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Vehicle audio system performance is an important attribute for final costumers. In this sense, its evaluation is an important aspect for selecting the design and validation process for automobile manufacturers. Usually the vehicle audio system performance is evaluated only by subjective judgment. However the design requirements demands objective measurements to set targets establish benchmarking and apply refinements to the design. Thus, in order to evaluate and improve sound system performance, it has been established a subjective evaluation process on reproducing and analyzing customer perception in a more reliable way. To support this information, objective evaluations have been used based on total harmonic distortion (THD), normalized frequency response (NFR) methods and spectrogram, which have been shown as straight and fast objective tools. Reinforcing the objective evaluations, qualitative time-frequency spectrogram has been used.

There are a variety of test protocols associated with vehicle fuel economy and emissions testing. As a result, a number of test protocols currently exist to measure axle efficiency and spin loss. The intent of this technical paper is to describe a methodology that uses a singular axle efficiency and spin loss procedure. The data can then be used to predict the effects on vehicle FE and GHG for a specific class of vehicles via simulation. An accelerated break-in method using a comparable energy approach has been developed, and can be used to meet the break-in requirements of different vehicle emission test protocols. A “float to equilibrium” sump temperature approach has been used to produce instantaneous efficiency data, which can be used to more accurately predict vehicle FE and GHG, inclusive of Cold CO2. The “Float to Equilibrium” approach and “Fixed Sump Temperature” approach has been compared and discussed.

To reach safety, emissions, and cost objectives, manufacturers of automotive body structural and chassis components shape thin gauge, high strength steel tube with a bending, pre-forming and hydroforming process. Challenging grades and bend severity require a careful optimization of the bending procedure. A joint project between Ford and ArcelorMittal Tubular Products investigated suitable bending parameters for severe bends using commercially available thin-walled DP780 and HSLA350 tubes. This paper summarizes the measurement methods found to be capable of capturing small differences in bending formability and details the influence of bender variables such as boost, pressure die, center-line bend radius and bend angle on the wrinkling, thinning and springback of these tubes. As a result of this work, recommendations were made as to effective bender set-ups for these tubes.

It is desirable to find methods to increase electric vehicle (EV) driving range and reduce performance variability of Plug-in Hybrid Electric Vehicles (PHEV). One strategy to improve EV range is to increase the charge power limit of the traction battery, which allows for more brake energy recovery. This paper applies Big Data technology to investigate how increasing the charge power limit could affect EV range in real world usage with respect to driving behavior. Big Data Drive (BDD) data collected from Ford employee vehicles in Michigan was analyzed to assess the impact of regenerative braking power on EV range. My Ford Mobile (MFM) data was also leveraged to find correlation to drivers nationwide based on brake score statistics. Estimated results show incremental improvements in EV range from increased charge power levels. Subsequently, this methodology and process could be applied to make future design decisions based on the dynamic nature of driving habits.

The biomechanical behavior of 4-point seat belt systems was investigated through MADYMO modeling, dummy tests and post mortem human subject tests. This study was conducted to assess the effect of 4-point seat belts on the risk of thoracic injury in frontal impacts, to evaluate the ability to prevent submarining under the lap belt using 4-point seat belts, and to examine whether 4-point belts may induce injuries not typically observed with 3-point seat belts. The performance of two types of 4-point seat belts was compared with that of a pretensioned, load-limited, 3-point seat belt. A 3-point belt with an extra shoulder belt that “crisscrossed” the chest (X4) appeared to add constraint to the torso and increased chest deflection and injury risk. Harness style shoulder belts (V4) loaded the body in a different biomechanical manner than 3-point and X4 belts.

This paper discusses the technical importance of measuring disc brake caliper stiffness, seal performance, and fluid displacement. The paper then presents a method for measuring brakes and calculating these parameters during routine friction dynamometer testing. Finally, results of this testing from multiple production calipers are presented and discussed.

The brake pedal is the brake system component that the driver fundamentally has contact and through its action wait the response of the whole system. Each OEM defines during vehicle conceptualization the behavior of brake pedal that characterizes the pedal feel that in general reflects not only the characteristic from that vehicle but also from the entire brand. Technically, the term known as Pedal Feel means the relation between the force applied on the pedal, the pedal travel and the deceleration achieved by the vehicle. Such relation curves are also analyzed in conjunction with objective analysis sheets where the vehicle brake behavior is analyzed in test track considering different deceleration conditions, force and pedal travel. On technical literature, it is possible to find some data and studies considering the hydraulic brakes behavior.

To reduce warranty cost due to brake squeal and provide guidance for brake design, it is important to understand the contributions of key brake design parameters to brake noise. In this paper, a new technique, which employs the nonlinear transient finite element method as well as Taguchi method, is proposed as a design tool for improving the quality of brake systems. This DOE technique has been implemented to a car program. The final results identified the major parameters associated with the brake noise and also led to an optimal design by selecting appropriate levels of those parameters.

Considering that the most part of commercial vehicles are equipped with air brakes it is very important assure specific technical requirements for air brake system and its components. In addition, the effects of brake system failure are more critical for commercial vehicles which require more attention on their requirements details. Historically, the development of air brakes technology started on North America and Europe and consequently two strong and distinct resolutions were structured: FMVSS 121 and ECE R.13, respectively. For passenger cars were developed the ECER.13H to harmonize North American and European resolutions. However, for commercial vehicles regional applications, culture and implementation time must be considered. These commercial vehicles peculiarities must be understood and their specific requirements harmonized to attend the global marketing growth.

It is very important and unquestionable that we need to have a clear technical requirement for Air Brake Systems and its components, since it is one of most important regarding safety. Looking to heavy commercial vehicles and possible air brake system failures, everything becomes clearly to pay total attention for these normative and regulatory requirements. Historically, the development of Brakes technology has started on EUA and Europe and consequently two strong and distinct requirements were structured: FMVSS 121 and ECE-R13. From decades people are trying to harmonize these requirements and for passenger cars, the evolution was faster. However, for commercial vehicles there are more peculiarities considering regional applications and some of them cultural and implementation time. As globally market is growing so fast as well new markets around the world, become fundamental the clearly understanding of these similarities, variants, peculiarities and correlated requirements.

One thing that is very important in a carmaker company is its know-how built during all its life. Such an experience allows, for instance, to correlate the customer expected product life with accelerated tests procedures. When it comes to cars, it is usual to have correlated proving routes in such way that if a prototype can take a number of passing in the proving ground without failure, it is unlikely the car is going to fail during a regular life. In the other hand, if a failure at determined percentage of the test happens, it is predictable that the same failure shows up at the same percentage of the product design life. This paper proposes a methodology based on the SxN fatigue theory to solve durability issues observed in correlated durability tests.

The growing competition of the automotive market makes more and more necessary the reduction of development time and consequently, the increase of the capacity to quickly respond to the launching of the competitors. One of the most costly phases on the vehicle development process is the field durability test, both in function of the number of prototypes employed and the time needed to its execution. More and more diffused, the fatigue life prediction methods have played an important part in the durability analysis via CAE. Nevertheless, in order they can be reliable and really being able to reduce the development time and cost, they need to be provided with load cases that can accurately represent the field durability tests. This work presents a CAE approach used for light trucks in order to get a reasonable understanding of component durability behavior due to payload increase. In general, road load data is not available for a new payload condition.

In early design activities (typically before the hardware is built), a reliability prediction is often required for the electronic components and systems in order to assess their future reliability and in many cases to meet customer specifications. These specifications may include the allocated reliability for a particular electronic unit and in the cases of functional safety products to meet the ASIL (Automotive Safety and Integrity Level) requirement specified by the functional safety standard ISO 26262. The standard allows for the use of “statistics based on field returns or tests” as a valid alternative to the handbook-based reliability prediction. This paper presents a newly developed SAE-J3083 standard “Reliability Prediction for Automotive Electronics Based on Field Return Data”, which covers the types of the required data, ways to collect it, and the methodology of how to process this data to calculate the failure rates and meet the expected safety goals.

Design for Six Sigma has been applied successfully in many industries, but industry differences present challenges that influence implementation. Implementers in the automotive industry face the challenge of integrating DFSS into mature and complex product development systems. This requires a clear definition of the DFSS role in an organization and clear guidelines for project scope. But effective definitions and guidelines will vary depending on an organization's place in the supply chain. In addition, varying levels of project scope present challenges in determining effective metrics. Organizations are best served by a flexible set of metrics that drive the right behavior at all organizational levels. Once roles and metrics are established, balancing DFSS with other ongoing programs becomes a challenge. Over time, the elements of DFSS should be integrated into a holistic system that produces high quality, market-winning products.

Innovations in mobility are built upon a management of complex interactions between sub-systems and components. A need for CAE tools that are capable of system simulations is well recognized, as evidenced by a growing number of commercial packages. However impressive they are, the predictability of such simulations still rests on the representation of the base components. Among them, a wet clutch actuator continues to play a critical role in the next generation propulsion systems. It converts hydraulic pressure to mechanical force to control torque transmitted through a clutch pack. The actuator is typically modeled as a hydraulic piston opposed by a mechanical spring. Because the piston slides over a seal, some models have a framework to account for seal friction. However, there are few contributions to the literature that describe the effects of seals on clutch actuator behaviors.

High mileage NVH performance is one of the major concerns in vehicle design for long term customer satisfaction. Elastomeric bushings and brake rotors are key chassis components which tend to degrade as vehicle mileage accumulates with time. The degradation of these components normally causes the overall degradation of vehicle NVH performance. In the current paper two categories of problems are addressed respectively: road-induced vibration due to bushing degradation, and brake roughness due to rotor wear. A system integration approach is used to derive the design strategies that can potentially make the vehicle more robust in these two NVH attributes. The approach links together bushing degradation characteristics, brake rotor wear characteristics, the design of experiment (DOE) method, and CAE modeling in a systematic fashion. The concept and method are demonstrated using a production vehicle.

Closures systems performance is a trade-off between NVH (Noise, Vibration and Harshness) and DCE (Door Closing Efforts) requirements. Dynamic sealing performance and sheet metal rigidity are the key contributors for a stable system. The seals actuate like a spring on the system. Higher seal load is good for NVH performance, adding more dumping to the system, but it will negatively affect DCE, as it will demand additional energy to close the system. Nominal seal load must be defined to achieve a balance between these attributes. This study is about dynamic sealing profiles with variable seal load, which provides tunable solutions to address the trade-off between NVH and DCE on the side doors or rear closures. Dynamic sealing weatherstrips are made of sponge EPDM extruded profiles with a specified load, defined by its CLD (Compression Load Deflection), which is given by the cross section design.

The brake pedal is the brake system component that the driver fundamentally has contact and through its action wait the response of the whole system. Each OEM defines during vehicle conceptualization the behavior of brake pedal that characterizes the pedal feel that in general reflects not only the characteristic from that vehicle but also from the entire brand. Technically, the term known as Pedal Feel means the relation between the force applied on the pedal, the pedal travel and the deceleration achieved by the vehicle. Such relation curves are also analyzed in conjunction with objective analysis sheets where the vehicle brake behavior is analyzed in test track considering different deceleration conditions, force and pedal travel. On technical literature, it is possible to find some data and studies considering the hydraulic brakes behavior.

This is an extension of simple fuel consumption modeling toward HEV. Previous work showed that in urban driving the overhead of running an ICEV engine can use as much fuel as the traction work. The bidirectional character and high efficiency of electric motors enables HEVs to run as a BEV at negative and low traction powers, with no net input from the small battery. The ICE provides the net work at higher traction powers where it is most efficient. Whereas the network reduction is the total negative work times the system round-trip efficiency, the reduction in engine running time requires knowledge of the distribution of traction power levels. The traction power histogram, and the work histogram derived from it, provide the required drive cycle description. The traction power is normalized by vehicle mass, so that the drive trace component becomes invariant, and the road load component nearly invariant to vehicle mass.

Analysis of road accidents has shown that an important portion of fatal crashes involving Commercial Vehicles are caused by rollovers. ESC systems in Commercial Vehicles can reduce rollovers, severe understeer or oversteer conditions and minimize occurrences of jackknifing events. Several studies have estimated that this positive effect of ESC on road safety is substantial. In Europe, Electronic Stability Control (ESC) is expected to prevent by far the most fatalities and injuries: about 3,000 fatalities (-14%), and about 50,000 injuries (-6%) per year. In Europe, Electronic Stability Control Systems is mandatory for all vehicles (since Nov. 1st, 2011 for new types of vehicle and Nov. 1st, 2014 for all new vehicles), including Commercial Vehicles, Buses, Trucks and Trailers.