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Handling and tire performance continue to evolve due to significant improvements in vehicle, electronics, and tire technology over the years. This paper examines the trends in handling and tire performance metrics for production cars and trucks since the 1980's. This paper is based on a significant number of directional response and tire tests conducted during that period. It describes ranges of these parameters and shows how they have changed over the past thirty years.

In this paper, a low-cost means to improve fuel economy in conventional vehicles by employing ultracapacitor based Active Energy Recovery Buffer (AERB) scheme will be presented. The kinetic energy of the vehicle during the coast down events is utilized to charge the ultracapacitor either directly or through a dc-dc converter, allowing the voltage to increase up to the maximum permissible level. When the vehicle starts after a Stop event, the energy stored in the capacitor is discharged to power the accessory loads until the capacitor voltage falls below a minimum threshold. The use of stored capacitor energy to power the accessory loads relieves the generator torque load on the engine resulting in reduced fuel consumption. Two different topologies are considered for implementing the AERB system. The first topology, which is a simple add-on to the conventional vehicle electrical system, comprises of the ultracapacitor bank and the dc-dc converter connected across the dc bus.

Due to the multitude of external design constraints, such as increasing fuel economy standards, and the increasing number of global vehicle programs, developers of automotive transmission controls have had to cope with increasing levels of system complexity while at the same time being forced by the marketplace to improve system quality, reduce development costs, and improve time to market. General Motors Powertrain (GMPT) chose to meet these challenges through General Motors Company's Road-to-Lab-to-Math (RLM) strategy, particularly the Math-based method of a virtual vehicle simulation environment called System Simulation. The use of System Simulation to develop transmission control algorithms has enabled GMPT to improve product quality and reduce development times and costs associated with the dependence on physical prototypes. Additionally, System Simulation has facilitated the reuse of GMPT controls development assets, improving overall controls development efficiency.

Lean-burn SIDI engine technology offers improved fuel economy; however, the reduction of NOx during lean-operation continues to be a major technical hurdle in the implementation of energy efficient technology. There are several aftertreatment technologies, including the lean NOx trap and active urea SCR, which have been widely considered, but they all suffer from high material cost and require customer intervention to fill the urea solution. Recently reported passive NH₃-SCR system - a simple, low-cost, and urea-free system - has the potential to enable the implementation of lean-burn gasoline engines. Key components in the passive NH₃-SCR aftertreatment system include a close-coupled TWC and underfloor SCR technology. NH₃ is formed on the TWC with short pulses of rich engine operation and the NH₃ is then stored on the underfloor SCR catalysts.

The Chevrolet Volt is an electric vehicle (EV) that operates exclusively on battery power as long as useful energy is available in the battery pack under normal conditions. After the battery is depleted of available energy, extended-range (ER) driving uses fuel energy in an internal combustion engine (ICE), an on-board generator, and a large electric driving motor. This extended-range electric vehicle (EREV) utilizes electric energy in an automobile more effectively than a plug-in hybrid electric vehicle (PHEV), which characteristically blends electric and engine power together during driving. A specialized EREV powertrain, called the "Voltec," drives the Volt through its entire range of speed and acceleration with battery power alone, within the limit of battery energy, thereby displacing more fuel with electricity, emitting less CO₂, and producing less cold-start emissions than a PHEV operating in real-world conditions.

Aluminum sheet is commercially available in three surface finishes, mill finish (MF), electric discharge texture (EDT), and dull finish (DF). This surface finish impacts the friction behavior during sheet metal forming. A study was done to compare ten commercially available sheet samples from several suppliers. The friction behavior was characterized in the longitudinal and transverse directions using a Draw Bead Simulator (DBS) test, resulting in a coefficient of friction (COF) value for each material. Characterization of the friction behavior in each direction provides useful data for formability analysis. To quantitatively characterize the surface finish, three-dimensional MicroTexture measurements were done with a WYKO NT8000 instrument. In general, the MF samples have the smoothest surface, with Sa values of 0.20-0.30 μm and the lowest COF values. The EDT samples have the roughest surface, with Sa values of 0.60-1.00 μm, and the highest COF values.

Diesel engines have the potential to significantly increase vehicle fuel economy and decrease CO₂ emissions; however, efficient removal of NOx and particulate matter from the engine exhaust is required to meet stringent emission standards. A conventional diesel aftertreatment system consists of a Diesel Oxidation Catalyst (DOC), a urea-based Selective Catalyst Reduction (SCR) catalyst and a diesel particulate filter (DPF), and is widely used to meet the most recent NOx (nitrogen oxides comprising NO and NO₂) and particulate matter (PM) emission standards for medium- and heavy-duty sport utility and truck vehicles. The increasingly stringent emission targets have recently pushed this system layout towards an increase in size of the components and consequently higher system cost. An emerging technology developed recently involves placing the SCR catalyst onto the conventional wall-flow filter.

This work is to propose a new Iterative Learning Observer (ILO)-based strategy for State Of Charge (SOC) estimation. The ILO is able to estimate the SOC in real time while identifying modeling errors and/or disturbances at the same time. An Electrical-Circuit Model (ECM) is adopted to characterize the Lithium-ion battery behavior. The ILO is designed based on this ECM and the stability is proved. Several experiments are conducted and the collected data is used to extract ECM parameters. The effectiveness of the estimated SOCs via ILO is verified by the experimental results. This implies that the ILO-based SOC determination scheme is effective to identify the SOC in real time.

This paper describes the rationale for the technology selection and speed control methods for electric cooling fans used for typical automotive applications, including most passenger cars and even some light duty truck s. Previous selection criteria were based primarily around cost, simplicity of implementation and reliability. However, the more recent focus toward fuel economy and optimization of energy consumption at a vehicle level has given a greater priority to the minimization of electrical power draw. Specifically, that need is addressed through both efficiency of the electric motor at any operating condition as well as providing a control method that delivers only the minimum electrical power to meet engine cooling and air conditioning requirements. This paper will explore the various control methods available, their relative merits and shortcomings and how they influence both FTP and real world fuel economy.

The imperative to get to the market faster with new and better products, has determined all automotive OEM to rethink their product development cycle, and, as a result, many hardware based processes were replaced and/or augmented with virtual, software based ones. However, the virtualization itself does not guaranties better and faster products. In the area of vehicle dynamics, we concentrate on improving the multi-body model development process, facilitating comprehensive virtual testing, and verifying the robustness of the design. The authors present a highly flexible and efficient environment that encourages, enforces, and facilitates model sharing, reusing of components, and parallelization of vehicle dynamics simulations, developed on top of an existing commercial off-the-shelf engineering software application.

This paper details the design and operating attributes of a triple input clutch, layshaft automatic transmission (TCT) with a torque converter in a rear wheel drive passenger vehicle. The objectives of the TCT design are to reduce fuel consumption while increasing acceleration performance through the design of the gearing arrangement, shift actuation system and selection of gear ratios and progression. A systematic comparison of an 8-speed TCT design is made against a hypothetical 8-speed planetary automatic transmission (AT) with torque converter using an energy analysis model based upon empirical data and first principles of vehicle-powertrain systems. It was found that the 8-speed TCT design has the potential to provide an approximate 3% reduction in fuel consumption, a 3% decrease in 0-100 kph time and 30% reduction in energy loss relative to a comparable 8-speed planetary AT with an idealized logarithmic ratio progression.

This paper focuses on measuring particle emissions of a representative light-duty diesel vehicle equipped with different engine exhaust aftertreatment in close-coupled position, including one designed to meet the upcoming Euro 6 emission standards. The latter combines a lean NOx trap (LNT) and a diesel particulate filter (DPF) in series to simultaneously reduce NOx and PM. Particle Matter (PM) and particle number emissions are measured throughout testing procedure and instrumentation which are compliant with the UN-ECE Regulation 83 proposals. Specifically measuring devices for particle number emissions, provided by two different suppliers, are alternatively used. No significant differences are observed due to the different system employed. On the other hand particle size distributions are measured by means of a specific experimental set-up including a two stage dilution system and an electrical low pressure impactor (ELPI).

Experimental work was carried out on a small displacement Euro 5 automotive diesel engine alternatively fuelled with ultra low sulphur diesel (ULSD) and with two blends (30% vol.) of ULSD and of two different fatty acid methyl esters (FAME) obtained from both rapeseed methyl ester (RME) and jatropha methyl ester (JME) in order to evaluate the effects of different fuel compositions on particle number (PN) emissions. Particulate matter (PM) emissions for each fuel were characterized in terms of number and mass size distributions by means of two stage dilutions system coupled with a scanning mobility particle sizer (SMPS). Measurements were performed at three different sampling points along the exhaust system: at engine-out, downstream of the diesel oxidation catalyst (DOC) and downstream of the diesel particulate filter (DPF). Thus, it was possible to evaluate both the effects of combustion and after-treatment efficiencies on each of the tested fuels.

The design of an existing GM exhaust system is analyzed for possible design modifications that may result in lower shipping costs between the supplier facility that manufactures the exhaust system and the assembly plant that installs the system. Investment, changes in piece cost, and other factors are examined in order to determine design changes based upon a rate of return on the investment.

In today's fast pace world of innovation and technology, lifelong learning has become a necessity for anyone working in industry. This is especially true for those in alternative propulsion or other such rapidly evolving fields. Universities and other learning institutions are delivering ever more Distance Learning certificates, degrees, and programs in an effort to re-tool the technical workerforce. To ensure Distance Learning programs are effective, successful, and advantageous, personal interaction and direct connection in some form between the students, industry, and academia is instrumental. Communication and interaction are vital to learning, whether it is Distance Learning or other more traditional methods, and personal interaction should not be overlooked for any of these learning delivery methods.

An iterative learning control (ILC) algorithm has been developed for a test cell electro-hydraulic, fully flexible valve actuation system to track valve lift profile under steady-state and transient operation. A dynamic model of the plant was obtained from experimental data to design and verify the ILC algorithm. The ILC is implemented in a prototype controller. The learned control input for two different lift profiles can be used for engine transient tests. Simulation and bench test are conducted to verify the effectiveness and robustness of this approach. The simple structure of the ILC in implementation and low cost in computation are other crucial factors to recommend the ILC. It does not totally depend on the system model during the design procedure. Therefore, it has relatively higher robustness to perturbation and modeling errors than other control methods for repetitive tasks.

A frequency-domain approach to balancing of air-fuel ratio (A/F) in a multi-cylinder engine is described. The technique utilizes information from a single Wide-Range Air-Fuel ratio (WRAF) or a single switching (production) O₂ sensor installed in the exhaust manifold of an internal combustion engine to eliminate the imbalances. At the core of the proposed approach is the development of a simple novel method for the characterization of A/F imbalances among the cylinders. The proposed approach provides a direct objective metric for the characterization of the degree of A/F imbalances for diagnostic purposes as well as a methodology for the control of A/F imbalances among various cylinders. The fundamental computational requirement is based on the calculation of a Discrete Fourier Transform (DFT) of the A/F signal as measured by a WRAF or a switching O₂ sensor.

Biofuel usage is increasingly expanding thanks to its significant contribution to a well-to-wheel (WTW) reduction of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. In addition, stringent emission standards make mandatory the use of Diesel Particulate Filter (DPF) for the particulate emissions control. The different physical properties and chemical composition of biofuels impact the overall engine behaviour. In particular, the PM emissions and the related DPF regeneration strategy are clearly affected by biofuel usage due mainly to its higher oxygen content and lower low heating value (LHV). More specifically, the PM emissions and the related DPF regeneration strategy are clearly affected by biofuel usage due mainly to its higher oxygen content and lower low heating value, respectively. The particle emissions, in fact, are lower mainly because of the higher oxygen content. Subsequently less frequent regenerations are required.

It is advantageous to increase the specific power output of diesel engines and to operate them at higher load for a greater portion of a driving cycle to achieve better thermal efficiency and thus reduce vehicle fuel consumption. Such operation is limited by excessive smoke formation at retarded injection timing and high rates of cylinder pressure rise at more advanced timing. Given this window of operation, it is desired to understand the influence of fuel properties such that optimum combustion performance and emissions can be retained over the range of fuels commonly available in the marketplace. Data are examined from a direct-injection single-cylinder research engine for eight common diesel fuels including soy-based biodiesel blends at two high load operating points with no exhaust gas recirculation (EGR) and at a moderate load with four levels of EGR.

Incomplete vehicles are partially manufactured by an Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) and subsequently sold to and completed by a final-stage manufacturer. Section S8.8, Final-Stage Manufacturers and Alterers, of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) 126 states “Vehicle that are manufactured in two or more stages or that are altered (within the meaning of 49 CFR 567.7) after having been previously certified in accordance with Part 567 of this chapter, are not subject to the requirements of S8.1 through S8.5. Instead, all vehicles produced by these manufacturers on or after September 1, 2012, must comply with this standard.” The FMVSS 126 compliance of the completed vehicle can be certified in three ways: by the OEM provided no alterations are made to identified components (TYPE 1), conditionally by the OEM provided the final-stage manufacturer follows specific guidelines (TYPE 2), or by the final-stage manufacturer (TYPE 3).