Piaggio and research and development

Anticipating customer requirements, creating products that are innovative in terms of their technology, style and functionality, pursuing research for a better quality of life are all fields of excellence in which the Piaggio Group excels, as well as a means for measuring its leadership position on the market.
The Piaggio Group develops these areas through research and development in 5 centres in Italy, India and Vietnam.

In particular, its main goal is to satisfy the latest needs for mobility while reducing the environmental impact and consumption of its vehicles and guaranteeing an excellent performance, producing a new generation of vehicles that are:

• environmentally-friendly, and namely that can reduce emissions of pollutant gases and CO₂ in urban areas, based on developments in traditional technologies and a greater use of renewable and sustainable energy sources;
• reliable and safe, to get about town easily, helping to reduce traffic congestion and guaranteeing high standards of active, passive and preventive safety;
• recyclable, to minimise environmental impact, even at the end of their useful life cycle;
• cost-effective, to reduce running costs per kilometre.

In this framework, Piaggio successfully submitted its MUSS (Safe and Sustainable Urban Mobility) project for the 2008 tender (“Industry 2015”) called by the Ministry for Economic Development. This project, which effectively commenced in April 2010, targets the development of innovative solutions for environmentally-friendly urban transport which is more sustainable.
The project’s Research and Development activities focus on numerous objectives:

• improving drivetrains in order to reduce consumption and emissions (injection systems, systems to optimise combustion and reduce consumption, integrated engine control systems, variable geometry systems, etc.);
• studying and developing engines powered by alternative fuels, with a lower environmental impact (biogas, hybrid and electric vehicles etc.);
• improving vehicles to increase their sustainability through the study of vehicle dynamics, a reduction of vehicle weights and traction, and life cycle management;
• the study of new vehicle layouts which are more suitable for future engines (electric, hybrid engines, etc.), and can optimise their benefits and minimise the disadvantages;
• the study and introduction of active and passive safety systems (advanced braking systems/ABS, traction control and stability, integrated electronic suspension, crash simulation and testing, vehicle and rider airbags, etc.);
• increasing thermal, acoustic and weather-related comfort as well as ergonomics (optimising humanmachine interface systems and on board information systems);
• Studying and devising new safe vehicles based on entirely new product formulas such as tilting three/four-wheelers.

Piaggio’s research and development is strongly focussed on two main themes: developing engines that are even more environmentally friendly and with an even better performance, and vehicles with an improved functionality and safety.

In 2010, the Piaggio Group continued its policy of retaining technological leadership in the sector, allocating total resources of 62.9 million euro to research and development, of which 40.0 million euro capitalised under intangible assets as development costs.

Research into engines

The design and manufacture of engines is an activity with a high technological content requiring extremely specialised resources.
Piaggio’s engine research and development teams are unique in Europe, capable of developing an unrivalled range from 50 cc. to 1200 cc., 2 or 4 stroke engines, with one or more cylinders, fuelled by petrol, diesel or natural gas, with carburettor, indirect or direct injection, and with continual drive, gears or sequential transmission, suitable for mopeds, scooters, motorcycles and light transport vehicles.
Engine research mainly focuses on high-performance, environmentally friendly products.
During 2010 activities were completed for the MID2R research project on injection systems for conventional and methane engines (a spending limit of 6 million euro), funded by the Ministry of Education, Universities and Research.
The project, which focussed on direct injection petrol and bifuel (petrol and methane or LPG) engines, involved research into defining, studying, designing and producing a prototype for a liquid phase, high pressure petrol fuel and injection control system (GDI system), as well as the potential of bifuel systems for two-wheelers. In 2010 vehicle prototypes were also completed as planned, delivering satisfactory results.

Piaggio’s research work into engines is targeting an ambitious project in the mid-term: The hybrid engine.
The Piaggio hybrid is a vehicle with a hybrid engine combining the benefits of petrol with electric engines.
It is quick out of town, like a petrol engine vehicle, but emission-free in town and city centres with restricted traffic areas, like an electric vehicle, plus its batteries can be recharged from the mains (hybrid plug-in), out and about or at home, and even on the road. Studies culminated in 2009 with the sale of the 125 Hybrid engine.
Research into hybrid engines is continuing, having already led to the launch of the “300 cc. Hybrid” onto the market in 2010.

The Piaggio Group’s research teams are also involved in studying and developing electric-only vehicles, with the aim of producing zero emission vehicles that have a high degree of autonomy. In this context, a version of the electric Liberty, for delivery applications, made its debut and will be sold during 2011.

Innovation and safety

The Group’s research and development into vehicles mainly focuses on new solutions to improve customers’ quality of life.
The Group’s product range, including vehicles, is extensive, from scooters to light transport vehicles, from small engine motorcycles to super sports and racing bikes, from touring to custom bikes, and from small scooters to GT models.
In European cities, two-wheelers are a practical solution to individual mobility needs and can help reduce traffic congestion, while guaranteeing good levels of safety and comfort, plus considerably lower consumption and emission levels.

The Group is therefore committed at all times to improving safety systems (braking systems, suspension systems and electronic dynamics management) and to identifying new architectural solutions through new product formulas, and aerodynamic and ergonomic analysis.
Piaggio’s research and development teams have recently devised highly innovative vehicle concepts, such as the revolutionary tilting three-wheeler (MP3) which is a milestone in better active safety for urban mobility vehicles. During 2010, the development of this forerunner was completed, with a new and even better version coming out.

As the Group’s brands also include Aprilia, Derbi and Moto Guzzi, its research and development focuses on high performance vehicles, with cutting-edge technologies, as well as on vehicles with emotional appeal.

After the excellent final results of the European projects Aprosys (March 2009), and Safety In Motion - led by Piaggio (November 2009), three major European projects for improving road safety for motorcyclists were completed during 2010:

• Brought to a close after four and a half years of research and development, the Safespot Integrated Project focused on vehicle-to-vehicle communications and vehicle-to-infrastructure communications to increase the safety of users on the road, informing them of the risks and hazards along their chosen route. Specifically, a hardware/software architecture compatible with the SAFESPOT system was developed specifically for motorcycles. Two working prototypes were built based on the MP3 and fitted with a wireless communication system, a high-precision GPS, and human-machine interface (bluetooth helmet and special display unit). By participating in the project Piaggio accomplished two key objectives. The first was of a technical nature, with the creation of a state-of-the-art vehicleto-vehicle communications system, representing the starting point for future developments for the market. The second was the inclusion of motorcyclists in the co-operative safety system (vehicle-tovehicle communications), which is of great strategic-policy importance for promoting an integrated approach to improving road safety.

• After three years of activities, the Saferider (“Strep”) project, which began in January 2008 as part of the 7th Framework Programme, has resulted in the development and installation of OBIS (On-Bike Information Systems) and ARAS (Advanced Rider Assistance Systems), to improve the safety and handling conditions of motorcycles. Significant efforts were channelled into the development of the human-machine interface (HMI), involving the study and testing of various different interaction methods (visual, acoustic, haptic). The prototypes developed by Piaggio implemented an emergency calling (eCall) system, a telediagnostics module, and navigation and route guidance – an advanced system providing useful information on traffic, weather and potential dangers along the route, transmitted to motorcyclists via the acoustic-haptic interface installed in their helmets. The project was an important test bed for studying the feasibility of information and rider assistance systems designed specifically for motorcycles, taking into account the specific limitations and peculiarities of motorcycles and motorcyclists – such as vehicle dynamics, on-board space, ambient noise, rider behaviour and the acceptance of such systems by users. The project’s objectives were reached through the involvement of industry (motorcycle manufacturers and suppliers of electronic and computerised components) and the scientific community (research centres and university departments with specific expertise in motorcycles dynamics and humanmachine interfaces).

• The project eSUM, approved by the Directorate General for Energy and Transport of the European Commission, involved Piaggio working with the local authorities of major European cities (Rome, Paris, London, Athens and Barcelona) on demonstrations of results achieved in other projects on safety and sustainable urban mobility (prototypes of the SIM project and hybrid vehicles). The project, which commenced in June 2008, will end in the first few months of 2011. Four MP3 125cc Hybrids (one for city riding) were provided for a minimum three-month period to be tested in everyday use by various different users (parking enforcement officers, local police officers, traffic light technicians, etc.). Strengths and areas of improvement were identified via a questionnaire for users.

Products and process optimisation

Cost and time-to-market optimisation is an important strategic objective for retaining and increasing a leadership position on the two-wheeler market. The Group’s research and development sectors use structures that can continually improve the product development process, through simultaneous engineering processes, including: 200 CAD/CAE workstations for the 3D modelling of all components and vehicle assemblies, for structural, fluid dynamics and multibody analysis and for predicting potential product criticalities and anticipating possible solutions from as early on as the design stage. Plus it uses mechanical and electrical laboratories, technological laboratories, semi-anechoic chambers for acoustic testing, engine test benches and complete ehicle test benches.

As of article 1, sections 280 - 284 of the 2007 Budget, a tax credit is granted to resident companies that conduct “pre-competitive industrial research and development”. This benefit applies for costs incurred in the 2007-2008-2009 tax years.
During 2010, the Group was able to benefit from a tax credit within limits allowed by law for activities of the previous period.