SAE World Congress

Hella lights path to growth Hella is expanding operations in the U.S., Brazil, and Mexico, the head of the company’s electronics division in the America’s said at a wide-ranging press briefing April 25 in conjunction with the SAE 2012 World Congress. It expects stop/start technology to provide a boost to sales. Read full story

Toy cars get kids excited about engineering Getting a rear-wheel-drive vehicle up a 30° incline is a fairly easy task when 150 kids are behind the driving controls. Read full story

Engineers fueled by fuel prices The government and automakers don't always see eye-to-eye, but during a panel discussion at the SAE 2012 World Congress the only thing causing eyes to cross was the inability to predict future fuel prices. Read full story

Engineers fear “draconian” 2025 particle-mass target for GDI engines The looming LEV III standards, which include a potential drop of particulate matter emissions to an almost imperceptible 1 mg/mi by 2025—loom like dark clouds over powertrain engineers working on gasoline direct injection (GDI) and diluted/lean-burn combustion technologies, as well as advanced diesels. Read full story

Video Interview: SCM Metal focuses on lightweight future AEI spoke with SCM Metal Products’ Tom Pelletiers at the SAE 2012 World Congress about the North Carolina-based company’s next-generation lightweight materials. Read full story

Video Interview: Protean Electric's Stewart talks about Brabus hybrid concept The company's Vice President of Business Development provides insight into the electric in-wheel motor system powering the Mercedes-Benz E-Class-based Brabus Hybrid at the SAE 2012 World Congress. Protean's Chairman and CEO Bob Purcell also announced several new global partners that will help the company launch its systems into volume production. Read full story

New CAFE regs could bring 'unintended consequences' for small cars OEMs need to prepare their customers’ expectations for new fuel-efficiency technologies aimed at meeting the 2017-25 CAFE standards, stressed an expert panel of engineers at the SAE 2012 World Congress. And the attribute-based standards could adversely impact sales of the smaller vehicle segments, the experts noted. Read full story

Engineer shortage threatens advanced powertrain development A worldwide shortage of engineers is threatening the auto industry’s advanced technology development, concurred a panel of powertrain executive engineers at the SAE 2012 World Congress. Read full story

Reaction Design advances the simulation of soot Engine design engineers can now use simulation tools from Reaction Design to compare how candidate engine designs produce soot relative to each other. Read full story