The institute of automotive engineering (Fahrzeugtechnik Darmstadt - FZD) is a research institution within the Department of Mechanical Engineering at Technische Universität Darmstadt (TU Darmstadt). It was founded on November 1, 1977 by Prof. em. Dr.-Ing. Bert Breuer. After Prof. em. Dr.-Ing. Bert Breuer and Prof. Dr. rer. nat. Hermann Winner (from 2002), the department will be headed by Prof. Dr.-Ing. Steven Peters from April 2022.

In education, we attach special importance to the understanding of functional principles and context. Our students learn scientific precision and objectiveness, and are practiced in being critical with their own as well as foreign results. Within our research, the consideration of the entire system driver-vehicle-environment is paramount. We systematically create concepts and methods with the required technology independent from the limits of a specific discipline. With our competence in the areas of vehicle mechanics and mechatronics, we solve many problems autarkic. Additionally, we cooperate with other disciplines to achieve a broader expertise for our projects and to support interdisciplinary exchange.