The goal of the Project Arrow program is to showcase the capabilities of Canadian auto suppliers.
It’s really happening.
That’s the message the Automotive Parts Manufacturers’ Association (APMA) wants to convey about its Project Arrow during the organization’s annual conference in Windsor on Oct. 19.
It will mark the only public opportunity to see the all-Canadian, all-electric autonomous vehicle before its global debut at CES Las Vegas in January 2023.
Granted, the vehicle won’t be fully complete — or even fully unveiled at the conference in Windsor.
To date, it has a chassis, a body and little else. It’s still a work in progress. And, APMA President Flavio Volpe says the cover might not be fully removed from the vehicle that’s been pretty much under wraps for more than a year.
“We think there’s a lot of interest in seeing its progress. And, we can also demonstrate it is what we said it was,” he told Automotive News Canada this week. “It’s not a clay model or science experiment. It really is put together without shortcuts.”
So far, Volpe and others from the APMA have shared photos of parts via social media. They include a quarter panel and a 3D printed polymer chassis.
But now, it’s all coming together.
“It will be in an advance stage of assembly. It won’t be a walk around. We’re going to be a bit guarded. You’re going to get to see it from a respectful distance,” Volpe said.
The goal of the Project Arrow program is to showcase the capabilities of Canadian auto suppliers. Volpe once called it a rolling business card for the Canadian auto industry.
More than 400 Canadian suppliers registered their interest in the project.
Among a host of other North American stops already planned for the concept vehicle’s 2023 tour are the Montreal International Auto Show and the Canadian International AutoShow.
So, why give industry a sneak peek?
“The vehicle is not meant for production. So, unlike an OEM program launch, we’re not trying to hide it,” Volpe said. “We’re going to reveal enough without scooping [the] final reveal set for CES.”
Volpe said the project remains on track and on budget.
“We remain on budget and on schedule, but we’re also not naive. We have contingencies on contingencies. But I’m confident we’re going to get there,” he said. “We’ve had a confident anxiety for two years now.”
So, how often do people ask for a glimpse of the vehicle currently being assembled at Ontario Tech University in Oshawa, Ont.?
“Every single day, from all walks of life.”
