GWM Rolls Out AT-1 Engineering Strategy For Australia, Starting With Haval H6

GWM has announced the introduction of its new AT-1 vehicle development philosophy, which will underpin how its vehicles are engineered and refined for Australia and New Zealand.

The company describes AT-1 as a long-term approach to vehicle development rather than a specific update or feature set.

AT-1 is intended to guide improvements across areas such as ride and handling, driver assistance systems, towing performance and general driving characteristics.

GWM states that the philosophy is centred on adapting vehicles to suit local driving conditions in the ANZ region.

The development process relies on real-world testing across a range of environments, including urban, regional and rural roads.

Local engineering input plays a key role in this process, led by Rob Trubiani, who previously served as a lead engineer at Holden and worked on vehicle dynamics for models including the Holden VE Commodore SS.

According to GWM, the approach involves continuous updates based on testing data, customer feedback and usage patterns rather than a single release cycle.

The first model to implement this philosophy is the Haval H6, which has undergone multiple calibration programs depending on powertrain and drivetrain configuration.

These configurations include petrol, hybrid and plug-in hybrid variants, with both two-wheel drive and all-wheel drive layouts.

GWM states that development included multiple suspension calibration setups, with approximately 24 front damper configurations and 40 rear damper configurations tested.

Steering calibration was also adjusted through a large number of data inputs during the development process.

Mr Trubiani said, “The objective of the AT-1 philosophy is to create a more unified and intuitive driving experience, specifically tuned for Australian conditions.”

He added that the aim is to improve consistency across everyday driving scenarios through adjustments to ride quality and system responses.

GWM also indicated that insights gained from the AT-1 program will contribute to its global research and development processes.

The company confirmed that engineering teams from China have collaborated with Australian engineers as part of this program.

John Kett, Chief Operating Officer of GWM Australia, said, “AT-1 reflects the investment GWM has made in our ANZ team and the support we receive from our Head Office.”

He stated that learnings from local testing are being shared with global teams to inform future vehicle development.

GWM has confirmed that some AT-1-aligned Haval H6 variants are already available in Australia, with additional variants expected to follow.