Tata Steel Europe, the European unit of the India-based steel giant Tata Steel, has announced that it has upgraded the research facility at the company’s IJmuiden site in the Netherlands, investing €2.3 million to develop ultra high strength steels, which are crash-resistant, designed to make cars safer and more fuel-efficient.

Under the scope of the R&D investment to allow Tata Steel to develop next-generation steels which are lighter, stronger and better able to withstand crashes, the steelmaker is working with three major European car manufacturers to understand their requirements for future car models.