Research

The FGSV plays a leading role in future-focused themes relating to road and transport. Our priority tasks in the field of research are the development and co-ordination of research programmes, the provision of support for and review of research projects, and the documentation and publication of research findings. These tasks are a combination of sound academic work and the practical experience of our members. This section contains an overview of our research programmes. Feel free to get in touch if you are interested in any of them.

The focus of the joint research programme (GFP), which is run in co-operation with the Federal Ministry for Digital and Transport (BMDV), is on research projects relating to work being done on technical standards and specifications in the FGSV's various committees, working groups and other bodies. Following intense deliberation and consultation, the FGSV puts together a proposal for an annual programme to be implemented and funded by the federal ministry. Once it is approved by the BMDV, these joint projects (known as 'G projects' in German) are then put out to tender by the Federal Highway Research Institute (BASt). After that, members of the FGSV committee that initiated the project manage and assess the project in co-operation with the BASt.

The Urban Traffic Research Programme (FoPS) seeks to improve transport conditions in municipalities across the country and is part of the research portfolio of the Federal Ministry for Digital and Transport (BMDV). Each Urban Traffic Research Programme lasts two years and finances academic research into traffic problems that typically occur in towns and cities. Ideally, the projects should address widespread problems and their findings should be applicable across the country. For more information on this programme and the published findings/results of past projects, visit www.fops.de.

The German Federation of Industrial Research Associations (Arbeitsgemeinschaft industrieller Forschungsvereinigungen Otto von Guericke e.V., or AiF for short), which was founded in 1954, is an industry-driven innovation network for the promotion of research and development in small and medium-sized enterprises. Approximately 100 research associations, each of which is linked to a specific industrial sector, are members of the AiF. This umbrella association links the interests of the private sector, academia/science and politics. Its primary aim is to strengthen the German economy in a sustainable manner and make it more competitive.

The AiF is a non-profit-making association that provides the funding for the Industrial Collective Research (IGF) programme, which bridges the gap between basic research and economic application. Under the umbrella of the AiF, new technologies that are either for specific sectors or can be applied in many different sectors are developed in order to safeguard and bolster the competitiveness of small and medium-sized enterprises. The Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Action (BMWK) provides public funding for the IGF.

Within the AiF, the FGSV is responsible for SME research in the field of roads and transport. Together with the FGSV's various committees, working groups and other bodies, we identify practical research needs.
 

One important part of the FGSV's work is the publication of the research findings we played a part in bringing to fruition. We do this by publishing not only technical standards and specifications but also reports on the research projects in two databases in particular – Info Rot and FoSt – and in the magazines Straße und Autobahn (Highway and Motorway) and Straßenverkehrstechnik (Road Traffic Engineering), both of which are leading German magazines in their respective fields.