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Today CFD is an important tool for engineers in the automotive industry who model and simulate fluid flow. For the complex field of Underhood Thermal Management, CFD has become a very important tool to engineer the cooling airflow process in the engine bay of vehicles. Presenter Peter Gullberg, Chalmers University of Technology

In 1991, Hino Motors, Ltd. (Hino) launched the world's first hybrid city buses in the market. Thereafter, Hino has improved its hybrid vehicle technology and applied it to various commercial vehicles including city buses, sightseeing buses, medium-duty trucks and light-duty trucks. Recently, Hino has developed light-duty hybrid trucks, whose fuel efficiency has improved by 50% relative to its Diesel trucks. The significant improvement in fuel efficiency is achieved by four improvements in hybrid trucks. First, the hybrid system is improved: the change in the drive train layout, the relocation of a clutch, makes it possible to recoup the regenerative energy more efficiently. Second, the vehicle is also improved by the new hybrid engine, the reduction of the rotation speed of the engine during idling, and the improvement in the differential gear ratio. Third, new hybrid system controls are developed to bring benefits of the hybrid system to all drivers.

In fatal accidents due to heavy duty trucks, the fatalities of occupants in passenger cars in which rear-end collision occur account for the largest percent. Collisions to the vehicles in traffic jams and collision to other accidents scenes on express ways can result in serious repercussions. Therefore the system which reduces the damage of collisions has long been demanded and here the world-first Pre-crash Safety (PCS) System for heavy duty trucks was developed. This system gives warning to the driver in case there is a possibility of collision with preceding vehicles, and activates the brakes to mitigate damage in case there is a higher possibility of collision. In order to get the maximum effect on the express ways where the trucks are in high speed, it is necessary to give warning and activate the brakes with relatively early timing.

The driving performance of a vehicle with front wheel steering system is enhanced by controlling the gain and/or phase-lag characteristics. A vehicle with rear axle steering system has an even or higher effect than that. The compliance steer control effect in mechanical system is the key technology for enhancing the on-center stability Driver's error compensating system by steering and/or brake system control will be in future, and the manual and automonous control hybrid driving system will follow it.