SAE International seeks input on CO2 as a referigerant
In response to a recent press statement from Germany that CO2 is the "right" automotive air-conditioning refrigerant, SAE International President Frank O. Klegon invites all automobile manufacturers to join in an industry collaborative effort to fully evaluate CO2 in such use. He said SAE International has unquestioned expertise in the research, analysis, and application of a variety of automotive refrigerants. In the past decade, more than 10 major SAE Cooperative Research Program (CRP) projects have provided forums for subject matter experts from around the industry to meet, discuss, and agree on advantages and disadvantages of various alternative refrigerants, as well as the management of accompanying risks. "The implementation of CO2 as an automotive refrigerant is not without technical challenges," said Klegon. The U.S. EPA has published its concerns regarding the use of CO2 as a mobile air conditioning refrigerant for passenger cars. The full EPA report can be accessed here. OEMs wishing to join a new SAE CRP to further investigate CO2 should contact Gary Pollak at 1-724-772-7196 or gary@sae.org.
Valeo and V. Johnson Enterprises form JV to acquire Ford's HVAC operation
Valeo and V. Johnson Enterprises have formed a joint venture named Detroit Thermal Systems (DTS) to acquire the last operation in Ford's Automotive Components Holding unit—the climate-control business on Sheldon Road in Plymouth, MI. In addition to that Oct. 29 announcement, DTS also indicated that the company has selected a building in Romulus, MI, to serve as its primary manufacturing facility. The new supplier said it will refurbish the facility and install equipment immediately. Ramp-up is expected by the third quarter of 2013, and annual capacity is projected at more than 2 million HVAC systems.
Autoliv expanding China tech center
Autoliv said Oct. 19 that it will expand its technical center for active safety and vehicle restraint development in Shanghai, China. The expansion will enable the company to increase its crash testing, engineering of passive and active safety systems, and global core airbag development in China. Currently, 6% of Autoliv’s 7200 employees in China work in engineering and product development, which includes vehicle crash testing. These 430 employees represent 10% of Autoliv’s global head count in research, development, and engineering. The current tech center will grow to 20,500 m2 (220,600 ft2) in the expansion. The company is adding an additional state-of-the-art crash simulation test track and office space for 130 more technical experts.
SAE considers forming group to look at 1234yf in light of Daimler safety claim
SAE International is working with global automakers to investigate the formation of a new Cooperative Research Program (CRP) regarding 1234yf refrigerant. The formation of the group is in response to a Daimler AG press release on Sept. 25 that questioned the safe use of the refrigerant. The CRP will technically evaluate the findings referred to in the release. SAE International has hosted an organizational meeting to discuss a preliminary scope of research and is actively soliciting OEMs to formally join the new CRP. OEMs wishing to join should contact Gary Pollak at 1-724-772-7196 or gary@sae.org.
Faurecia opens new office to support Ford interiors programs
Faurecia engineers and other personnel recently completed occupation of new offices in Southfield, MI. The Southfield Customer Center covers 50,000 ft² (4600 m²) and is dedicated to engineering, product development, program management, sales, and marketing in support of Ford. Focused on program activities for Faurecia's interior systems business group, the Southfield team brings together former Automotive Components Holdings employees, Faurecia staff, and new personnel. The center supports the Saline, MI, operation recently acquired by Faurecia, and operations at Detroit Manufacturing Systems (a joint venture with Rush Group), as well as other programs and plants.
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Faurecia's Southfield Customer Center supports current Ford programs such as the F-150 (shown) and ones in development.
TRW toots its own horn
Elimination of moving parts is just one advantage TRW is citing about its new Electric Horn System (EHS) announced Sept. 12. The company employs a special coating by which the steering-wheel airbag cover is rendered touch-sensitive. A dedicated sensor and smaller sensor fields connected to an electronic control unit are designed to limit the likelihood of accidental actuation; the technology can distinguish between a hand motion meant for horn activation and one meant for another purpose. Other advantages over conventional horn systems include less bulk and expense, fewer parts, and enhanced steering-wheel aesthetics including "improved fit and symmetry," said Guido Hirzmann, TRW Group Leader, New Technology, Mechatronic. Conductive-touch technology allows for many potential driver-control applications—such potentiality leading several automakers to express interest in it, he added. The company expects to take the EHS into production in 2014.
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There are no clips, screws, or springs under the touch-sensitive surface.
GM no dummy in safety research
General Motors is advancing the state of the art in testing of rear-seat crash test dummies. One of its crash-test engineers, Barbara Bunn, recently developed and conducted tests to evaluate the ability of a new dummy named BioRID to produce consistent measurements when subjected to identical tests. The United States Council for Automotive Research has recognized Bunn for her execution of the test matrix. To create the test matrix, Bunn, who chairs the Occupant Safety Research Partnership’s Rear Impact Dummy Task Group, collaborated with engineers from Chrysler, Ford, and Humanetics Innovative Systems, which manufactures the BioRID. She designed the construction of a crash simulator sled to simultaneously test four BioRIDs, working with engineers from Porsche, Volkswagen, Daimler, Chrysler, and Ford to determine seating postures and other test criteria. The tests subjected the dummies to a low-speed rear impact simulation in nearly identical seats, and collected measurements of crash forces on areas such as the upper and lower neck. The team compared its measurements to data from similar tests conducted by other automaker labs in Europe and submitted its findings to regulators worldwide for consideration.
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GM engineer Barbara Bunn works with BioRID, a dummy designed by Chalmers University in Gothenburg, Sweden, for seat restraint assessment. It is distinguished by its sophisticated spinal column with 24 vertebra simulators that allow it to sit naturally and demonstrates humanlike neck movement in rear-end collisions.
EU adopts two regulations on truck safety
The European Union in April adopted two regulations designed to enhance the safety of trucks with a gross vehicle weight exceeding 3500 kg and buses with more than eight passenger seats, according to InterRegs, an online resource for global vehicle safety and emissions regulations. One specifies the technical requirements and test procedures for advanced emergency braking systems (AEBS) that detect the possibility of a collision with a preceding vehicle; warn the driver by a combination of optical, acoustic, or haptic signals; and if the driver takes no action, automatically apply the vehicle’s brakes. The regulation also specifies two levels of performance to be achieved by AEBS. Fitment of AEBS meeting the "level 1" performance requirements becomes mandatory from Nov. 1, 2013 for new types of vehicles and from Nov. 1, 2015 for all new vehicles. The compliance dates for "level 2" are Nov. 1, 2016 for new types of vehicles and Nov. 1, 2018 for all new vehicles. The other regulation specifies the technical requirements and test procedures for lane departure warning systems (LDWS) that detect unintentional drift of the vehicle out of its travel lane and warn the driver by a combination of optical, acoustic, or haptic signals. Fitment LDWS becomes mandatory from Nov. 15, 2013 for new types of vehicles and from Nov. 1, 2015 for all new vehicles. Both regulations contain a list of specific vehicle types, such as urban buses and off-road vehicles, that are exempt. "New types of vehicles" are models being launched for the first time, and "new vehicles" are new vehicles being registered for the first time.
Phone app enables auto LED lighting design
Osram has developed a Web-based smart phone app for designers of exterior automotive lighting called the Automotive Signal LED Selector. Available for the iPhone, Android, or Blackberry OS, or any device with a Web browser, the tool provides lighting designers and engineers with a mobile, convenient, and easy-to-use tool to select the right LEDs for the application. Designers and engineers can quickly and easily select LEDs by function, color, regulatory requirements, luminosity, and the number of LEDs required. “As demand for LEDs in exterior signal and forward lighting increases, we saw the need for a portable tool that enables simplified calculations for function-specific LED selection,” said Mike Godwin, Director, Visible LEDs, Osram Opto Semiconductors Inc. “The Automotive Signal LED Selector is a mobile extension of Osram’s extensive know-how in automotive LED selection, offering access to the latest advances in LED technology.” Applications in the tool include center high mounted stop lamps, daytime running lights, front fog/park/position/turn lights, high/low beams, rear fog/park/position/stop/turn lights, and reverse and side marker/turn indicators.
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The Web-based smart phone app for designers of exterior automotive lighting—called the Automotive Signal LED Selector—is available for use with the iPhone, Android, or Blackberry OS, or any device with a Web browser.
No one gets the cold shoulder with Autoliv's two-point seatbelt
A seatbelt innovation from Autoliv covers the shoulder that is unprotected in the conventional three-point belt. The company's vertically oriented two-point belt supplements the three-point, the latter of which is very effective in frontal crashes but less so in other types such as side-impact, rollover, and crashes in which the vehicle rotates. The two-point is helpful in those types of crashes but has value in frontal ones as well, Autoliv says, by helping better distribute chest impact forces. The company claims that tests show the two-point reduces the risk of severe injuries and fatalities by approximately 30%. Autoliv further claims that the benefits of the alternative system providing protection to both shoulders—the four-point belt—are lost because some drivers find the inconvenience of using two hands to buckle reason for not using it at all. There is no buckling with the two-point, which is fixed at both ends and requires the seat occupant to merely slide a shoulder under it.
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Autoliv's two-point belt debuts in the tiny Renault Twizy, which has only one front seat.
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