9,000 engineers are brought together by Traton Group for EV and modular innovation.

The Traton Group has officially launched its joint Research and Development (R&D) unit, bringing together approximately 9,000 engineers from its brands—Scania, MAN, International, and Volkswagen Truck & Bus—under one global structure. This move aims to accelerate the development of modular, electric, and connected vehicle technologies.

Effective from 1 July, the integrated R&D structure is designed to boost efficiency, streamline innovation processes, and eliminate duplication across the brands. Described as a “new chapter” in inter-brand collaboration, the strategy focuses on leveraging shared expertise and common components to develop products tailored to diverse global markets.

The Group R&D unit is headed by Niklas Klingenberg, Traton’s Executive Board Member for R&D, who emphasized that this integration will enable faster delivery of targeted innovations while preserving each brand's unique identity and market focus.

Additionally, around 3,000 engineers will remain dedicated to brand-specific development within Traton's Brand Identity Development (BID) teams, ensuring that the distinctive values and customer expectations of each brand continue to be met.

A key focus of the initiative is the further development of the Traton Modular System (TMS), which standardizes core vehicle components such as axles, powertrains, and battery systems across different models. This modular approach is expected to generate substantial cost savings and operational synergies across the group.

Klingenberg described the reorganization as a "milestone in engineering collaboration," reflecting Traton’s long-term commitment to electrification, connectivity, and sustainability across its commercial vehicle platforms.