Automotive Technology Research and Development Center (OTAM) was established in collaboration with Automotive Manufacturers Organization (OSD), The Scientific and Technical Research Council of Turkey (TUBITAK) and Istanbul Technical University (ITU) in order to carry out of pre-production research and development and product testing efforts of the automotive industry and its suppliers in cooperation with the university and to institutionalize this cooperation. OTAM has been providing these services since September 2004.

OTAM was established after the first phase of upgrading of automotive laboratories at the Automotive Division of Faculty of Mechanical Engineering at Istanbul Technical University was completed.