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The BMW Group has introduced electric cars to the market with the MINI E already in 2009. The next step will be the launch of the BMW ActiveE in 2011, followed by the revolutionary Mega City Vehicle in 2013. The presentation will explain the BMW Group strategy for implementing sustainable mobility. A focus will be emobility, the use of carbon fiber and the holistic sustainability approach of BMW Group?s project i. Reference will be made to the research results of the MINI E projects in the US and in Europe. Presenter Andreas Klugescheid, BMW AG

It is essential to include uncertainties in the simulation process in order to perform reliable vibroacoustic predictions in the early design phase. In this contribution, uncertainties are quantified using the generalized Polynomial Chaos (gPC) expansion in combination with a Finite Element (FE) model of a vehicle body in white. It is the objective to particularly investigate the applicability of the gPC method in the industrial context with a high number of uncertain parameters and computationally expensive models. A non-intrusive gPC expansion of first and second order is implemented and the approximation of a stochastic response process is compared to a Latin Hypercube sampling based reference solution with special regard to accuracy and computational efficiency. Furthermore, the method is examined for other input distributions and transferred to another FE model in order to verify the applicability of the gPC method in practical applications.

During the last decades, big steps have been taken towards a realistic simulation of NVH (Noise Vibration Harshness) behavior of vehicles using the Finite Element (FE) method. The quality of these computation models has been substantially increased and the accessible frequency range has been widened. Nevertheless, to perform a reliable prediction of the vehicle vibroacoustic behavior, the consideration of uncertainties is crucial. With this approach there are many challenges on the way to valid and useful simulation models and they can be divided into three areas: the input uncertainties, the propagation of uncertainties through the FE model and finally the statistical output quantities. Each of them must be investigated to choose sufficient methods for a valid and fast prediction of vehicle body vibroacoustics. It can be shown by rough estimation that dimensionality of the corresponding random space for different types of uncertainty is tremendously high.

This paper describes a novel approach for modeling an automotive HVAC unit. The model consists of black-box models trained with experimental data from a self-developed measurement setup. It is capable of predicting the temperature and mass flow of the air entering the vehicle cabin at the various air vents. A combination of temperature and velocity sensors is the basis of the measurement setup. A measurement fault analysis is conducted to validate the accuracy of the measurement system. As the data collection is done under fluctuating ambient conditions, a review of the impact of various ambient conditions on the HVAC unit is performed. Correction models that account for the different ambient conditions incorporate these results. Numerous types of black-box models are compared to identify the best-suited type for this approach. Moreover, the accuracy of the model is validated using test drive data.

Highly automated driving (HAD) is under rapid development and will be available for customers within the next years. However the evidence that HAD is at least as safe as human driving has still not been produced. The challenge is to drive hundreds of millions of test kilometers without incidents to show that statistically HAD is significantly safer. One approach is to let a HAD function run in parallel with human drivers in customer cars to utilize a fraction of the billions of kilometers driven every year. To guarantee safety, the function under test (FUT) has access to sensors but its output is not executed, which results in an open loop problem. To overcome this shortcoming, the proposed method consists of four steps to close the loop for the FUT. First, sensor data from real driving scenarios is fused in a world model and enhanced by incorporating future time steps into original measurements.

Today's automotive software integration is a static process. Hardware and software form a fixed package and thus hinder the integration of new electric and electronic features once the specification has been completed. Usually software components assigned to an ECU cannot be easily transferred to other devices after they have been deployed. The main reasons are high system configuration and integration complexity, although shifting functions from one to another ECU is a feature which is generally supported by AUTOSAR. The concept of a Virtual Functional Bus allows a strict separation between applications and infrastructure and avoids source code modifications. But still further tooling is needed to reconfigure the AUTOSAR Basic Software (BSW). Other challenges for AUTOSAR are mixed integrity, versioning and multi-core support. The upcoming BMW E/E-domain oriented architecture will require all these features to be scalable across all vehicle model ranges.

Wheel slip control system have found a remarkable penetration in all car segments. The information on the wheel behavior has lead to further developments which control the brake performance as well as the driving of the car in general. Latest systems introduced especially on luxury cars use wheel individual brake intervention to ensure vehicle stability under various driving maneuvers within the physical limits. Such systems use vehicle dynamic sensors and special hydraulics which serve as energy source for the automatic brake application. The technical effort of such systems like the Dynamic Stability Control DSC has limited the installation to upper class cars so far. New approaches are required to allow for a more wide spread penetration. Optimized hydraulics together with a rational design of the electronics seems to offer a basis for a more cost effective design.

In this paper we present an advanced knock detection approach. The detection concept consists of a two-level feature extraction step followed by neural network detector. A knock tendency index is estimated that takes into account the statistical behavior of the knock phenomena. The configuration of the neural network is based on a signal database that was acquired under almost ‘on-road’ conditions. The experimental set-up consisted of several measurement sessions in a special vehicle test cell. In order to achieve a most realistic knock database the test engine was mounted on an in-production car.

In the scope of a research collaboration, ITT Automotive Europe and Darmstadt University of Technology are developing control strategies for a low-cost Brake-by-Wire system. However, since there is a wide range of variation in the efficiency of the gear units used in electromechanical brakes, this becomes a demanding task. The paper first describes the assembly and operation of ITT's early generation brake actuator. It introduces a model of the electromechanical brake with its structure and subsystems as a major tool in the development process. A detailed analysis of the signals, already available from the brake and the vehicle, is discussed for their advantages and disadvantages with regard to a possible use in the controller design. Different approaches for clamping-force, peripheral-force and brake-torque sensing are compared. An integrated clamping force sensor for feedback control of prototype actuators was developed.

Faced with the need to reduce development time and cost, the hardware-in-the-loop (HIL) simulation increasingly proves to be an efficient tool in the automotive industry. It offers the possibility to investigate new engine control systems with fewer expensive engine dynamometer experiments and test drives. In the scope of a research collaboration, Daimler Benz and Darmstadt University of Technology are developing a hardware-in-the loop simulator for the investigation of the electronic engine management of the new Mercedes Benz truck engine series 500 and 900. This paper first describes the necessary models for real-time simulation of the subsystems Diesel engine, turbo charger and vehicle. Then the setup of the simulator test bench is introduced and the performance of the simulator is demonstrated by several experimental results.

This paper deals with physical modelling of a turbocharger with variable turbine geometry (VTG) and its real-time simulation based on dynamic artificial neural networks (ANN). Thermodynamic und fluiddynamic equations, describing the basic functionality and relations between pressure, mass flow and temperature at the inlet and outlet ports of compressor and turbine, build up a multiple input multiple output model (MIMO). A special kind of ANN, namely the LoLiMoT algorithm, is used for real-time simulation. Training the network using measurement and simulated data, the dynamic behaviour can be simulated with less computational effort than the physical model. The neural network may be used in engine control systems as observer for non measurable signals, like rotor speed or turbine and compressor torque, figure 1.

In the present work we investigated experimentally and computationally the unsteady flow around a BMW car model including wheels*. This simulation yields mean flow and turbulence fields, enabling the study aerodynamic coefficients (drag and lift coefficients, three-dimensional/spatial wall-pressure distribution) as well as some unsteady flow phenomena in the car wake (analysis of the vortex shedding frequency). Comparisons with experimental findings are presented. The computational approach used is based on solving the complete transient Reynolds-Averaged Navier-Stokes (TRANS) equations. Special attention is devoted to turbulence modelling and the near-wall treatment of turbulence. The flow calculations were performed using a robust, eddy-viscosity-based ζ - ƒ turbulence model in the framework of the elliptic relaxation concept and in conjunction with the universal wall treatment, combining integration up to the wall and wall functions.

Since 1989 the Automotive Engineering Department of Darmstadt University of Technology (fzd) has carried out measurements of tire tread deformations through the use of sensors which are integrated into the tire. With these tire sensors fzd has achieved the possibility to qualitatively and quantitatively measure forces acting on the tire, especially local slip effects, which are the basis for friction detection. To investigate local slip fzd designed a completely new measuring device. Utilization of available tire/road friction and local slip events were measured in a specially equipped test car. This paper describes the Darmstadt Tire Sensor, the theoretical vehicle system, the methods to study tire sensor behaviour as well as the results achieved so far.

Innovative electric systems demand a new approach for the distribution of electric energy in passenger cars. This paper describes a very promising solution-the dual voltage power network with an upper voltage level of 42V, and the considerations which led to the selection of this voltage level. Owing to the significant impact on the industry, a common standard is required. Depending on their profile, OEMs will select their own strategies for implementation, either as a base for innovation or to enhance overall system efficiency. This will lead to different approaches and timeframes.

The study of oil emission is of essential interest for the engine development of modern cars, as well as for the understanding of hydrocarbon emissions especially during cold start conditions. A laser mass spectrometer has been used to measure single aromatic hydrocarbons in unconditioned exhaust gas of a H2-fueled engine at stationary and transient motor operation. These compounds represent unburned oil constituents. The measurements were accompanied by FID and GC-FID measurements of hydrocarbons which represent the burned oil constituents. The total oil consumption has been determined by measuring the oil sampled by freezing and weighing. It has been concluded that only 10 % of the oil consumption via exhaust gas has burned in the cylinders. A correlation of the emission of single oil-based components at ppb level detected with the laser mass spectrometer to the total motor oil emission has been found.

Future on-board vehicle control systems can be further improved through new types of mechatronic systems. In particular, these systems'' capacities for interaction enhance safety, comfort and economic viability. The Automotive Engineering Department (fzd) of Darmstadt University of Technology is engaged in research of the mechatronic vehicle corner, which consists of three subsystems: sensor tire, electrically actuated wheel brake and smart suspension. By intercommunication of these three systems, the brake controller receives direct, fast and permanent information about dynamic events in the tire contact area provided by the tire sensor as valuable control input. This allows to control operation conditions of each wheel brake. The information provided by the tire sensor for example helps to distinguish between straightline driving and cornering as well as to determine μ-split conditions.

a practice-oriented approach for an accelerated product development and product design process for mechatronic systems is presented. The handling of complex and versatile product data to perform this process is shown in the area of electrical drives and actuators in cars. It is discussed, how the coordination of all the necessary disciplines as development, design, testing field, specification and release management should be software supported and PDM integrated. The advantages and benefits of the presented methods are shown on particular examples. The necessary software modules are introduced, showing that the realized solution gives both opportunities - the integration into a PDM backbone and at the same time an independent communication within department and/or company. The practical way, to realize the expert-specific needs of the development department, which is not possible with a general PDM system is pointed out.

This paper describes a practical approach to extract the global static stiffness of a body in white (BIW) from dynamic measurements in free-free conditions. Based on a limited set of measured frequency response functions (FRF), the torsional and bending stiffness values are calculated using an FRF based substructuring approach in combination with inverse force identification. A second approach consists of a modal approach whereby the static car body stiffness is deduced from a full free-free modal identification including residual stiffness estimation at the clamping and load positions. As an extra important result this approach allows for evaluating the modal contribution of the flexible car body modes to the global static stiffness values. The methods have been extensively investigated using finite element modeling data and verified on a series of body in white measurements.

For the development of sophisticated digital (e.g., Finite-Element-models like CASIMIR) or physical (e.g.,ASPECT-Dummy) models of the mechanisms of human-seat-interaction it is very important to know the shape of the contact surface between the human buttocks and back and the seat cushion and backrest, respectively. Currently, these surfaces are usually determined by purely experimental procedures, that require complicated and expensive measuring equipment. This paper presents an alternative hybrid approach of standard experimental investigations of the pressure distributions between human body and seat (cushion and backrest) and proceeding numerical simulations with the Finite-Element-Method (FEM). Pressure distributions are measured with standard measuring equipment for individual persons or defined percentile groups. Due to the simplicity of these measurements, they can be performed for a larger number of individuals at low cost.

BMW, DaimlerChrysler, Motorola and Philips present their joint development activity related to the FlexRay communication system that is intended for distributed applications in vehicles. The designated applications for powertrain and chassis control place requirements in terms of availability, reliability and data bandwidth that cannot be met by any product currently available on the market under the testing conditions encountered in an automobile. A short look back on events so far is followed by a description of the protocol and its first implementation as an integrated circuit, as well as its incorporation into a complete tool environment.