The University of Tokyo Graduate School of Frontier Sciences and Ono Sokki have established a new "Social Collaboration Course on Vibration Measurement and Control of Electric Vehicles"

1. Course overview

The Graduate School of Frontier Sciences, The University of Tokyo, and Ono Sokki Co., Ltd. will establish a collaborative research course on vibration measurement and control in electric vehicles (Note) starting October 1, 2022.
This course aims to realize a clean and comfortable electric vehicle society by conducting research and development on vehicle vibration suppression control and vehicle motion control, focusing on the high responsiveness of electric vehicle drive motors. We plan to conduct research and development on new vibration suppression control technologies for "eAxle" (e-axle), which integrates the motor, inverter, and reduction gear, and which have seen a surge in development in recent years. We will also work on motion control, including vibration suppression control, for "flying cars," an advanced form of electric vehicle.

(Note) Community collaboration course
This refers to a course established within an educational and research institution, such as a faculty or graduate school, utilizing funds received from external organizations (excluding national research and development agencies) that wish to conduct joint research on common issues of high public interest.

2. Background and objectives of establishing this course

The Hiroshi Fujimoto Laboratory at the Graduate School of Frontier Sciences, University of Tokyo, is conducting research and development on in-wheel motor type electric vehicles. By utilizing the high responsiveness of the motor, they have achieved significant results, such as suppressing unpleasant vibrations and precise motion control, which were impossible to achieve with internal combustion engine vehicles.

Leveraging its long-cultivated measurement technologies for torque, sound, and vibration, as well as control technologies for automotive bench testing equipment, Ono Sokki has been conducting joint research with the Fujimoto Laboratory. The automotive industry is currently undergoing a "once-in-a-century transformation," and by participating in this course, Ono Sokki aims to contribute to the evolution of electric vehicles and the realization of a sustainable mobility society beyond that.

3. Details of this course

This course will be established at the Graduate School of Frontier Sciences, University of Tokyo, and will be conducted by two faculty members, including Professor Fujimoto, and several researchers and graduate students. The course is scheduled to run for 3 years and 6 months, from October 1, 2022 to March 31, 2026.
My main research themes are as follows:

• Research and development on vehicle vibration suppression control and vehicle motion control focusing on the high responsiveness of electric vehicle drive motors.
• Research and development of new vibration suppression control technology for "eAxle," an integrated motor, inverter, and gearbox.
• Research and development of motion control, including vibration suppression control, for "flying cars" that utilize motor control technology.

Comment by Hiroshi Fujimoto, Professor, Graduate School of Frontier Sciences, The University of Tokyo

As mobility continues to shift towards electric vehicles (EVs), "suppressing noise and vibration" will undoubtedly become a crucial theme. This technological development will not be an extension of internal combustion engine vehicles, but rather will require vibration suppression control technology that leverages the high responsiveness of electric motors. Furthermore, by applying motor control technology to research on industrial drones, we aim to contribute to the fundamental research of "flying cars (EVs)," which are currently attracting global attention. Through this industry-academia collaboration, we aim to promote research on eAxles and EV-specific platforms (E-platforms), support electric vehicle development, and ultimately contribute to society.

Comment from Yuji Okoshi, President and CEO Ono Sokki Ltd.

In this collaborative lecture series, with Professor Fujimoto's assistance, we hope to gain insights that will help solve important technical challenges (sound and vibration measurement and control) related to electric vehicles, which are key in the "once-in-a-century transformation" of the automotive industry, our main customer. By having our employees participate in this, we believe that they will "challenge" themselves with advanced technical challenges, gain new knowledge that they would not normally acquire in their daily work, and develop the seeds for new products, thus taking the first step towards realizing "change."

This can be seen as one of the initiatives related to "challenge" in Stage III of our medium-term management plan, which we currently consider our top priority. We believe that its implementation will lead to a "change" in employees' mindsets. Furthermore, by using this as a starting point to expand the fields in which employees can thrive and learn, we expect that new possibilities will continuously open up, and "change" will be realized one after another.

4. Contact Information

<Regarding research and applications for collaborative research with this course>

Department of Advanced Energy Engineering, Graduate School of Frontier Sciences, The University of Tokyo
Specially Appointed Assistant Professor: Sakahisa Nagai
TEL: 04-7136-3881
E-MAIL: nagai_saka@edu.ku-tokyo.ac.jp

<Regarding media coverage>

Public Relations Office, Graduate School of Frontier Sciences, The University of Tokyo
TEL: 04-7136-5450
E-MAIL: press@ku-tokyo.ac.jp

Ono Ono Sokki Co., Ltd., Sales Headquarters, Product Management Block
TEL: 045-476-9711
E-MAIL: kouhou@onosokki.co.jp