Virtual testing and proprietary products. AUREL is pushing the boundaries of automotive technology

More than twenty years at the helm of a company that ranks among the most comprehensive development and testing centres in the Czech Republic. Michal Mrkvička, COO of AUREL, oversees everything – from development to testing. We spoke with him about new technology development, vehicle testing, and why AUREL is one of the top five development partners for carmakers in the Czech Republic.

What does your current agenda cover and what does a typical working day look like for you?

I run a company with more than 35 departments – from sales and HR to the actual operations. My working day is half planning and half hands-on operational work. I spend a lot of time with customers, in the test lab, or at the proving ground. It’s this variety, and the chance to be at the very beginning of new projects, that I really enjoy. In recent years, AUREL has grown significantly, we now have over 250 employees, and new technologies, projects, and customers are constantly being added. Together with them, we always look for the best solutions – whether in engineering or in testing. 

You are part of the wider Colegium Holding group. How does that help you?

Definitely through synergy, thanks to our sister companies, we can offer customers truly comprehensive services in engineering, testing, production automation, and surface treatment. We share back-office functions, IT, and even some development departments. A good example is our cooperation with Automotive Painting Partners – they focus on coating, while we specialise in other surface treatments and testing. If we come across an issue, we can recommend proven adjustments at a trusted partner company. Customers really appreciate that. 

AUREL is the only company in the Czech Republic that performs accredited pedestrian protection tests. How has this area evolved over the years?

In the twenty years I have worked in the field, vehicle safety has made a huge progress. Today, even entry-level cars are equipped with systems like Front Assist, Lane Assist, as well as head and side airbags. With this, the number and complexity of tests has grown too. Our big advantage is that we conduct both physical tests and simulations. We are the only company in the Czech Republic to offer a physical pedestrian protection testing facility combined with virtual reality resting. 

Virtual development is meaningless without proper validation on real-world scenarios – otherwise, deviations of up to sixty percent can occur. That’s why we are creating a digital twin of our development and innovation centre and our proving ground, which replicated the exact layout of the real test tracks. This allows us to validate scenarios physically and then simulate them efficiently and repeatedly in a virtual environment – with much smaller deviations and far more accurate results.

There are also major European players in the test track market. How do you plan to stay competitive again established international centres?

Our AUREL Proving Ground may not be as large as some foreign centres, but we have a different advantage – a multifunctionality and complexity. We can handle the entire development process from A to Z – from project management, through testing and measurement, to optimisation and modification proposals. And we can do this both in the physical and virtual environment, where we significantly increase the number of tests. Our goal is always to maintain quality, sustainability, and long service life of materials – all at a reasonable cost.

Thanks to AUREL’s wide scope – from testing body structures, chassis, transmissions, and drivetrains to safety systems, strain gauge measurements, 3D scanning, and specialised sensors – we can offer customers a comprehensive solution. The measured data serves both for validation and as valuable input for further development. Everything is available in one place. For customers, that means huge time and cost savings. This is why we are among the top five development partners for carmakers in the Czech Republic. 

You also focus on testing autonomous vehicles. How do you see their future?

From a technical point of view, cars are almost ready for autonomous driving, they could appear on highways within a few years. What is holding back their development, however, is legislation and infrastructure. We need unified rules across Europe, which will take time.  On our test track, we simulate many crisis situations and traffic accidents. And we can see that in the last five years, cars have become much better equipped in terms of both active and passive safety. Still, there are pedestrians, cyclists, motorcyclists, and critical situations that vehicles must be able to respond to quickly and correctly. That remains a major challenge. 

How do you see the direction of European automotive? Should technology companies like AUREL have more room for initiative?

The European automotive industry has great potential, but technology companies should receive stronger support in the areas of research, development and education. What is missing is closer cooperation between industry and universities as well as systematic support from the state. Subsidy programmes tend to focus mainly on innovation, the development of new materials, or specialised equipment. Less attention is given to the support of common yet essential elements, such as infrastructure or even something as basic as asphalt and surfaces for test tracks.

You also have your own in-house products, such as TorqGuardPro or ForeScan3D. Why did you decide to develop them?

We test, we run simulations, we do engineering – and as part of that, we often design various tools ourselves. That gave us the idea to develop them into our own products. Thanks to strong internal know-how, we are able to create technologies that can be applied not only in automotive. For example, the TorqGuardPro sensor for direct torque measurement is the result of our development in the field of strain gauge technology. And that is exactly the direction we want to continue. AUREL has a strong position in automotive, but it is becoming clear that our technologies can also be transferred to other sectors such as engineering, rail vehicles, aerospace, forensic science, and more. 

You are also involved in prevention and road safety education for the public and children. Why?

Because proper behaviour in traffic is essential. A car can be as sophisticated as possible, but if the driver or pedestrian does not behave correctly, the consequences can be fatal. That’s why prevention makes sense starting in elementary schools, where children can try out real-life situations and learn to think through the consequences of their actions. 

We began focusing on traffic accident prevention back in 2008, when the Road Safety Research project was established, and we were part of it from the beginning. We are glad to still be giving lectures today, working with schools, municipalities, and emergency services. We analyse real accidents and demonstrate how crucial proper ergonomics in a vehicle are. These insights then feed back into development – improving the entire system. 

AUREL today, AUREL in five years – where are you heading?

We want to continue growing. Today, we already have offices in Germany and Slovakia, and we are negotiating outside of Europe as well. And that’s important for us – we are looking for talented people. Not only engineers and students, but also technicians with a secondary education. We run the AUREL Academy, where we train our people. But above all, we need those who enjoy their work and want to grow. For example, one of our colleagues started here as a technician right after school and today, he leads an entire team.

What would you like to say to readers in conclusion?

AUREL is a dynamic company with a broad scope, and in the Czech Republic we are among the most important partners for automotive manufacturers. Thanks to our strong technical background, we are able to prepare components for testing from A to Z. We take a comprehensive approach, treat our customers individually, and deliver services that are high quality and reliable – and that is why customers return to us over the long term. That’s also why our goal for the future is to continue working with leading global players and to push the boundaries of technology in the Czech and European automotive industry. And beyond.