Big bets are being made in Las Vegas this week by the Auto Parts Manufacturers Association (APMA).
Project Arrow, a high-tech concept car built with content from 50 Canadian component suppliers, CES on thursday.
“It was exactly the way we wanted it. APMA President Flavio Volpe said:
There are currently no plans to mass-produce the vehicle. Arrow was created to demonstrate the Canadian auto industry’s ability to build electric vehicles.
Participating in this national and global event really helps companies like mine and many other suppliers to showcase our stuff.– Pat Troy, Ettractive Inc., Oldcastle, Ontario
Pat Troy, chief technology officer of Ettractive Inc., a hardware and software company in Oldcastle, Ontario, is one of the Windsor and Essex companies that supplied components for Arrow.
“Participating in this national and global event really helps companies like myself and many other suppliers to showcase our stuff,” Troy said.
About a third of our 50 suppliers are located or based in the Windsor area.
Troy, who is in Las Vegas for the launch, said exposure like this helps his company grow.
Arrow is a fully electric vehicle and a Level 3 self-driving car. That means it has the same self-driving capabilities that are currently available in other cars.
Arrow has been built over the past three years with investments of $5 million through FedDev Ontario and $1.8 million through the Ontario Vehicle Innovation Network (OVIN).
Volpe and Troy said Canada needs to start producing more semiconductors so manufacturers don’t rely on foreign manufacturers. Some of the Arrow’s components had to be sourced from Asia.
97% of Arrow’s content is in Canadian.
The car will be on display in Las Vegas at the four-day CES show that kicks off Thursday.It will then be featured in 2023 Canadian International Auto Show next month in toronto
Volpe said Arrow will be transported to Windsor in the near future.