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The optimization of the vaporization and mixture formation process is of great importance for the development of modern gasoline direct injection (GDI) engines, because it influences the subsequent processes of the ignition, combustion and pollutant formation significantly. In consequence, the subject of this work was the development of a measurement technique based on the laser induced exciplex fluorescence (LIF), which allows the two dimensional visualization and quantification of the in-cylinder air/fuel ratio. A tracer concept consisting of benzene and triethylamine dissolved in a non-fluorescent base fuel has been used. The calibration of the equivalence ratio proportional LIF-signal was performed directly inside the engine, at a well known mixture composition, immediately before the direct injection measurements were started.

Squeak and rattle has become a primary source of undesired noise in automobiles due to the continual diminishment of engine, power train and tire noise levels. This article presents a finite-element-based methodology for the improvement of rattle performance of vehicle components. For implementation purposes, it has been applied to study the rattle of a glove compartment latch and corner rubber bumpers. Results from the glove compartment study are summarized herein. Extensions to other rattle problems are also highlighted.

Vehicle restraint system design is a difficult optimization problem to solve because (1) the nature of the problem is highly nonlinear, non-convex, noisy, and discontinuous; (2) there are large numbers of discrete and continuous design variables; (3) a design has to meet safety performance requirements for multiple crash modes simultaneously, hence there are a large number of design constraints. Based on the above knowledge of the problem, it is understandable why design of experiment (DOE) does not produce a high-percentage of feasible solutions, and it is difficult for response surface methods (RSM) to capture the true landscape of the problem. Furthermore, in order to keep the restraint system more robust, the complexity of restraint system content needs to be minimized in addition to minimizing the relative risk score to achieve New Car Assessment Program (NCAP) 5-star rating.

The acoustical frequency response of an automobile audio system, measured at the listener position, is usually far from ideal. It is therefore desirable to equalize this response electronically in the audio system. Equalization can be implemented with common analog filter circuits, but these are susceptible to performance variations due to temperature and part tolerances. As a result, the design of an analog equalization circuit can be time consuming, requiring several design, build and test iterations to achieve the desired response. In addition, due to limits in analog circuit capabilities, the design may only yield an approximate response correction. Frequency response modification, particularly for the purpose of equalization, is a popular application of digital signal processing (DSP). This paper describes a DSP-based vehicle equalization design system. It uses a DSP unit in the vehicle for performing the equalization, and a personal computer (PC) for controlling the unit.

Vehicle sound quality has become an important basic performance requirement. Traditionally, automobile noise studies were focused on quietness. It is now necessary for the automobile to be more than quiet. The sound must be pleasing. This paper describes a development process to improve both vehicle noise level and sound quality. Formal experimental design techniques were utilized to quantify various hardware effects. A-weighted sound pressure level, Speech Intelligibility, and Composite Rating of Preference were the three descriptors used to characterize the vehicle's sound quality. Engineering knowledge augmented with graphical and statistical techniques were utilized during data analysis. The individual component contributions to each of the sound quality descriptors were also quantified in this study.

In this paper, a soft computing approach to a model-free vehicle stability control (VSC) algorithm is presented. The objective is to create a fuzzy inference system (FIS) that is robust enough to operate in a multitude of vehicle conditions (load, tire wear, alignment), and road conditions while at the same time providing optimal vehicle stability by detecting and minimizing loss of traction. In this approach, an adaptive neuro-fuzzy inference system (ANFIS) is generated using previously collected data to train and optimize the performance of the fuzzy logic VSC algorithm. This paper outlines the FIS detection algorithm and its benefits over a model-based approach. The performance of the FIS-based VSC is evaluated via a co-simulation of MATLAB/Simulink and CarSim model of the vehicle under various road and load conditions. The results showed that the proposed algorithm is capable of accurately indicating unstable vehicle behavior for two different types of vehicles (SUV and Sedan).

A subjective in-vehicle evaluation system is generally used to evaluate brake noise. This approach is quite dependent on analysis procedure, individual hearing abilities, individual tolerance level to the noise, the vehicle condition, road conditions and weather conditions. Due to the resultant subjective rating's dependence on these non-controllable factors, it was decided to develop an empirical laboratory technique using the brake dynamometer with sensitive noise measuring equipment to collect sufficient data on brake noise to allow engineers to study brake noise problems.

European legislation covering noise, smoke emission and industrial pollution, all seeking to improve the environment are not addressed in this paper, which takes only exhaust emission and fuel complexity as its subjects. It describes how this complexity can inhibit the development capacity, thus restricting the model offering of a major european automobile manufacturer. The paper concludes that general benefit would be derived from genuine pan european emission legislation, particularly if that legislation was established at levels of control that allowed the development and use of modern engine technology.

In assessing the sound quality of electric motors (e.g., seat, mirror, and adjustable pedal motors), the sensation of Fluctuation Strength - a measure of intensity or frequency variation - has become important. For electric motors, it is typically caused by variation in the load, creating frequency modulation in the sound. An existing method for calculating Fluctuation Strength proved useful initially, but more extensive testing identified unacceptable performance. There were unacceptable levels of both false positives and false negatives. A new method is presented, which shows improved correlation with perceived fluctuation in sounds. Comparisons are made to the previous method and improvement is shown through examples of objective-subjective correlation for both seat motor sounds and adjustable pedal motor sounds. The new method is also shown to match subjective data from which the original measure of Fluctuation Strength was derived.

Since road roughness is an important source of vehicle vibration, a system model for NVH analysis requires a tire model which accurately predicts spindle response to road input. Most tire models currently used in the auto industry do not meet this requirement, because they are based on static stiffness of the tire and do not produce realistic response to input at the patch. This paper investigates a new modal tire model with patch input capability as a component within a vehicle system model. Comparisons are also presented between the behavior of the new tire model and a conventional spring model. To validate the performance of the tire model for NVH analysis, simulated vehicle responses to bump input are compared to chassis roll test results. Good correlation between the model prediction and the chassis roll measurements is observed.

Significant progress could not have been made in the Sound Quality area without the invention and development of engineering tools. For the sound engineer, the binaural recording head is a primary example of one of those tools. The use of the binaural recording head was crucial to the development of the sound characterization process and has become an essential tool in the Sound Quality areas in Ford Motor Company. A similar tool, The Ford Vehicle Vibration Simulator, has been developed for the vibration engineer. The vehicle vibration simulator (VVS) is unique, consisting of vibration of the vehicle seat (6 degrees of freedom), steering wheel (4 DOF), vehicle floorpan section (1 DOF), and the brake or accelerator pedal (1 DOF). Many vibration test systems have been developed to study human response to vibration, especially for military and space applications. To our knowledge, this is the first multi-axis, fully integrated vibration test system to be used for automotive applications.

The importance of the automotive customer's perception of vehicle quality has been realized to be of utmost importance by car manufacturers. Sounds that occur within the passenger compartment can have a distinct affect on this “quality” impression. Many of these sounds originate from small DC motor driven systems within the vehicle. This study addresses the sound quality of motor driven power adjustable steering columns found in many luxury class vehicles. The primary components of this work include the subjective paired comparison evaluation of the sounds generated from these systems and the corresponding correlation to objective acoustic measures. The result is a set of perceptual regression models which showed the following: loudness level was the primary factor affecting sound quality perceptions for the telescoping, retraction, tilt up and tilt down sounds; sharpness was a secondary factor that influenced the sound quality perception of the tilt up and tilt down sounds.

An analytical model based on “vortex sound” theory was investigated for predicting the frequency, the relative magnitude, the onset, and the offset of self-sustained interior pressure fluctuations inside a vehicle with an open sunroof. The “buffeting” phenomenon was found to be caused by the flow-excited resonance of the cavity. The model was applied to investigate the optimal sunroof length and width for a mid-size sedan. The input parameters are the cavity volume, the orifice dimensions, the flow velocity, and one coefficient characterizing vortex diffusion. The analytical predictions were compared with experimental results obtained for a system which geometry approximated the one-fifth scale model of a typical vehicle passenger compartment with a rectangular, open sunroof. Predicted and observed frequencies and relative interior pressure levels were in good agreement around the “critical” velocity, at which the cavity response is near resonance.

The optimized design of an exhaust emission system in terms of performance, cost, packaging, and engine control strategy will be a key part of competitively meeting future more stringent emission standards. Extensive use of vehicle experiments to evaluate design system tradeoffs is far too time consuming and expensive. Imperative to successfully meeting the challenges of future emission regulations and cost constraints is the development of an exhaust system simulation model which offers the ability to sort through major design alternatives quickly while assisting in the interpretation of experimental data. Previously, detailed catalyst models have been developed which require the specification of intricate kinetic mechanisms to determine overall catalyst performance. While yielding extremely valuable results, these models use complex numerical algorithms to solve multiple partial differential equations which are time consuming and occasionally numerically unstable.

The present work discusses an objective test and analysis method developed to quickly quantify steering gear rattle noise heard in a vehicle. Utilizing envelope analysis on the time history data of the rattle signal, the resulting method is simple, fast, practical and yields a single-valued metric which correlates well to subjective measures of rattle noise. In contrast to many other rattle analysis methods, the approach discussed here is completed in the time domain. As applied to rattle noise produced by automotive electric steering systems, the metric produced with this analysis method correlates well with subjective appraisals of vehicle-level rattle noise performance. Lastly, this method can also be extended to rattle measurements at the component and subcomponent level.

In vehicle design, response surface model (RSM) is commonly used as a surrogate of the high fidelity Finite Element (FE) model to reduce the computational time and improve the efficiency of design process. However, RSM introduces additional sources of uncertainty, such as model bias, which largely affect the reliability and robustness of the prediction results. The bias of RSM need to be addressed before the model is ready for extrapolation and design optimization. This paper further investigates the Bayesian inference based model extrapolation method which is previously proposed by the authors, and provides a systematic and integrated stochastic bias corrected model extrapolation and robustness design process under uncertainty. A real world vehicle design example is used to demonstrate the validity of the proposed method.

Manual Materials Handling has been historically recognized as one of the more prevalent causes for work related lost time injuries. Many manufacturing facilities use Material Handling Systems (lift/ tilt tables, hoists, articulated arms), often to alleviate ‘ergonomic’ stressors as well as to optimize production. If not used appropriately, Material Handling Systems can create new ergonomic concerns, or in some cases increase the physical demands of a job. A strategy designed to optimize the fit between the operator, the appropriate equipment and the operation is addressed in this paper.

Powertrain mounts are one of the important design characteristics of a vehicle. Powertrain is mostly mounted to the front subframe and once installed in a vehicle, powertrain mounting has an important role in determining the vehicle vibration characteristics. A good mounting system isolates engine input vibration from the vehicle body and minimizes the effect of road inputs to the customer. This paper discusses results of several dynamic models as they relate to noise, vibration and harshness (NVH) and compares the accuracy of these models. Various powertrain models are studied and their accuracy in comparison with full a vehicle model is discussed.

Ribbed floor panels have been widely applied in vehicle body structures to reduce interior noise. The conventional approach to evaluate ribbed floor panel designs is to compare natural frequencies and local stiffness. However, this approach may not result in the desired outcome of the reduction in radiated noise. Designing a “quiet” floor panel requires minimizing the total radiated noise resulting from vibration of the floor panel. In this study, the objective of ribbed floor panel design is to reduce the total radiated sound power by optimizing the rib patterns. A parametric study was conducted first to understand the effects of rib design parameters such as rib height, width, orientation, and density. Next, a finite element model of a simplified body structure with ribbed floor panel was built and analyzed. The structural vibration profile was generated using MSCINastran, and integrated with the acoustic boundary element model.

The Advanced Lighting Simulation (ALS) is a development tool for systematically investigating and optimizing the Adaptive Light Control (ALC) system to provide the driver with improved headlamps and light distributions. ALS is based on advanced CA-techniques and modern validation facilities. To improve night time traffic safety the BMW lighting system ALC has been developed and optimized with the help of ALS. ALC improves the headlamp illumination by means of continuous adaptation of the headlamps according to the current driving situation and current environment. BMW has already implemented ALC prototypes in real vehicles to demonstrate the advantages on the real road.