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This paper describes the development of the GM Allison 10-Speed Heavy Duty (HD) Transmission. The trend of increased towing capacity and engine horsepower in the automotive heavy-duty truck segment has been steadily climbing for the past 10 years. The development of 10-Speed HD Transmission is designed to be best in class in for towing performance in the 2500/3500 series segment while optimizing fuel economy. The 10-Speed HD Transmission also gives the customers the option to order an integrated power take-off (PTO) unit that benefits downstream installation of utility accessories such as hydraulic pumps, generators, etc.

Autonomous vehicle operation is dependent upon accurate position estimation and thus a major concern of implementing the autonomous navigation is obtaining robust and accurate data from sensors. This is especially true, in case of Inertial Measurement Unit (IMU) sensor data. The IMU consists of a 3-axis gyro, 3-axis accelerometer, and 3-axis magnetometer. The IMU provides vehicle orientation in 3D space in terms of yaw, roll and pitch. Out of which, yaw is a major parameter to control the ground vehicle’s lateral position during navigation. The accelerometer is responsible for attitude (roll-pitch) estimates and magnetometer is responsible for yaw estimates. However, the magnetometer is prone to environmental magnetic disturbances which induce errors in the measurement.

The effects of an oxidation catalytic converter (OCC), an emulsified fuel, and their combined effects on particle number and volume concentrations compared to those obtained when using a basefuel were studied. Particle size and particulate emission measurements were conducted at three operating conditions; idle (850 rpm, 35 Nm), Mode 11 (1900 rpm, 277 Nm) and Mode 9 (1900 rpm, 831 Nm) of the EPA 13 mode cycle. The individual effects of the emulsified fuel and the OCC as well as their combined effects on particle number and volume concentrations were studied at two different particle size ranges; the nuclei (less than or equal to 50 nm) and accumulation (greater than 50 nm) modes. An OCC loaded with 10 g/ft3 platinum metal (OCC1) and a 20% emulsified fuel were used for this study and a notable influence on the particle size with respect to number and volume distributions was observed.

A study was conducted to assess the effects of a water-diesel fuel emulsion with and without an oxidation catalytic converter (OCC) on steady-state heavy-duty diesel engine emissions. Two OCCs with different metal loading levels were used in this study. A 1988 Cummins L10-300 heavy-duty diesel engine was operated at the rated speed of 1900 rpm and at 75% and 25% load conditions (EPA modes 9 and 11 respectively) of the 13 mode steady-state test as well as at idle. Raw exhaust emissions' measurements included total hydrocarbons (HC), oxides of nitrogen (NOx) and nitric oxide (NO). Diluted exhaust measurements included total particulate matter (TPM) and its primary constituents, the soluble organic (SOF), sulfate (SO42-) and the carbonaceous solids (SOL) fractions. Vapor phase organic compounds (XOC) were also analyzed. The SOF and XOC samples were analyzed for selected polynuclear aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs).

The increased availability of natural gas (NG) in the United States (US) and its relatively low cost versus diesel fuel has increased interest in the conversion of medium duty (MD) and heavy duty (HD) engines to NG fueled combustion systems. The aim for development for these NG engines is to realize fuel cost savings and increase operating range while reduce harmful emissions and maintaining durability. Traditionally, port-fuel injection (PFI) or premixed NG spark-ignited (SI) combustion systems have been used for light duty LD, and MD engines with widespread use in the US and Europe [1]. However, this technology exhibits poor thermal efficiency and is load limited due to knock phenomenon that has prohibited its use for HD engines. Spark Ignited Direct Injection (SIDI) can be used to create a partially stratified combustion (PSC) mixture of NG and air during the compression stroke.

This paper reviews the relationship between taper wheel bearing damage and vehicle noise and vibration for a body-on-frame pickup truck and a body-on-frame SUV. In addition to understanding how the different levels of bearing damage relate to vehicle noise, it also discusses the level of noise versus the damaged bearing’s position in the vehicle. For this study, the wheel bearing supplier provided front and rear bearings with various amounts of Brinell damage to the bearing raceways. The different bearings were evaluated subjectively for noise in the vehicle. After vehicle testing, the bearing raceway Brinell depths were measured to correlate the level of bearing damage to vehicle noise. The study shows the relationship between bearing Brinell dent depth and vehicle noise for body-on-frame light trucks and SUVs. The noise was most apparent in vehicles between 45 and 60 mph. For bearings with moderate levels of damage, steering inputs were required to hear noise.

Mean Value Engine Models (MVEM) represent average behaviour of an engine over one or more thermodynamic cycles and have been designed for automotive control and diagnosis applications. However, most MVEMs are limited to the description of the dynamics of few engine sub-systems. The diagnostic capabilities of a vehicular engine health management (VEHM) system that uses such MVEMs are limited. In this paper, the process of deriving an MVEM for an entire engine system from an instantaneous within-cycle crank-angle model (WCCM) is described. This is expected to be more beneficial for fault diagnosis in VEHMs since such MVEMs in the context of state observers, can be used to detect a broader range of faults and also generate a larger number of fault signatures for better fault detection and isolation (FDI). Extended Kalman Filter (EKF) based estimators are developed that use this MVEM for state estimation.

This paper describes the results of experiments that were performed using a Ground Research Vehicle (GRV) at the National Aeronautics and Space Administration's (NASA) Dryden Flight Research Center in Edwards, CA and a comparison with computational results. The GRV is a modified 1984 General Motors (GMC) van and measures 40 feet long and 9 feet high, with a base area of 83 by 83, and it weighs 10260 lbs and holds a crew of up to three. Air data is measured from a nose-boom, 2 global positioning (GPS) units, and an absolute Honeywell Pressure Transducer with 4 Electronic Signal Processor (ESP) scanners and 64 surface pressure ports. This allows for detailed measurements of the surface pressure profiles around the vehicle. The total vehicle drag is estimated from coast-down tests, while the pressure component of the drag force may be calculated by integrating the pressure profiles on the front and base of the vehicle.

The hardware and software for a prototype computer controlled cooling system for a diesel powered truck has been designed and tested. The basic requirements for this system have been defined and the control functions, previously investigated in a study using the computer simulation model, were incorporated into the software. Engine dynamometer tests on the MACK-676 engine, comparing the conventional cooling system and the computer controlled system, showed the following advantages of the computer controlled system: 1. The temperature level to which the engine warms up to at low ambient temperature, was increased. 2. The faster shutter response reduced the temperature peaks and decreased total fan activity time. 3. The faster fan response reduces fan engagement time which should improve truck fuel economy.

Several very different order tracking and analysis techniques for rotating equipment have been developed recently that are available in commercial noise and vibrations software packages. Each of these order tracking methods has distinct trade-offs for many common applications and very specific advantages for special applications in sound quality or noise and vibrations troubleshooting. The Kalman, Vold-Kalman, Computed Order Tracking, and the Time Variant Discrete Fourier Transform as well as common FFT based order analysis methods will all be presented. The strengths and weaknesses of each of the methods will be presented as well as the highlights of their mathematical properties. This paper is intended to be an overview of currently available technology with all methods presented in a common format that allows easy comparison of their properties. Several analytical examples will be presented to thoroughly document each methods' behavior with different types of data.

Finding room to package enough energy at today’s battery energy densities, while preserving performance and configuration requirements is a common problem for electric vehicles. This issue was recently addressed at General Motors by a small team utilizing agile concept development methods, constitutive material model development, and performance simulation tools to create a structural strategy for a family of unique electric light duty trucks. The desire to create a flexible architecture rather than a single vehicle, coupled with an underbody dominant, and rectilinear structural design space precluded any great topological novelty, so a basic principles approach was taken instead. A concept was devised whereby conventional truck frame rails were abandoned in favor of a series of three connected box-like structures along the length of the vehicle. For this to work effectively however, stable shear panels were required as a basic building block.

The increased availability of natural gas (NG) in the United States (US) and its relatively low cost compared to diesel fuel has heightened interest in the conversion of medium duty (MD) and heavy duty (HD) engines to NG fueled combustion systems. The aim for development for these NG engines is to realize fuel cost savings and reduce harmful emissions while maintaining durability. Transforming part of the vehicle fleet to NG is a path to reduce dependence on crude oil. Traditionally, port-fuel injection (PFI) or premixed NG spark-ignited (SI) combustion systems have been used for MD and HD engines with widespread use in the US and Europe. But this technology exhibits poor cycle efficiency and is load limited due to knock phenomenon. Direct Injection of NG during the compression stroke promises to deliver improved thermal efficiency by avoiding excessive premixing and extending the lean limits which helps to extend the knock limit.

The increased availability of natural gas (NG) in the United States (US), and its relatively low cost compared to diesel fuel has heightened interest in the conversion of medium duty (MD) and heavy duty (HD) engines to NG fueled combustion systems. The aim is to realize fuel cost savings and reduce harmful emissions, while maintaining durability. This is a potential path to help the US reduce dependence on crude oil. Traditionally, port-fuel injection (PFI) or premixed NG spark-ignited (SI) combustion systems have been used for MD and HD engines with widespread use in the US and Europe; however, this technology exhibits poor cycle efficiency and is load limited due to knock phenomenon. Direct Injection of NG during the compression stroke promises to deliver improved thermal efficiency by avoiding excessive premixing and extending the lean limits which helps to extend the knock limit.

Flexibility and backlash of vehicle drivelines typically cause unwanted oscillations and noise, known as shuffle and clunk, during tip-in and tip-out events. Computationally efficient and accurate driveline models are necessary for the design and evaluation of torque shaping strategies to mitigate this shuffle and clunk. To accomplish these goals, this paper develops a full-order physics-based model and uses this model to develop a reduced-order model (ROM), which captures the main dynamics that influence the shuffle and clunk phenomena. The full-order model (FOM) comprises several components, including the engine as a torque generator, backlash elements as discontinuities, and propeller and axle shafts as compliant elements. This model is experimentally validated using the data collected from a Ford vehicle. The validation results indicate less than 1% error between the model and measured shuffle oscillation frequencies.

The use of numerical simulations in the development processes of engineering products has been more frequent, since it enables prediction of premature failures and study of new promising concepts. In industry, numerical simulation has the function of reducing the necessary number of validation tests prior to spending resources on alternatives with lower likelihood of success. The internal combustion Diesel engine plays an important role in Brazil, since they are used extensively in automotive applications and commercial cargo transportation, mainly due to their relevant advantage in fuel consumption and reliability. In this case, the most critical pollutants are oxides of nitrogen (NOx) and particulate matter (PM) or soot. The reduction of their levels without affecting the engine performance is not a simple task. This paper presents a methodology for guiding the combustion analysis by the prediction of NOx emissions and soot using numerical simulation.

While significant progress has been made in recent years to develop hybrid and battery electric vehicles for passenger car and light-duty applications to meet future fuel economy targets, the application of hybrid powertrains to heavy-duty truck applications has been very limited. The relatively lower energy and power density of batteries in comparison to diesel fuel and the operating profiles of most heavy-duty trucks, combine to make the application of hybrid powertrain for these applications more challenging. The high torque and power requirements of heavy-duty trucks over a long operating range, the majority of which is at constant cruise point, along with a high payback period, complexity, cost, weight and range anxiety, make the hybrid and battery electric solution less attractive than a conventional powertrain.

The TOP TIERTM Diesel fuel standard was first established in 2017 to promote better fuel quality in marketplace to address the needs of diesel engines. It provides an automotive recommended fuel specification to be used in tandem with regional diesel fuel specifications or regulations. This fuel standard was developed by TOP TIERTM Diesel Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) sponsors made up of representatives of diesel auto and engine manufacturers. This performance specification developed after two years of discussions with various stakeholders such as individual OEMs, members of Truck and Engine Manufacturers Association (EMA), fuel additive companies, as well as fuel producers and marketers. This paper reviews the major aspects of the development of the TOP TIERTM Diesel program including implementation and market adoption challenges.

In electric vehicle applications, the majority of the traction motors can be categorized as Permanent Magnet (PM) motors due to their outstanding performance. As indicated in the name, there are strong permanent magnets used inside the rotor of the motor, which interacts with the stator and causes strong magnetic pulling force during the assembly process. How to estimate this magnetic pulling force can be critical for manufacturing safety and efficiency. In this paper, a full 3D magnetostatic model has been proposed to calculate the baseline force using a dummy non-slotted cylinder stator and a simplified rotor for less meshing elements. Then, the full 360 deg model is simplified to a half-pole model based on motor symmetry to save the simulation time from 2 days to 2 hours. A rotor position sweep was conducted to find the maximum pulling force position. The result shows that the max pulling force happens when the rotor is 1% overlapping with the stator core.

Range anxiety in current battery electric vehicles is a challenging problem, especially for commercial vehicles with heavy payloads. Therefore, the development of electrified propulsion systems with multiple power sources, such as fuel cells, is an active area of research. Optimal speed planning and energy management, referred to as eco-driving, can substantially reduce the energy consumption of commercial vehicles, regardless of the powertrain architecture. Eco-driving controllers can leverage look-ahead route information such as road grade, speed limits, and signalized intersections to perform velocity profile smoothing, resulting in reduced energy consumption. This study presents a comprehensive analysis of the performance of an eco-driving controller for fuel cell electric trucks in a real-world scenario, considering a route from a distribution center to the associated supermarket.