.
Also, it brings together in a special section all the advances that present a breakthrough or a significant step forward in processes, methods or operating procedures in automotive design.  

In all, it includes more than 60 research projects.

It is highly complex to estimate the customer value of a product innovation empirically, without a practical approach. Innovations have to be tested in real driving conditions to make sure they truly fulfill customer needs. The product always has to be seen from the customer’s standpoint. Only with a drivable model (or static, where applicable) can we gauge the relevance and value of Renault innovations. "Demonstrators" allow us to prove the worth of an innovation.

Main functions 

- materials,
- electronics,
- energy systems,
- driving performance and comfort,
- ergonomics, perception and human behavior,
- accident analysis and biomechanics.

Forming strong partnerships internationally and within the Alliance

These partnerships boost our technological watch, skills diversity, quality/price benchmarking, support from local units, and knowledge of countries and customers.

Patents

Patents are essential to upstream projects because they act as a competitive lever.

They help to:
. protect the company’s technological innovations,
. control the distribution of innovations,
. enhance R&D profitability,
. capitalize on our technical assets