News Releases

04/24/2017

Hitachi Joins Shell Eco-marathon to Help #MaketheFuture

Hitachi supports student innovation competition for third consecutive year

Detroit, Michigan, April 24, 2017 — Hitachi Automotive Systems Americas, Inc. has announced the Hitachi Group’s alliance with Shell Oil Company (Shell) to support the Make the Future Festival featuring the Shell Eco-marathon Americas to be held at Cobo Center in Detroit, Michigan, April 27-30.

Created and managed by Shell, the Shell Eco-marathon is a unique and challenging student innovation competition, where high-school and college student teams from all over the world design, build and drive ultra-energy efficient vehicles to see who can go the farthest on the least amount of energy. The accompanying “Make the Future” Festival offers a free, multi-sensory experience featuring a variety of exciting and educational activities for all ages. Hitachi has supported the event in Detroit since its arrival in 2015 and returns as a Festival Partner in 2017 to inspire its own workforce, promote the Hitachi brand, and connect with future scientists and engineers.

“Our partners continue to bring significant benefits and opportunities to the Shell Eco-marathon Americas student teams and provide an enhanced experience to the local community through their support at the Make the Future Festival,” said Pam Rosen, Shell Eco-marathon Americas General Manager. “Our collaboration with Hitachi allows us to explore innovative solutions together to help us meet one of the biggest challenges facing all of us: how to meet the world’s energy demands while reducing carbon emissions.”

Three Hitachi group companies will contribute to the 2017 event. Hitachi America, Ltd. will aid the Make the Future Festival STEM Schools Program, which is expected to draw up to 12,000 local students to the event. Hitachi Automotive Systems Americas, Inc. engineers will provide technical support during the student competition and give Shell Eco-marathon Americas student participants a “behind the scenes” tour of the automotive industry at its design center in Farmington Hills. Hitachi High Technologies America, Inc. will host interactive demonstrations of its TM3030 Tabletop Scanning Electron Microscope in the Live, Work & Play zone of the Make the Future Festival Detroit—an engaging hands-on space designed to showcase energy and science as part of modern life. Hitachi’s microscope will give visitors of all ages a glimpse into the micro-world around them, driving interest in science and technology.

“We are proud to continue our relationship with Shell in 2017,” said Lee Aho, Hitachi Automotive Systems Americas Vice President of Engineering. “The technology, the planning, the teamwork, and the excitement that the students bring to this event is really quite impressive, and our engineers really enjoy working with the student teams as they ready their vehicles for the competition. We wouldn't miss a chance to be a part of this.”

Hitachi Automotive Systems Americas, Inc. manufactures, remanufactures and markets a wide range of automotive systems including engine management systems, electric power train systems, drive control systems and car information systems for all major automotive original equipment manufacturers and aftermarket customers worldwide. The company provides regional leadership in the Americas within the global operations of Hitachi Automotive Systems, Ltd. and has sites throughout North America with sales and engineering in Michigan, its headquarters and manufacturing facility in Kentucky, and additional sales and manufacturing facilities in Kentucky, Georgia, California and Mexico. Hitachi Automotive Systems, Ltd. is a wholly owned subsidiary of Hitachi, Ltd., headquartered in Tokyo, Japan. Hitachi Automotive Systems Americas, Inc. is a subsidiary of Hitachi America, Ltd. For more information, please visit www.hitachi-automotive.us.

Hitachi High Technologies America, Inc. ("HTA") sells and services semiconductor manufacturing equipment, analytical instrumentation, scientific instruments, and bio-related products as well as industrial equipment, electronic devices, and electronic and industrial materials. HTA's professionals make contributions of lasting significance for customers through concentration on innovative design, utilization of the world's most advanced technologies, comprehensive marketing, and versatile sales and service experience. For more information, please visit www.hitachi-hightech.com/us.

Make the Future Detroit is a festival of ideas and innovation that supports bright energy ideas and provides a platform for innovation, collaboration and conversation about the global energy challenge. It is a four-day event that will take place at Cobo Center in Detroit, April 27 – 30, 2017.

Shell Eco-marathon is a unique, global competition that challenges students to push the boundaries of energy efficiency on the road. There are three Shell Eco-marathon competitions held throughout the year in Asia, America and Europe. The competition provides an arena for students to test vehicles they design and build themselves. It aims to inspire young people to become scientists and engineers of the future.
The 2017 Shell Eco-marathon Americas dates are:
Americas Detroit, MI, USA, April 27-30

Shell Oil Company is an affiliate of the Royal Dutch Shell plc, a global group of energy and petrochemical companies with operations in more than 70 countries. In the U.S., Shell operates in 50 states and employs more than 20,000 people working to help tackle the challenges of the new energy future. Shell Oil Company is a leading oil and gas producer in the deepwater Gulf of Mexico, a recognized pioneer in oil and gas exploration and production technology and one of America’s leading oil and natural gas producers, gasoline and natural gas marketers and petrochemical manufacturers.