Australian automotive engineers and designers have the expertise to lead the world in specialist vehicle design, and the proof is in a concept car proposed by the Society of Automotive Engineers – Australasia (SAE-A).
SAE-A Chairman and CEO Adrian Feeney said Australia had retained much of its skills base despite the end of volume car manufacturing in October 2017.
"We basically have the automotive spectrum covered, from styling and engineering through to testing and development, and ultimately manufacturing and assembly," Mr Feeney said.
"All we need is the will to succeed and the investment to back it, and we can design, engineer and manufacture world-class specialist vehicles for world markets.
"We are already doing it, with companies like Thales, which is currently building 1,100 Hawkei light armored vehicles in Bendigo for the Australian Defence Force.
"There is also substantial engineering and manufacturing expertise in companies such as HSV, which is remanufacturing several thousand cars and pickups every year to the highest engineering standards."
As the Asia Pacific professional body for mobility engineers, SAE-A proposes to set up a group of automotive specialists to develop a unique new Australian car concept.
Mr Feeney said the concept group embodied leading practitioners of all the key capabilities needed to design and build a range of specialist vehicles.
"Our car could blend an electric platform with a range of specialised composite bodies, starting with a police car, an ambulance and other emergency services vehicles.
"This concept is perfectly suited to small and medium volume production, using production capabilities which already exist in Australia."
Mr Feeney said Australian companies could apply world-class local technology to produce electric drivetrains and high-tech composite bodies, plus all the specialist systems required.
He said there were many companies quietly achieving important milestones in the drivetrain and systems technologies the car project would need.
"Take electric drivetrains – we already have SEA Electric producing real-world electric trucks and vans, while AEV Robotics has developed a unique digital vehicle platform," he said.
"Australian engineers are working on the latest systems for global vehicles, and several companies are working with world-class composite technology."
Mr Feeney said there were specific benefits for police cars in the type of composite construction developed by Bolwell Advanced Composites for ultra-light sportscars.
"In addition to the strength and durability we have seen in the Boeing Dreamliner, composite construction can give a police car extra strength where it most needs it," he said.
"Some overseas police forces add expensive bullet-proof panels to the doors of their cars, but composites can offer this protection by simply adding Kevlar to the door skins.
"Impact protection can also be enhanced by including carbon fibre and polypropylene in the mix – this technology is already being used in Australia."