Honda R&D Co., Ltd. and Tohoku University have established a joint research centre within the university’s Institute of Fluid Science (IFS), marking a new Honda Tohoku University collaboration in advanced mobility technology. The Honda R&D x Tohoku University Innovative Mobility System Co-creation Research Center will operate for three years from 1 September 2026.

The centre will combine Tohoku University’s academic expertise with Honda R&D’s technical knowledge in mobility products and services. Its scope covers three activities: mapping advanced research trends across the university’s faculties, developing joint research strategies, and conducting applied research targeted at real-world outcomes.

Toshiro Kiura, Fellow at Honda R&D, serves as Director of Research Operations. Kaoru Maruta, Associate Executive Vice President of Tohoku University and Professor at the Institute of Fluid Science, acts as Operation Support Manager. The centre runs until 31 August 2029.

The centre joins more than 50 Co-creation Research Centres operating under a Tohoku University collaboration scheme established in April 2021, designed to leverage academic resources for interdisciplinary work on societal challenges.

No specific research themes have been disclosed. The IFS host environment, whose disciplines span aerodynamics, thermal management and fluid dynamics, situates the collaboration within areas of direct relevance to propulsion and vehicle systems engineering.

Source: Honda