The company has also forecast that innovation in the automotive industry will solidify Victoria’s position as the centre of automotive manufacturing in Australia.

The executive director of the company Directed Technologies, Brent Stafford, said that the opening of the centre clearly showed that automotive manufacturing in Australia was not dead and that “instead of pressing metal, we are mining data.”

“The digitisation of businesses around the world is the future of automotive manufacturing in Australia,” he said.

“Data-driven solutions, innovations in electric and hydrogen vehicle development, and advanced materials manufacturing were opening opportunities in connectivity, data analytics, and machine learning within the automotive industry in Victoria.”

The facility will create about 60 new jobs over three years and allow the company to expand its export markets.

Directed Technologies’ executive director Brent Stafford, Victorian small business minister Natalie Suleyman and Directed Technologies’ CEO Steve Siolis with members of Ambulance Victoria

Directed Technologies designs and manufactures navigational systems for the transport industry and fleet vehicles such as freight and emergency services trucks.

The company’s system considers a vehicle’s dimensions, weight and clearance when planning routes to help its driver travel safely and efficiently to their destination.

Directed Technologies, an Australian-owned and operated company, is known for its cutting-edge factory-fit connected solutions for a variety of fleet and passenger vehicles including trucks, trailers, cars, motorbikes, and electric delivery vehicles. 

The facility designs and manufactures telematics devices that are already in use in more than 2500 vehicle fleets globally – including Australia Post and Ambulance Victoria – and, in Australia, used by 25 per cent of trucks on Australian roads.

The devices are also in use by OEMs including Hino, Mercedes-Benz, Kenworth, DAF and IVECO.

Directed Technologies has also been selected by brands including Ford to export locally-designed hardware solutions to the global passenger vehicle market.

The company has seen rapid growth in Australia and New Zealand, with the home grown technology now exported throughout 15 APAC countries including Japan, South Korea, Malaysia, Thailand, Singapore, Guam, Indonesia, and Vietnam.

Victorian small business minister Natalie Suleyman opening the new centre with Directed Technologies’ CEO Steve Siolis

The company said that the ‘connected mobility innovation centre’ will expand Directed Technologies’ local manufacturing capabilities in telematics and IoT to meet increasing demand, both locally and abroad.

The new centre, built with the assistance of the Victorian government and which complements Directed Technologies’ $15 million headquarters, will specialise in developing smart sensors that can keep track of important safety metrics including driver fatigue, tyre pressure and temperature of refrigerated cargo.

It said that with the system, clients such as Australia Post can know exactly what is happening to their vehicles on the ground, improving safety and service reliability. 

Mr Stafford said: “We’ve built a world-class facility right here in Victoria thanks to the assistance of the Victorian government and developed innovative solutions for the world’s biggest transport companies that have allowed us to compete against global competitors – and win.”

The centre is supported in part by the Victorian Jobs and Investment Fund enhancing job opportunities for skilled workers in design, production, engineering, and manufacturing. 

It is said to be at the forefront of global connected vehicle opportunities contributing to the revitalisation of the automotive industry in the state and solidifying its position as the centre of automotive manufacturing in Australia.

Victoria’s manufacturing sector is one of the state’s biggest employers, contributing around $31 billion to the economy each year and providing around 30 per cent of Australia’s manufacturing output.

Directed Technologies’ executive director Brent Stafford; Victorian small business minister Natalie Suleyman; Kenworth Trucks director of product planning, Ross Cureton; and Directed Technologies’ CEO Steve Siolis

By Neil Dowling