Chassis

Materials lead the way to vehicle mass reduction Reducing a vehicle's mass opens the door for a downsized engine and transmission, a lighter cradle and body structure, smaller wheels and brakes, as well as a weight-slimmed suspension. The start point for this ripple effect is materials. Read full story

Oak Ridge collaborates for cheaper carbon fiber Lightweight vehicles of the future will require strong carbon-fiber composite structures, but low-cost fibers are needed for market viability. Overcoming the challenges to cheaper carbon fiber is exactly what a research team at Oak Ridge National Laboratory is aiming to do at its new Carbon Fiber Technology Facility in Tennessee. Read full story

Next-gen active safety systems from Meritor WABCO A wider, longer radar beam range and the ability to detect stationary objects are key upgrades to a collision mitigation system, one of three safety products recently unveiled by Meritor WABCO for the commercial-vehicle market. Read full story

Suspension helps differentiate Coupe and GT from Hyundai’s base Elantra sedan A V-beam setup in the rear suspension with integrated stabilizer bar in the Elantra Coupe and GT allows bracing of the arms for greater stiffness and improved body roll control. Read full story

ContiTech air springs with plastic piston save weight, increase ride comfort The supplier claims that up to 75% of the weight of conventional steel pistons is saved thanks to the use of plastic and a new simulation method. The end result is a potential weight reduction of up to 12 kg (27 lb) per axle. Read full story

Aerospace leads in additive manufacturing Read full story

Autonomous braking a must for EuroNCAP 5-star rating? EuroNCAP says that from 2014, new cars in Europe will almost certainly need to be equipped with autonomous emergency braking (AEB) to gain a 5-star safety rating. From November 2013, the European Type Approval of new commercial vehicles will require AEB to be fitted. Read full story

Noise-damping lubricants control NVH, improve perceived vehicle quality Less noise and more smoothness are important design attributes for operators of most every type of vehicle, including passenger vehicles, heavy commercial vehicles, and off-road equipment. Synthetic noise-damping lubricants such as the Molykote brand solutions from Dow Corning can be economical, long-lasting answers to achieve these attributes in powertrain, body, chassis, and interior applications. Read full story

Nexteer develops scalable EPS for multiple vehicle platforms Electric power steering (EPS) specialist Nexteer has developed a flexible electronic architecture designed to allow OEMs to adapt and upgrade vehicle platforms throughout their production life cycle. Read full story