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In order to improve the product development efficiency, nowadays, the usage of simulation tools has become almost mandatory. The number of different settings, tested during the suspension tuning, for example, can grow reasonably in the same amount of time. Such a situation would be impossible experimentally. In this context, this work presents a truck model carried out in a multi-body environment (Adams) in order to evaluate aspects of vehicle ride comfort. The model was created with all project information available. Typical tracks, used for ride subjective evaluation, are modeled as track profiles and added to the multi-body model. The model is then validated against experimental data. The measurement setup used as well as the test conditions are fully detailed, as well as the comparison of the data acquire with the simulation results. Once with the validated model, it can be explored in order to extract all information required for a robust project.

Nighttime driving behavior differs from that during the day because of differences in the driver's field of view. At night, drivers must rely on their vehicle headlamps to illuminate the roadway. It is essential then that the driver is able to see the environment and road conditions in front of him. This paper presents the needs of the driver's (car and truck) due to the environment and road conditions from the state of Sao Paulo (Brazil). A survey has been done to compare the needs from the truck and car driver under different road conditions. The results show the necessity to tailor the beam pattern according to the driver needs, providing safer nighttime driving according to the driver's and market needs.

In nowadays automotive market, highlighted by global products, companies are pushed to sell vehicles that comply with legal and customer requirements in different countries and, not unusually, different continents. In order to achieve such challenge, and pressed to reduce project and production costs, companies are spreading design centers around the world, based on regional expertise and lower labor costs. These excellence centers must work together to benefit from synergies and local skills from different regions. Such projects are staffed by Virtual Team, whose members barely face each other. This means teams will work frequently with people they have never met, who live in different time zones and have different cultures. As a consequence, communication is done basically through computer-based media, and must be even clearer and more direct than with the people who work at the next desk.

The vehicular illumination system has had, in the past decades, huge technological advances such as the use of a light emitting diode (LED) adaptive front-lighting system (AFS), which represents an industry breakthrough in lighting technology and is rapidly becoming one of the most important innovative technologies around the world in the lighting community. This paper presents AFS control alternatives using fuzzy logic (type 1 or 2) to determine its operating parameters taking into consideration both the driver's and road conditions from the state of Sao Paulo (Brazil). Fuzzy logic is a well-known extension of the conventional (Boolean) logic that enables the treatment of uncertainty presented in the information, through the definition of intermediary membership values between the “completely true” and the “completely false”. This technique or modeling strategy is particularly important when a multi-parameter decision must be taken or the decisions are based on the human knowledge.

The vehicular illumination system has had, in the past decades, huge technological advances such as the use of an adaptive front-lighting system (AFS), which represents an industry breakthrough in lighting technology. AFS is designed to incorporate two independent light sources: a high-output halogen projector for the main beam and a secondary row of light emitting diodes (LEDs) that illuminates almost instantaneously. This combination distributes the light beam evenly and consumes less power than conventional lights. The technical challenge is how to effectively control its use. This paper will present the impact on the South American truck driver's behavior due to road, environment and weather conditions. This concept will demonstrate that as the vehicle turns, the LEDs illuminate at a rate and intensity determined by the degree and speed of the turn. The concept is to add light, making night time driving safer and a better environment as well due to the LEDs.

The work carried out with external noise insulation has been demanding high importance in vehicle concept since the second External Noise Regulation in Brazil (Conama 001/ 1993). The engineering effort shall increase significantly for near future developments due to the new Regulation (Conama 272 / 2000) with more stringent limits. The effect over vehicle systems beyond noise requirements is not restricted to the addition of shields and insulators. The airflow restriction created by the noise shields surfaces may become a huge cooling issue. This situation is usually observed on trucks designed for tropical markets and submitted to severe environments. Lessons learned in a current development are the basis of the proposed methodology. Vehicle and lab sound intensity noise source ranking tests are suggested as development tools. The paper also presents a pass-by-noise development strategy that includes CAE airflow and cooling management tools.