Search Results

Engineering at the new NVH frontier Electrification brings new benchmarks, tools and challenges to the ongoing battle with noise, vibration and harshness. Hydrogen storage in a box! Cylindrical tanks no longer are the only solution for storing high-pressure hydrogen gas. The future is looking decidedly square - and better for vehicle range and packaging. A connected approach to auxiliary battery control An 'intelligent' systems strategy ensures that an electrified vehicle's auxiliary battery has enough energy to meet basic loads, whether the vehicle is running or in park. Editorial The gas-station paradigm for EV charging Supplier Eye Electrification brings supplier value closer to home New Chinese EV feature ASSB tech Battery- and chip-analysis companies join to chop production time Setting guideposts for product liability and ethics in AI Lincoln unveils redesigned 2024 Nautilus SUV 2025 Ram 1500 REV offers class-leading big battery Product Briefs Spotlight: Noise & Vibration Tech

Getting an engineering foundation through Formula SAE Having an underclassman with no leadership experience as team captain proved to be no hindrance to the University of Texas-Arlington Formula SAE team. Experience and innovation walk hand in hand Team from Pontifical Catholic University carries success in native Brazil to U.S. in SAE Aero Design competition. 'Complete, finish, win' University of Stuttgart team rides that motto to victories and podium finishes by the dozen.

Engineering the 2020 Chevrolet Corvette The eighth-gen (C8) Corvette is a creative mix of novel and traditional technical solutions - unleashed at a shockingly low base price. Stuck on structural adhesives As the need for lighter materials and enhanced body performance intensifies, structural adhesives flourish as a materials-joining solution. Rethinking ADAS materials New specialized thermoplastics offer greater design freedom to improve sensor performance and packaging, at reduced cost. Inside VW's expanding Silicon Valley lab The pioneering California innovation hub enters its third decade on a new wave of innovation.

Leaf turns to the 2020s Nissan's pioneering battery-EV finally gets styling, propulsion and feature upgrades that put it back in the thick of the expanding electric-car race. A rebel's guide to chassis engineering Before the advent of FEA, engineers used their hands to study chassis strength and stiffness. The approach still offers benefits today, notes the man who wrote chassis engineering's "bible." Auto tech comes on strong at CES 2018 The automotive sector showed up at CES with autonomy announcements by the score and a spectrum of new-technology unveilings. New SAE President focused on Big Data Mircea Gradu, senior VP and quality chief at lidar specialist Velodyne, targets data analytics, electrification and connectivity, and STEM initiatives during his 2018 term.

WCX17 Preview The annual SAE World Congress is rebranded WCX17 to express its expanded experience of new-technology discussion and established thought leadership. Achates powers toward production Achates Power's internal-combustion solution is a new play on an old technology. Inside the Bolt EV While the new battery deserves credit for the car's +200-mile range, systems optimization, careful motor design and proprietary CAE tools were equally important. CES 2017: Lush luxury EVs, sophisticated connectivity Suppliers challenge OEMs in advanced tech. Editorial: Question mark or exclamation point Supplier Eye Are you prepared for greater electrification? SAE Standards News VS committees fully engaged on cybersecurity.

New dawn at Honda R&D President Yoshiyuki Matsumoto aims to invigorate Honda's technology and product-development organization with 'full soul.' Automated driving meets regulation: NHTSA and the next 50 years The challenges and opportunities on the road to 'zero deaths' demand a new level of federal automotive safety technical standards, and a new safety-defect reporting and recall system. NHTSA and the U.S. Congress must act boldly and quickly to make it happen. Autonomous driving meets regulation: Hands off, eyes off, brain off Euro NCAP'S president warns that without coherent policies, the growing availability of automated technologies may result in piecemeal technology development-and unintentional consequences. Designer yin meets engineer yang Efficient and effective vehicle development means even closer collaboration between the two former sparring partners.

Diesel gets a promotion at SAE Clean Snowmobile Challenge The main rules change for the 2015 season is creation of a new engine category (diesel), the event's organizer notes in providing an overview of the SAE Collegiate Design Series competition. Wisconsin-Stout puts faith in gearbox redesign for Baja Blue Devil Racing Team believes packaging and durability advantages more than offset weight and low-end-torque penalties. Test cell at Kansas University does double duty Single-cylinder engine test cell designed for research into biodiesel also serves as an instruction tool for students. University of Michigan students have hand in Volt battery reliability Technology co-developed by U of M monitors the quality of welds used in the joining of Chevy Volt battery cells.

No hands, lots of brains A hefty amount of computing power built with new hardware and software architectures will be needed when vehicles begin taking over more of the driving tasks. Aerodynamics and flow simulations come of age With the advent of faster computers, engineers are using CFD software as a practical tool, shaping designs early in the product development cycle. The challenges today are in how best to use it and by whom. New rules shuffle the F1 deck New turbocharged hybrid-electric power units and revised aerodynamics may scramble the familiar order in Formula One for 2014. Stars of the show floor The editors of Automotive Engineering annually select from among SAE World Congress exhibitors the technologies that meet their criteria for a coveted Tech Award. Judging is based on level of design and engineering innovation, uniqueness, potential for 'real world' production application, and potential benefit for industry customers and end users.

Originality revs up Formula SAE Michigan teams More than 100 Formula SAE teams vied for top honors at the annual Michigan competition that spotlights one-of-a-kind open-wheel racecars designed and built by student engineers. American manufacturing in the hands of UNF students University of North Florida students design and build Formula vehicles for nationwide competition focused on challenging the minds of future engineers. Solar EV thunder down under Michigan is aiming for its first victory in next month's 2013 World Solar Challenge with a new asymmetrical racecar that is ready for 1860 mi (2990 km) in the Australian sun. Solar Impulse Team's next challenge: to circle the globe The next world-girdling version of the fuel-less flier will rely on featherweight polymers and composites.

Simulation helps manage change in aircraft manufacturing Commercial aircraft demand is up even while sequestration and other forces are forcing scale-backs in defense-related programs. From managing complex supply chains to improving scrap rates in casting, digital simulation is proving a valuable aid.

Powdered tires Researchers quantify several environmental benefits associated with using ultra-fine scrap tire rubber powders in virgin and recycled rubber and plastics compounds.

Saving space To address packaging constraints in off-highway equipment, engineers developed a fuel vaporizer catalyst that makes for a more compact aftertreatment system. Steering toward safety A look at new technology concepts to overcome design issues inherent in adapting steering angle for heavy-duty applications. A fluid performance Researchers have developed a procedure to measure a fluid's effect on the degree to which mechanical power is efficiently converted to hydraulic power in pumps typical of off-highway applications.

Materials become design, design becoems function Once things you could hold in your hand, materials have become more design ideas than entities, and the designs themselves are transforming into operational activity. The next steps in flight A look at sero engine and assembly developments as commercial airframe and engine manufacturers begin the biggest battle of all-for next-generation short-haul jet aircraft sales. NextGen Today and tomorrow The FAA has reached a major milestone on the Next Generation Air Transportation System initiative to modernize America's National Airspace System. Stacking the material deck for the 787 Combinations such as composites and titanium being used in future aircraft programs can be very challenging when drilling holes during manufacturing and assembly operations.

Why Volt? After 48 months' development, the 2011 Chevrolet Volt has enetered series production. The pioneering "E-REV" is as important to the mobility industry as it is to GM. Creating the heart of Volt GM's battery requirements meant creating new state-of-the-art in-vehicle engery storage - and doing it in less than four years. Top GM and supplier engineers reveal how they did it. Engineering with maniacal focus A dedicated, cohesive team and a conservative engineering approach put this innovative vehicle into production at moon-shot speed. A unique electrified transaxle Hybrid or not? Definitions aside, what really matters is GM wisely leveraged its next-generation Two Mode propulsion technology to give Volt greater overall efficiency. Sweating the body details Extensive wind-tunnel work gave Volt a shape that's slicker than it looks. But engineers aren't happy with the curb weight.

A winning iQ SAE members voted Toyota's new microcar the Best Engineering Vehicle for 2009. The iQ shows its smarts with brilliant packaging, city-friendly efficiency, and superb overall execution. Diesel or gasoline hybrids? As the global financial crisis deepens, companies must hone their R&D programs and attempt to choose winning technologies with the European OEMs, in particular, debating their hybrid strategies. Engine upgrade With displacements headed downward but output expectations undiminished, evolving sensor technologies and strategies are helping to give a boost to engine performance, efficiency, and emissions. Smooth riding ahead Integration and continuous development are the key words as chassis dynamics head into this century's second decade. Building in smarter materials Technologies that can automatically respond to changing conditions are expected to show up increasingly in future automobiles.

Consumed by changes Reprogramming becomes the focus of engineers as radios become multifunction head units integrating many infotainment functions. Design insiders Packaging, comfort, 'premiumness,' and quality are keywords in the vocabulary of car interior designers, but significant changes to interior structures could lead to a design revolution. Accident avoidance 2.0 OEMs and suppliers are going to great lengths to ensure the proper performance of their next generation of active safety products. Automotive policy goes to the polls Presidential candidates John McCain and Barack Obama stake out different positions on issues affecting the automotive industry and future vehicle engineering. Mitsubishi i MiEC Instead of focusing on hybrid propulsion, the company is hoping to be a leader in all-electric vehicles by readying a minicar for 2010 launch. Tato Nano The Indian automaker intends to overcome obstacles and deliver on its promise of a $2500 all-weather, safe family car.

Economies of (drivetrain) scale Emissions challenges continue, but engine and transmission technology is advancing solutions and improving vehicle systems intergration. Searching for real-world responses Prototype testing is constantly changing as electronic technologies help transform equipment; design processes adjust as digital development evolves. Hydraulic brakes on one hand, air brakes on the other Building a better brake system had continued to challenge engineers for more than a century, as a changing world has demanded correspondingly advanced brake technology. Top technologies of 2007 A look back at some of the most significant technological innovations during the past year.

Taking control of safety As the debate rages on about allowing cars to intervene with functions such as braking or steering in critical situations, automakers and suppliers are continuing development, but many challenges remain. Power to the hybrids Many facets of drivetrain control prompt developments in power storage, systems, and components. Working together The European industry's leading designers and engineers ponder the shape of things to come. Beautiful engineering Though more and more technology will make its way into cars in the future, it must be successfully integrated into vehicle designs with more customer appeal. The designers Despite constraints such as government regulation and an aging society, designers have room enough to exercise imagination for innovative and stylish solutions.

Simulating real-time safety Aircraft manufacturers are all pushing for ways to develop software more quickly without sacrificing reliability. Next-generation launchers: Only the tried and true need apply Companies find that some elements of the recipe for success have been handed down for generations. Polar satellites tries to weather storm NPOESS satellites would allow more accurate weather predictions for both military and civilian weather services.

Frankfurt Motor Show The art of automotive product packaging is a complex, multifunctional design and engineering discipline that has led to cars with relatively small overall dimesnions yet remarkable interior space. E-volutions As the movement to improve various supply-chain functions through the implementation of e-business initiatives gains momentum, the providers of the products and services that make the benefits possible are becoming more important to the automotive industry's future. Automakers going digital A math-based, vehicle-devleopment-process strategy has helped General Motors to achieve greater engineering capability, efficiency, and quality. A more redefined Ram Chrysler Group engineers have employed the use of hydroforming, new airbag technology, and aerodynamics, among other things, to improve the design, ride, and safety of the Dodge Ram 1500 for model year 2002.