JLR to use aerospace sensors to test new materials for durability

In the automotive industry of today, new candidates for structural and trim materials are usually tested in special corrosion chambers first and real-world conditions second. The procedure is reliable, but often too time-consuming to allow for any major innovation. Jaguar Land Rover wants to break the mold by pioneering a new testing approach.

The company has teamed up with the German GDA Group to test promising materials in natural conditions, but within special aerospace-grade sensing devices. These devices can continuously report even the minutest changes in alloys and compounds and upload the data for further examination. Thus, the British automaker hopes to enrich the market with novel alloys that would combine superb durability with minimal weight and excellent corrosion resistance.

The study will be carried out throughout the entirety of North America in various climate and weather conditions, and will last for 2 years.