INNOVATION

Q&A ON INNOVATION

Q&A with Rémi Bastien – Head of DREAM – Research, Advanced Studies and Materials Division.

What does innovation mean at Renault? 

Rémi Bastien – Head of DREAM

Renault has innovated for the greatest number throughout its 110-year history. The Group’s flow of innovations has been more constant than any other manufacturer in the history of the automobile. And the story goes on. Renault continues to innovate and develop technologies that meet or anticipate customer needs. This forthright ambition reflects a customer-centric mindset. Renault is an innovative company focused on people that makes sustainable development accessible to all. 


So in practical terms, what technical topics are you working on? 

Renault Innovation Room

Our projects are grouped into six priority areas. Three of these are already in Renault DNA:

 

  • innovative architecture. From the R16 to Twizy via Espace, Renault examples are numerous in this area ; 
  • eco² combustion vehicles. At 135 g/km for the vehicles sold in Europe, the average CO2 emissions for the Renault range are among the lowest of any manufacturer ; 
  • and affordable prices.

 

The three others are breakthrough fields that we need to develop:

 

  • electric vehicles and the ecosystem (our offensive on this topic is highly visible!),
  • travelling well-being (comfort, safety, man-machine interfaces, etc.),
  • and new services. 

 

Renault’s technological plan is based on these six areas, structured into quantified, scheduled and prioritized projects to be rolled out within one to five years. But we are obviously looking further into the future than that! Upstream of the technological plan, the Research plan is aimed at developing the  scientific and technical knowledge required to address the main issues of the future, over the next 10 to 20 years.


What do you see as special about Renault research? 

 

Et enfin, ouverture sur le monde : nous développons des équipes de recherche à l’international pour capter les meilleures compétences technologiques là où elles se trouvent. Nous avons par exemple créé une antenne de recherche dans la Silicon Valley.

 

Et nous considérons aussi, bien sur, le monde hors-automobile avec une communauté d’innovation animée par Renault  qui réunit des membres du monde académique et des entreprises telles que EDF, RATP, Air Liquide, etc

 

 

 

For me, the strong thing about Renault research is how open it is.

 

First of all, open at the heart of Renault, by confronting and organising cross-functional ideas. An example : the Cooperative Innovation Laboratory, made up of members of the design, product and research departments, working on breakthrough concepts: Twizy is its first end result.

 

Open to others: the synergies with Nissan, of course through the Alliance, but also co-innovation with our suppliers and cooperation agreements with leading-edge partners such as the CEA (French Alternative Energies and Atomic Energy Commission).

 

And finally, open to the world: the introduction of research teams worldwide to draw on the finest technological skills and seize good ideas in all our markets, and the creation of a research base in Silicon Valley in California to take advantage of the technological excellence there.

 

Obviously, we are also open to the non-automotive world: Renault coordinates an innovation community that brings together academia and other companies like EDF, RATP, Air Liquide, etc.


Also on Renault.com