Sae 17autp06

NOW
AVAILABLE
VERIFY AND Surpass design challenges with ease using

COMSOL Multiphysics®. Work with its
OPTIMIZE
powerful mathematical modeling tools and
solver technology to deliver accurate and
comprehensive simulation results.
YOUR DESIGNS Develop custom applications using the

Application Builder and deploy them within
your organization and to customers worldwide
with COMSOL Multiphysics
®
with a local installation of COMSOL Server™.

The evolution of computational tools for Benefit from the power of multiphysics today
numerical simulation of physics-based comsol.com/products
systems has reached a major milestone.
© Copyright 2017 COMSOL. COMSOL, the COMSOL logo, COMSOL Multiphysics, Capture the Concept, COMSOL Desktop, COMSOL Server, and LiveLink are either registered
trademarks or trademarks of COMSOL AB. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners, and COMSOL AB and its subsidiaries and products are not affiliated with,
endorsed by, sponsored by, or supported by those trademark owners. For a list of such trademark owners, see www.comsol.com/trademarks.
Free Info at http://info.hotims.com/65852-615

AUTOMOTIVE
ENGINEERING ®
Getting a grip on
The evolving science of suppressing

noise, vibration & harshness
How Honda made its 2018 Odyssey so (shsssh) quiet
Artificial Intelligence is hot, but deploying won’t be easy
Let the Lidar wars begin!

June 2017 autoengineering.sae.org
MATLAB SPEAKS
DEEP
LEARNING With just a few lines of MATLAB
code, you can use CNNs and training
datasets to create models, visualize
layers, train on GPUs, and deploy to
production systems.
mathworks.com/deeplearning
@2017 The MathWorks, Inc

CONTENTS
FEATURES REGULARS
18 Tackling NVH one dB per day COVER STORY 2 Editorial: Core Ford, New Ford...
New tools and technologies are helping engineers reduce vehicle One Ford?
Noise, Vibration and Harshness.
4 SAE Standards News
24 Artificial intelligence becomes Seeking a common language for vehicle automation
a reality SAFETY 6 Supplier Eye

Automakers could be among the leaders in deploying AI in free- Are you innovating for NVH?
standing, high-reliability environments. But developers must
determine how to mitigate undesirable side-effects. 8 Technology Report
8 Exa simulation aims to keep ADAS sensors
28 Lidar: autonomy’s mission-critical clean | SOFTWARE | SIMULATION
component ELECTRICS | ELECTRONICS | AVIONICS 10 CO2 buildup in vehicle cabins becoming a

safety issue | SAFETY
Automated-driving capability likely won’t happen without Lidar. But
what technology—and at what price? 12 DSD’s low-cost 12V hybrid aims for small cars |
POWERTRAIN | PROPULSION
30 Formula One goes longer, lower, 13 Road Ready
wider for 2017 MOTORSPORTS | PERFORMANCE 13 VW finally fills its SUV gap with 2018 Atlas
New rules make the cars faster and more aggressive-looking, with a
15 Loss leader: 2018 Chevy Equinox gets smaller,
wider track, wider tires and bigger wings.
lighter, tidier
16 Nissan engineers Sport into its hot-selling CUV
ON THE COVER 32 Product Briefs
The science of analyzing, attenuating and eliminating Noise, Spotlight: NVH
Vibration and Harshness is now integral to vehicle development.
OEMs now brag about the superior interior sound quality and low 36 Reader Feedback
noise levels of one model versus another—a trend that’s certain to
continue as more cylinder-deactivation engines, hybrids and EVs 38 What’s Online
enter the market. Our NVH feature begins on page 18 and NVH is
also addressed in the Supplier Eye, page 8.
39 Companies Mentioned, Upcoming,
Ad Index
40 Q&A
Follow us on social media Alfonso Albaisa, Nissan’s new design director,
relishes his relationship with engineering.
Automotive Engineering®, June 2017, Volume 4, Number 6. Automotive Engineering

@SAEAutoMag @saeaei SAE Magazines (ISSN 2331-7639) is published in January, February, March, April, May, June, August, September,
October, and November by Tech Briefs Media Group, an SAE International Company ®, 261 Fifth
Avenue, Suite 1901, New York, NY 10016 and printed in Mechanicsburg, PA. Copyright © 2017
SAE International. Annual print subscription for SAE members: first subscription, $15 included in
dues; additional single copies, $30 each North America, $35 each overseas. Prices for
nonmember subscriptions are $115 North America, $175 overseas. Periodicals postage paid at
24
New York, and additional mailing offices. POSTMASTER: Please send address changes to
Automotive Engineering, P. O. Box 47857, Plymouth, MN 55447. SAE International is not
responsible for the accuracy of information in the editorial, articles, and advertising sections of
this publication. Readers should independently evaluate the accuracy of any statement in the
editorial, articles, and advertising sections of this publication that are important to him/her and
rely on his/her independent evaluation. For permission to reproduce or use content in other
media, contact copyright@sae.org. To purchase reprints, contact advertising@sae.org. Claims
for missing issues of the magazine must be submitted within a six-month time frame of the
claimed issue’s publication date. The Automotive Engineering title is registered in the U.S.
Patent and Trademark Office. Full issues and feature articles are included in the SAE Digital
Library. For additional information, free demos are available at www.saedigitallibrary.org.
(ISSN 2331-7639 print)
(ISSN 2331-7647 digital)
Audited by
AUTOMOTIVE ENGINEERING June 2017 1

EDITORIAL NY, NJ, OH:
Ryan Beckman
+1.973.409.4687
Bill Visnic
rbeckman@techbriefs.com
Editorial Director
Bill.Visnic@sae.org PA/DE:
Desiree Stygar
EDITORIAL
Lindsay Brooke
+1.908.300.2539
Editor-in-Chief
dstygar@techbriefs.com
Lindsay.Brooke@sae.org
Midwest/Great Lakes:
Ryan Gehm
IN, MI, WI, IA, IL, MN
Associate Editor
Chris Kennedy
Ryan.Gehm@sae.org
+1.847.498.4520, x3008
Jennifer Shuttleworth ckennedy@techbriefs.com
Associate Editor
Midwest/Central Canada:
Core Ford, New Ford…One Ford? Jennifer.Shuttleworth@sae.org
Lisa Arrigo
KS, KY, MO, NE, ND, SD, ON, MB
Bob Casey
Custom Electronic +1.847.223.5225
Soon after news broke late on May 22 reality faces Toyota, Mercedes, Honda, Products Editor bobc@techbriefs.com
Lisa.Arrigo@sae.org
that Ford Motor Co. was replacing its GM and other incumbents: “Core” prod- Rocky Mountain States/NM:
CO, ID, MT, UT, WY, NM
president and CEO, the calls, emails and ucts engineered for human drivers — Contributors Tim Powers
+1.973.409.4762
texts started to roll in. Rank-and-file those “boring old cars”—will be subsidiz- Kami Buchholz tpowers@techbriefs.com
Detroit Editor
Ford engineers, some relative newbies ing the new self-driving ones for years Southern CA, AZ, NV:
Stuart Birch Tom Boris
and others whom I’ve known for 20 after they enter production. I’ll wager that European Editor +1.949.715.7779
years or more, needed a little catharsis. the transition takes longer than the fore- Jack Yamaguchi tomboris@techbriefs.com
Asia Editor
“It’s been like the ‘Nasser era’ around casters (“10 million self-driving cars by Northern CA, WA, OR,
Western Canada:
Steven Ashley, Dan Carney,
here—distracted! Eyes off the real busi- 2020!) breathlessly predict. Terry Costlow, Richard Gardner,
Craig Pitcher
+1.408.778.0300
ness,” one chassis veteran told me. He Engineers don’t get credit for simply Bruce Morey, Paul Weissler cpitcher@techbriefs.com
was equating the strategic direction of delivering safe, durable and in many
deposed CEO Mark Fields to the 1999- ways fun vehicles that delight custom- DESIGN International
ers. I think this is the root of the frustra- Europe – Central & Eastern:
2001 tenure of former CEO Jac Nasser Lois Erlacher
Creative Director Sven Anacker
who aimed to transform “a tion that’s been growing Britta Steinberg
Wall St. hijacked within Dearborn.

Ray Carlson +49.202.27169.11
boring old car maker” (his Associate Art Director sa@intermediapartners.de
steinberg@intermediapartners.de
words) into a consumer- the term Those engineers who
products and services com- feel marginalized by future SALES & Europe – Western:
pany. Disruption of the

“Technology” hype can aim some of MARKETING
Chris Shaw
+44.1270.522130
about 15 years
chris.shaw@chrisshawmedia.co.uk
wrong kind followed. their frustration at Wall St. Joe Pramberger China:
Texted a powertrain test ago to organize It was the investment
Publisher
joe@techbriefs.com
Alan Ao
+86.21.6140.8920
engineer on May 23:
“Credit not given to 1000s
the mobile- community who hijacked
the term “Technology”
Debbie Rothwell
Marketing Director
alan.ao@sae.org
Japan:
in trenches delivering our device makers about 15 years ago, to

drothwell@techbriefs.com
Martha Tress
Shigenori Nagatomo
+81.3.3661.6138
profitable products.” And and telecoms make it easier for them to Recruitment Sales Manager
+1.724.772.7155
Nagatomo-pbi@gol.com
into one tidy bin. organize the mobile-de-

South Korea:
my favorite, from an elec- Martha.Tress@sae.org Eun-Tae Kim
+82-2-564-3971/2
tronics whiz at the Michigan vice makers and telecoms ksae1@ksae.org
Proving Grounds: “We make durable into one tidy bin. Their “tech media” REGIONAL
goods that have to last 15 years—a con- accomplices then declared new report- SALES Integrated Media
cept that’s alien to Silicon Valley.” ing boundaries. So, if you’re developing North America Consultants
In the press conference that followed nano-composites, or lean-combustion New England/Eastern Canada: Angelo Danza
+1.973.874.0271
ME, VT, NH, MA, RI, QC
the CEO shakeup, Bill Ford asserted strategies, or active noise cancellation, Ed Marecki adanza@techbriefs.com
that he and new CEO Jim Hackett will or new seat structures…sorry. You don’t +1.401.351.0274
emarecki@techbriefs.com
Patrick Harvey
+1.973.409.4686
not permit their “One Ford” global vi- warrant their attention. CT: pharvey@techbriefs.com
sion to degenerate into “Core Ford” and Ford Motor Co. itself fell into this sad Stan Greenfield Todd Holtz
+1.203.938.2418 +1.973.545.2566
“New Ford” factions. The former is the communications hole. Product launches greenco@optonline.net tholtz@techbriefs.com
traditional engineering-manufacturing have often veered toward social media Mid-Atlantic/Southeast/TX: Rick Rosenberg
MD, DC, VA, WV, KY, TN, NC, SC, +1.973.545.2565
dynamo that last year generated 90% “selfie” fests. The sole PR staffer who GA, FL, AL, MS, LA, AR, OK, TX rrosenberg@techbriefs.com
Ray Tompkins
of the company’s $10.4 billion in pretax was dedicated to digging out novel en- +1.281.313.1004 Scott Williams
profit. Amazingly, investors don’t assign gineering and product-development rayt@techbriefs.com +1.973.545.2464
swilliams@techbriefs.com
much value to such a business. stories quit the company but was not
The so-called “New Ford,” by com- replaced. “No longer a priority” was the
parison, encompasses the advanced reason given to me later. Apps R us!
programs—vehicle electrification, au- I hope Ford’s new leadership sees it SUBSCRIPTIONS
+1.800.869.6882
tonomy and “mobility”-related ventures differently. Mobility companies are AEI@kmpsgroup.com
such as ride sharing. They only burn Engineering companies, first and fore-
cash at present and may continue to do most. Bill Ford got it right. Ford’s tech-
so for another two decades. nology valuation, as perceived by inves-
Meantime, X dollars from the sale of tors, media and customers, will rise or
each “Core Ford” F-150 and Focus must fall on one equation: Core + New = One.
go into funding R&D for the self-driving
podicles now in development. The same Lindsay Brooke, Editor-in-Chief
2 June 2017 AUTOMOTIVE ENGINEERING

Customers demanding express
delivery? No problem.
AIR IS FAST.
No matter what products you need to ship, Sealed Air’s

on-demand inflatables and air-cushioning solutions
quickly and affordably provide the protection you
need—and insure every order is destined
for an on-time arrival.
SealedAir.com/airisfast
© 2017. Sealed Air Corporation.
All Rights Reserved. Printed in the U.S.A.
SAE STANDARDS NEWS
Seeking a common language for vehicle automation
I
n late March, SAE had a unique opportuni- “This Recommended Practice originally pub-
ty—a first, according to the record books: lished in 2014 and revised last September, and
Testifying before Congress about an SAE referenced in the Federal Automated Vehicles
Standard. More specifically J3016—Levels of Policy, provides stakeholders including federal,
Vehicle Automation. state, and local/municipal legislators, regulators
William Gouse, who directs SAE’s Federal and policy-makers with a taxonomy describing
Program Development activity, faced the U.S. the full range of six levels (SAE 0 through 5) of
House of Representatives Subcommittee on driving automation in on-road motor vehicles,”
Digital Commerce and Consumer Protection that Gouse stated in his testimony. “These six levels
is addressing self-driving cars. Gouse served as span from no automation to full automation.”
witness, his testimony aimed at getting the fed- During his allotted five minutes of testimony,
eral government to adopt SAE J3016 both in Jennifer Gouse also noted: “Importantly, what these
federal policy and state regulations/legislation. Shuttleworth standards do not provide are specifications, or
He was joined by three other SAE members, Dr. Associate Editor otherwise impose requirements on, driving au-
Kay Stepper of Robert Bosch, Jeff Klei of Jennifer.Shuttleworth tomation systems or active safety systems. Nor
Continental AG and David Zuby of the Insurance @sae.org does it imply any particular order of market in-
Institute for Highway Safety. This was itself an- troduction or adoption.”
other first—a Congressional hearing made up Gouse explained that standardizing levels of
strictly of SAE members. SAE’s driving automation and supporting terms serves
In September 2016, NHTSA adopted SAE’s
Levels of Automation for its own use in its
testimony several purposes, including:
• Clarifying the role of the (human) driver, if any,
Federal Automated Vehicles Policy (http://ar- before during driving automation system engagement.
ticles.sae.org/15021/). However, Congress has
yet to make a ruling on using the standard or
Congress aims • Answering questions of scope when it comes
to developing laws, policies, regulations, and
any guideline at the federal and state levels. to establish standards.
Gouse told Automotive Engineering that there
currently isn’t a common language—a vocabu-
a standard • Providing a useful framework for driving automa-
tion specifications and technical requirements.
lary—used consistently for referring to the levels vocabulary for • Providing clarity, consistency, and stability in
of automation across the U.S. at both federal and automated and communications on the topic of driving auto-
state levels. This has caused extensive confusion. mation, as well as a useful short-hand that
“I have been trying to get people to use the self-driving saves considerable time and effort.
same terms and how to define automated driving vehicles. He also said that J3016 is “designed to be
[levels],” he said. In Gouse’s role as a witness at the useful to many beyond the engineering com-
hearing, he informed the subcommittee members munity, such as legislators, regulators, others in
about SAE’s leadership in consensus-based stan- the legal profession, the general and trade me-
dards development and about SAE J3016. dia and consumers and the public that are buy-
ing, riding in, or having freight delivered in a
Although NHTSA adopted SAE’s vehicle with some level of driver assistance or
Levels of Automation last year for automation.”
its own use in its Federal Automated “In the current system, you can drive your car
Vehicles Policy, or a rental car to New York, Ohio or Virginia, for
Congress has yet to make example, and there aren’t separate laws [in each
a ruling on using the state],” he told AE. “But you can’t do that with
standard or any guideline Google or Uber cars right now. That’s what’s
at the federal and
happening because they’re being governed by
state levels.
separate state laws. Some states are changing
them [laws] to allow for the testing, others are
not. It’s a complicated deal.”
The hearing and Q&A session, along with
Gouse and the other three SAE members’ full
testimonies, can be viewed at https://energy-
commerce.house.gov/hearings-and-votes/hear-
ings/self-driving-cars-levels-automation.

SUPPLIER EYE
Are you innovating for NVH?
I’ll never forget the experience, as a kid, of lifting allow them to be. New material/process innova-
the massive steel hood of my father’s 1971 tions by chemical-solution providers such as
Dodge Monaco and seeing nothing but V8 en- Dow and BASF, and component/system suppli-
gine and a few rubber hoses. The vast compart- ers including Rochling, MSC, Mahle and
ment was so uncluttered, I could look straight Autoneum are key to ensuring systems “tuned”
down and see the pavement. By comparison, the to the customer’s ear and all control surfaces
view under today’s vehicle hoods reveals a including the steering wheel and pedals.
dense landscape of technologies aimed at Suppliers be forewarned: the OEMs’ drive to
acoustic control: covers, shields and insulators reduce and abate NVH is just getting started.
designed to keep injector clatter, induction honk The IHS Markit forecast for vehicle electrification
and even pulley whirl muffled. and greater regulation-driven emissions perfor-
Supplier innovations are central to winning the Michael Robinet mance underscores this. Per the latest forecast,
ongoing war with NVH—noise, vibration and Managing Director 32% of the global light vehicle sales in 2025 will
harshness. The battle started decades ago and IHS Markit exhibit some sort of electrification—mild-, plug-
will certainly increase in the future. This is an en- michael.robinet in and full-hybrid or full battery-electric. As the
gineering realm with numerous tradeoffs involv- @ihsmarkit.com proportion of vehicles operating under electri-
ing total piece cost, capital cost, stranded fixed fied propulsion rises, noise from other systems
capital, tooling complexity/count, system optimi- becomes more audible and will require control.
zation, flexibility, intellectual property and even Suppliers be HVAC, wind, tire (low rolling resistance), external
downstream warranty. But because NVH (more
accurately, the lack of it) has direct impact on the
forewarned: noise and electric motor/gear resonance will
become more apparent in the absence of the
end customer, it has become a commitment rath- The OEMs’ combustion engine.
er than an option across vehicle segments.
Controlling NVH and its annoying little cousin,
drive to reduce There’s also vehicle lightweighting, a trend
that can exasperate NVH engineers. The goal for
BSR (buzz, squeak and rattle) is a never-ending and abate NVH many consumers is to have an even quieter inte-
crusade. What value is a new fuel-efficiency
technology such as direct injection, for example,
is just getting rior than in the past. Thus shifting to materials
outside the norm (higher-gauge steels, alumi-
when it increases underhood noise? Customer started. num sheet/structure or alternative plastic formu-
satisfaction, sales and future vehicle value will lations/applications) can lead to the need for
suffer. The goal is to offer ‘no compromise’ tech- insulation countermeasures. Suppliers need to
nology, with suppliers responsible for raising the understand this gap and respond. In this case,
bar with each new model. less is more when optimizing mass reduction
The “N” in NVH is a constant challenge for while maintaining the acoustic experience and
engineers but offers opportunities for suppli- vehicle performance. This will open new doors
ers. The advent of acoustic glass came from for supplier innovations throughout the tiers.
collaborations among glass and film/laminate New opportunities have emerged recently in
companies. Advanced door sealing systems, noise abatement/compensation and attenua-
fuel tank isolation, floor/door panel insulators, tion. The major vehicle audio companies includ-
foam-based HVAC ducting, laminated structural ing Panasonic, Bose and Harman are develop-
materials in the cowl/floor and a focus on new ing solutions to mask unwanted frequencies
fastening technologies are critical to today’s and enhance the driving experience. As alter-
acoustic experience and mainly come from the native materials and technologies are integrat-
supply base. ed into tomorrow’s offerings an emerging mar-
This journey is more than material/process ket is born.
science—it also includes system optimization. Virtually every supplier will need to consider
Nine- and ten-speed transmissions are only as NVH innovations, as the “sound of silence” be-
smooth and unobtrusive as their calibrations comes a baseline for future business.

;QWTRCTVPGTKP
CWVQOQVKXGVGUVKPI
6TGPFUGVVKPICRRNKECVKQPUUWEJCUG%CNNECTECTFTKXGT
CUUKUVCPEGU[UVGOUCPFYKTGNGUUEQOOWPKECVKQPUJCXG
DGEQOGWDKSWKVQWUKPXGJKENGUVQFC[
4QJFG5EJYCT\UWRRQTVUECTOCPWHCEVWTGTUCPFVJGKT
UWDUWRRNKGTUCUYGNNCUKPUVKVWVGUCPFVGUVJQWUGUYKVJ
6/UQNWVKQPUHQTVJGFGXGNQROGPVCPFRTQFWEVKQPQH
UWEJCRRNKECVKQPU
;QWTCFXCPVCIGU
Ɗ 7PTKXCNGFRQTVHQNKQQH6/UQNWVKQPU
Ɗ9QTNFYKFGFGXGNQROGPVUCNGUCPFUGTXKEGPGVYQTM
Ɗ /GODGTQHKPVGTPCVKQPCNUVCPFCTFK\CVKQPDQFKGU
www.rohde-schwarz.com/ad/automotive
¸BTC broadcast test center

Ɗ 'PFVQGPFCWFKQXKFGQVGUVKPI
Ɗ #NNINQDCNVGTTGUVTKCNDTQCFECUVUVCPFCTFU
Ɗ (TGSWGPE[TCPIGHTQOM*\VQ)*\)*\
Ɗ 5(0/4%JCPFQXGT
4(VTCPUOKUUKQPUKOWNCVKQPU
Ɗ 2GTHGEVHQTFGXGNQROGPVVGUVKPIQHVWPGTU
CPFJGCFWPKVU

TECHNOLOGY
REPORT
SOFTWARE | SIMULATION SAE INTERNATIONAL
Exa simulation aims to keep ADAS sensors clean BOARD OF DIRECTORS
A vehicle this Douglas Patton
soiled by snow, President
slush, mud or dirt Cuneyt L. Oge
may compromise 2016 President
the effectiveness Mircea Gradu, PhD
of its ADAS sensor 2018 President Elect
suite that is vital for
Robert L. Ireland
operational safety.
Vice President – Aerospace
Carla Bailo
Vice President – Automotive
Landon Sproull
Vice President –
Commercial Vehicle
Pierre Alegre
Treasurer
Looking “backwards” will soon become in- them surprisingly acceptable in both city traffic David L. Schutt, PhD
creasingly necessary for aerodynamics engi- and high speed motorway scenarios in Europe. Chief Executive Officer
neers and simulation specialists. In this case, At Exa, where extensive vehicle anti-soiling Gregory L. Bradley, Esq.
Secretary
it’s about the industry’s interest in abandoning work (snow, water and dirt) is underway using
exterior rearview mirrors in favor of small cam- its PowerFLOW software to help keep the ve- Haoran Hu, PhD
eras, partly to reduce the vehicle’s coefficient hicle’s greenhouse clear for maximum visibility, Alain P. Jablonowski
of drag (Cd) for improved fuel efficiency and the likelihood of conventional exterior mirrors James R. Keller
also to enhance safety systems to provide a becoming obsolete is being taken seriously. Donald Nilson
wide-angle view around and behind a vehicle. Said Alajbegovic: “Firstly, cameras should be Eric Tech
A key element of that is ensuring the clearest placed in areas that are not exposed directly to
Gareth Williams, PhD
vision possible in a wide range of road condi- large raindrops and rivulets on the surface of
Todd Zarfos
tions, including those that would create camera- their surface. PowerFLOW simulates the lifecycle
lens soiling. Visualization and simulation soft- of raindrops as they approach the vehicle, break
SAE Publications Board
ware specialist Exa Corp.’s teams now are focus- up due to the aerodynamic flow field, splash on
David B. Stout - Chair
ing on this vital and sometimes overlooked as- the surface, are entrained into the vehicle wake,
Mohamed El-Sayed, PhD
pect of ADAS (advanced driver assistance sys- and are deposited on the vehicle’s surfaces.”
tems) development and integration. After all, Cutlines and other bodywork features could Derek J. Logan
users are hardly likely to carry a chamois cloth be added to a vehicle’s surface to control water Ronald D. Matthews, PhD
to clean mirror glass or onboard sensors. film motion. “We see this a lot today on mirror June Ogawa
Exa’s Executive Vice President, Ales housings,” he explained. Dr. Andrew C. Pickard
Alajbegovic, explains the alternatives: “Design Some solutions already exist for keeping exte- Mark Zachos
iterations with various underbody components, rior rearview cameras clean, including a jet of
aerodynamic devices and shape factors can be water followed by a puff of air. But this type can SAE Sections
used to find the best balance between aerody- be avoided, Alajbegovic noted, through early and Affiliate Activities
SAE International offers educational and
namics and [sensor] soiling performance. They design improvements “using more simulation networking opportunities at the grassroots
level through more than 80 sections
can dramatically alter the wake location and and concurrent evaluation of aerodynamics and around the world. Sections are currently
motion, and influence the trajectory, of rain soiling at each design stage of a vehicle.” located in Belarus, Canada, Colombia,
Ecuador, Egypt, Hong Kong, Israel, Italy,
particles which could interfere with cameras.” As for the application of PowerFLOW to as- Malaysia, Mexico, Romania, Russia, Taiwan,
U.K., Ukraine, U.S., and Venezuela. SAE
sess hydrophobic and hydrophilic coatings on also operates affiliates in Brazil and India.
Simulating the lifecycle of raindrops cameras and sensors to assess their ability to More information about sections, along
with a complete listing and links, can be
Cameras have been seen as obvious replace- keep a camera lens clean, Alajbegovic confirms: found at www.sae.org/sections.
ments for hefty fender or door-mounted mirrors “This capability is still under development.”
for many years, but their development and ac-
ceptance (for safety reasons) path has been ex- Gaining more accuracy
tremely difficult. The ultra-low-volume (250 Digital anti-soiling simulation work will be par-
units) Volkswagen XL1 demonstrated that rear- ticularly significant in the upcoming world of
view cameras could meet requirements. In testing sensor-controlled, fully autonomous vehicles.
an XL1 during its 2014 debut the author found The prospect of exponential test requirements

So quiet you have to not
hear it for yourself…
Eliminating the noise from your drive.
HUSHLLOY ® prevents noise at its source.
A special polymer significantly reduces the
“stick-slip” tendency of commonly-used interior
plastics. The risk of squeaks and noises caused by
friction, contact and movement is minimized. And
HUSHLLOY ® polymer does not bleed out over time,
providing a long-lasting effect.
HUSHLLOY ® easily replaces current ABS-type material
and is compatible with the same molds and processes.
When quiet counts – use HUSHLLOY ®
For more information about HUSHLLOY® or to talk with a Techno Polymer

sales engineer, call: 734-953-2404 or visit: www.techpo.co.jp/en/home

TECHNOLOGY REPORT
SAFETY
CO2 buildup in vehicle

cabins becoming a
safety issue
High carbon dioxide concentration in a
small area, such as a passenger-car cab-
in, is a health hazard. For many years,
Dirt deposition on side and rear of a vehicle (left) and after aerodynamics’ modification (right), with the outside-air flap on most HVAC sys-
side body coverage noticeably decreased and rear area soiling slightly increased. This demonstrates tems was notched so that in recirculation
the potential for subtle control of vehicle body soiling. there always was some “fresh” air flow-
ing into the cabin. Even without the
is costly and time consuming. But it is notch, the vehicle body was relatively
not just futuristic vision systems to leaky and the blower switch didn’t have
which Exa is applying PowerFLOW’s an off position, just a low speed to purge
capability. It is also used to achieve bet- stale air.
ter management of contaminants on To improve A/C performance, the
the surface and in the air, on and recirculation switch (or Max A/C posi-
around a whole vehicle. tion) in newer vehicles permits shutting
As previously reported by off outside air. Now there’s even a U.S.
Automotive Engineering (http://articles. EPA fuel economy credit because this
sae.org/15034/), Land Rover used it approach improves fuel economy.
during development of the 2017 However, for passenger comfort in re-
Discovery. Engineers ran more than gions with high ambient temperatures,
Revealed at the 2017 Geneva Motor Show:
1000 simulations to better manage dirt Mercedes-AMG GT Concept with rearview shutting off outside air is common.
and water management, obviating the cameras instead of door mirrors.
need to use sometimes limited capabil- Comfort level just 0.1%
ity climatic wind tunnels. Exa’s highly This has an obvious effect on passenger-
repeatable particle simulations can be and experiment, BMW was able to verify compartment air quality and CO2 build-
combined with real world predictions the potential and robustness of the Exa up from human respiration can affect
by including realistic wind conditions in PowerFLOW water-management capa- passengers. As Dr. G.D. Mathur, senior
simulations including turbulence caused bilities in relation to windscreen sprayer manager for test and development at
by traffic, states the company. modules, the company revealed. The CalsonicKansei North America, pointed
The work generates a more accurate sprayer modules are provided by suppli- out in a 2017 SAE World Congress
prediction of the level of soiling and ers to BMW and functional targets are (WCX17) presentation, just 0.1% concen-
spray patterns experienced in a vehi- set for the installation configuration on tration is the comfort limit. The EPA’s
cle’s daily use. the series vehicle. The targets for the short-term exposure limit (15 min) of 3%
Exa recently launched its new sprayer operation are subject to numer- and a maximum exposure of 4% in the
PowerFLOW 5.4 software, designed to ous vehicle aerodynamic considerations. breathing zone was promulgated only
further improve real-world accuracy and BMW simulation specialist Holger for R-744 air conditioning (carbon diox-
the digital simulation process. The robust Gau noted: “We have worked with the ide used as a refrigerant), to address a
release “will enable engineers to predict Exa PowerFLOW water-management large leak, not a human-caused buildup.
even more accurately how new vehicle application to assess its potential in the ASHRAE (American Society Heating,
designs will perform and interact with BMW engineering cycles, and to de- Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning
their environments,” said Senior Vice velop a process where, given the spray- Engineers) says the comfort limit for CO2
President and marketing boss Suresh er properties, simulation can predict the concentration is 700 ppm over the ambi-
Sundaram. It will also help keep vehicle sprayer coverage over the entire oper- ent level, which is approximately 400
sensors clean for safe, autonomous driv- ating range of the vehicle. We see ppm, for a total of 1100 ppm (0.11%).
ing “and understanding the effects of growing requirements for water man- CO2 sensors provide one avenue for
variable road conditions on vehicle per- agement simulation applications.” automotive control, but more likely is the
formance, fuel efficiency and range.” Gau said BMW expects that future timed approach used by some manufac-
simulation may address topics such as turers (10-20 minutes at a time in recir-
Simulating sprayer coverage side-window soiling, backlight visibility culation). However, there is a need to
During an initial assessment and cross- and others. maintain maximum recirculation to meet
correlation exercises between simulation Stuart Birch the intent of the EPA credits.

TECHNOLOGY REPORT
Cabin CO2 Concentrations for 1 to 4

Occupants with Vehicle at 70mph, Recirc Mode
Cabin CO2 Concentrations (ppm)

(at a Lung Capacity of 1.65 l/min)
7000
6000
5000
4000
3000
2000
1000
The recirculation position on the HVAC switch 0
can shut off outside air. With the “Max A/C” 0 1000 2000 3000 4000 5000 6000 7000 8000 9000 10000
label, it’s the hot-weather choice. Time in Seconds
One Occupant Two Occupants Three Occupants
For all the modeling and the limited Four Occupants Poly. (One Occupant)
testing that has been done in this area, CO2 level buildup with four passengers can exceed 0.6% (6000 ppm) in under 1.5 hours.
Mathur noted that better data is needed
to cover vehicle ageing. Most new vehicles
start life with triple-sealing of the doors % VOL. OF
and glass areas, but seals deteriorate over CO2 IN AIR EFFECT ON AN AVERAGE ADULT
time. A researcher can model CO2 buildup
<0.07% Normal air
based on number of passengers against
cabin volume, air leakage and blower flow 0.1% Comfort limit
rate. However, there is great variability in 0.2% Increase in the breathing rate
exhalation CO2 for passenger activity level 2% 50% increase in the breathing rate
(sitting quietly vs. parent screaming at a 3% 100% increase in breathing rate, 10 minutes short term
youngster in high activity, for example). exposure limit (PEL)
There also is a major difference in hu- 5% 300% increase in breathing rate; headache and sweating may
man lung capacity, and work on R-744 air begin in 1 hour. Note this is tolerated by most persons, but is
conditioning systems has led to studies on physical burdening.
that subject, showing a range of 3.8% to 8% STEL
5.8% CO2 (38,000-58,000 ppm) in human
8%~10% Headache after 10 to 15 minutes, dizziness, buzzing in ears,
respiration. Mathur’s research led him to rise in blood pressure, high pulse rate, excitation and nausea.
quantify lung capacity at 1.65 L/min, which
10%~18% Cramps after a few minutes, epileptic fits, loss of
he said matched well with previous work
consciousness, a sharp drop in blood pressure. Note the victims
he had performed. It indicates a buildup to will recover quickly in fresh air.
1100 ppm—just over the comfort level—
18%~20% Symptoms similar to those of stroke.
within the first 4-5 min of a simulated test
drive. With a vehicle range of over 500 30% Unconsciousness in 24 second.
mi/800 km, an eight-hour trip can raise
CO2 concentration to dangerous levels. CO2 levels and their effects on passengers.
CO2 effect on vehicle crashes recirculation there is no positive pressure working group. The purpose was de-
Mathur noted several deaths recorded by in the cabin, so with exhaust and under- scribed as to focus only on occupants res-
the Arizona Dept. of Transportation were body seams leakage, CO can penetrate. piration, not leakage from an R-744 sys-
blamed on crashes from CO2 buildup af- The level would be subject to great vari- tem. Participants would agree on vehicle
fecting the driver. The attributions were ability based on the exhaust system and interior volume, passenger volume, air
validated by blood analysis of the crash vehicle. If it reaches a level of 30 ppm, it is exchange rate, drive cycle, also engine off
victims, indicating the issue is real-world. likely to cause passenger headaches. and at idle. Testing would be performed
Although he had no specific data, Prior to Mathur’s presentation, the with a CO2 cylinder, and specific settings
Mathur said that research also needs to SAE Interior Climate Control Committee for vehicle sensors and HVAC operation,
consider possible contributions from car- had discussed this subject at its previous including possible preconditioning.
bon monoxide (CO). He observed that in meeting and a call was issued for a Paul Weissler

TECHNOLOGY REPORT
POWERTRAIN | PROPULSION
DSD’s low-cost 12V hybrid aims for small cars
DSD 12V e-machine

with freewheel-in-
transmission concept.
DSD recently expanded its transmission and driveline test center

by adding three test cells.
As hybrid solutions for vehicles gain manual gearboxes and facilitates en- production, in addition to efficiency im-
broader applications, reducing cost gine-off mode while the e-machine pro- provements for axle and transmissions
in technology-dense systems that de- vides creep and hill-hold functionality, and lightweighting and e-drive solutions
mand 48V power is a constant chal- Tylee-Birdsall claims. The system for both pure EV and hybrid architec-
lenge. It is particularly important for also provides a coast or sailing mode tures. In the recently expanded transmis-
A-segment cars, superminis and micro- when the accelerator is released, reduc- sion and driveline test center, three new
cars and equally vital for emerging ing torque-effect interruption during a test cells were commissioned, bringing
markets such as India, which have traf- gearshift (typically an AMT downside). the total to ten. The company states that
fic-clogged major cities. And when the engine is switched off, to maximize the value of the expanded
To this goal, driveline and transmission the system continues to provide electrical facility, it has developed in-house tech-
engineering specialist Drive System power. It will deliver what Tylee-Birdsall niques designed to solve the problem of
Design (DSD) recently revealed a mild- describes as “significant CO2 savings.” determining driveline efficiency.
hybrid concept that it claims offers up to The freewheel device facilitates en- Rob Oliver, the company’s
60% of the energy recovery typically gine and transmission decoupling from Chief Engineer, explains: “As torque ca-
achieved by more sophisticated (and the road wheel, thus reducing drag. pacity increases, the differences we are
costly) full hybrids. And it can be done According to DSD engineers, mathe- looking for become a smaller propor-
using 12V electrical architecture as a ma- matical modeling has demonstrated tion of the maximum figure. To improve
jor contributor to cost control. that a 12V machine on a small car could measurement accuracy, we have devel-
According to DSD Technical Director achieve more than 60% of the energy oped our own techniques for the cali-
Alex Tylee-Birdsall, the new concept “is recovery of a full-hybrid system, obviat- bration of torque transducers which
especially suitable for small vehicles ing the need for an additional high-volt- help overcome this.”
with manual or automated-manual age battery pack, DC-DC converter and The test facility also has the capabil-
transmissions.” He adds that significant associated control systems. ity to enable hydraulics systems to be
CO2 vehicle emissions reductions can’t As hybrids steadily gain market share, combined with their electronics before
be achieved while the hybrid popula- OEM and Tier 1 suppliers’ requirements assembly in the transmission.
tion of vehicles globally remains low. So are growing. To support its own and the DSD’s largest test cell incorporates
small, high-volume hybrids would make industry’s testing needs, DSD has ex- five electrical machines having output
a significant contribution. panded its test facility capabilities, devel- motors capable of 7000 N·m (5163 lb·ft)
DSD’s system connects a 12V electric oping it to meet the particular challenges and 700 kW 939 hp), catering to 4WD
machine via a freewheel device on the of determining driveline efficiency. and HEVs, plus drivelines of small cars
output (road wheel) side of a car’s R&D work is concentrating on robust to trucks and off-highway vehicles.
transmission. It is compatible with low-noise gear design for high-volume Stuart Birch

ROAD
READY
VW finally fills its SUV gap with 2018 Atlas

third row, 55.5 ft3 (1572 L) with third row folded down and a
whopping 96.8 ft3 (2741 L) with second and third rows folded
down. Lovati is proud of the flat, flush cargo floor devoid of
obstructions. He also noted that VW’s use of ultra high-
strength steel alloys in the Atlas’s A-pillars enabled a slender
pillar cross section, which in turn helps provide superior out-
ward visibility, obscuring the driver’s view by only 7°.
Mass efficiency was a priority in the steel-intensive Atlas’s
development, but the engineers did not aim to make it light-
est in class. “The complete package has to all fit together, so
that’s where the focus has been,” he explained. “We are al-
ways optimizing for certain characteristics, including mass.”
At 4,336 lb (1967 kg) in front-drive configuration and 4,502 lb
VW’s development team benchmarked the Ford Explorer, Honda Pilot, (2042 kg) with AWD, Atlas’s curb weight sits roughly mid-
Toyota Highlander and Chevrolet Traverse in developing the new Atlas.
pack among its competitors.
Minimizing NVH was high on the team’s surprise-and-de-
With the market rushing headlong toward trucks, SUVs and light list. “That is something we have looked at through a lot
crossovers, Volkswagen has badly needed a mid-range SUV of drives, testing and analysis, measuring and tweaking spe-
between its $25,000 compact Tiguan and $50,000-plus pre- cifically for this market,” Lovati noted. He said optimum mate-
mium Touareg. And now, finally, it has one. rial gauging, use of premium door seals, body joint sealing,
Designed and engineered in Wolfsburg, built at VW’s bil- flocked wheelhouse liners and “very heavy dampeners and
lion-dollar Chattanooga plant and riding on the modular MQB insulators throughout, particularly on the firewall,” work in
platform, the 2018 Atlas ($31,000 base price) enters produc- combination to attenuate and block noise and harshness.
tion three years after the CrossBlue concept made the auto- While Atlas uses front and rear subframes for suspension and
show rounds. Atlas was developed as “a vehicle to go straight engine mounting, both are solid mounted rather than isolated.
at the heart of the mid-size SUV market,” explained Michael
Lovati, Vice President of VW’s mid-size/full-size product line. VR6 and turbo-four power
“We had to make something that those customers want The vehicle’s cleanly styled and functional cabin features
through a lot of benchmarking, clinics, feedback and collabo- dashboard and interior trim was co-developed by VW supply
ration to understand how they think and what’s important to partner Yangfeng Automotive Interiors and sourced from
them, then translate that into a vehicle concept and design. Yangfeng’s new Tennessee plant. Because the new SUV is un-
That is a challenge for anyone, particularly a European com- derpinned by the MQB “toolkit,” as Lovati calls it, Atlas shares
pany,” he admitted. little with the Passat (still based on the old PQ platform) that
Interior spaciousness, driver visibility and cabin comfort is built alongside it in Chattanooga. He adds that Atlas is
were among the Atlas development team’s primary bogies,
Lovati noted. The team benchmarked key segment players
Ford Explorer, Honda Pilot, Toyota Highlander and the slightly
larger Chevrolet Traverse. “Those vehicles are doing some-
thing right to win so many customers,” he said, “so we took a
close look at every feature to be sure that we hit the sweet
spot on what those customers want.”
Commodious cargo hauler

At 198.3 in (5037 mm) long overall, Atlas’s ruggedly-styled
exterior is fractionally equivalent to Explorer and exceeds
Pilot and Highlander, while its 117.3-in (2979-mm) wheelbase
is longer than all but Traverse. All three seating rows are
roomy, in the author’s view, and the adult-size third row is
easily accessed via (7.7-in/195.5-mm) fore-aft sliding, for-
ward-flipping and reclining 60/40 second-row seats even
with child seats in place. Lovati claims third-row access to be
best in class. Second-row captain’s chairs are optional. Cleanly and tastefully executed in the VW-Audi tradition, the Atlas’s cockpit
Atlas offers 20.6 ft3 (583 L) of cargo capacity behind the features standard 8-in infotainment screen. A 12.3-in unit is available.

ROAD READY
Safety technology on
the Atlas includes VW’s
Post-Collision braking system.
20-in tires will be offered. The vehicle steered and handled

crisply and rode smoothly on the twisty Texas two-lanes
where we drove it during the media introduction. From be-
hind the wheel, Atlas feels smaller than it is and the VR6 of-
fers pleasing performance.
“For a vehicle of this size, it’s very stable on the road,”
Optional EA288-based 2.0-L turbo four delivers 235 hp. Lovati observed. “The driving dynamic is what customers ex-
pect from our MQB technology, adapted to the Atlas’ size and
package-protected for hybridization “with some modifica- weight.” Splitting time between two drivers during the media
tions,” but there is no current plan to do so. preview, with some aggressive accelerations, we averaged
For its powertrain choices, Atlas debuts with a standard roughly 20 mpg as indicated on the vehicle’s display cluster.
3.6L VR6. Introduced in 1991, the VR6 may be the industry’s A full-LED headlight array (including daytime running
most package-efficient six. Its narrow 10.6° cylinder-bank an- lights) is standard; LED taillamps are available Other safety
gle and single DOHC cylinder head (now fitted with direct features include VW’s Automatic Post-Collision Braking; Lane
injection and variable valve timing) make it nearly as narrow Assist; Blind Spot Monitor; Autonomous Emergency Braking
as an inline six but much shorter for transverse packaging in with Pedestrian Monitoring; Rear Traffic Alert with Braking;
FWD-based architectures. It delivers a claimed 276 hp (205 Area View; Adaptive Cruise with Stop & Go, and Light Assist
kW) at 6200 rpm and 266 lb·ft (360 N·m) at 2750 rpm. and (parallel and perpendicular) Park Assist.
By late summer a 2.0-L turbocharged four from VW’s ubiq- Infotainment and connectivity are served through an 8.0-in
uitous EA288 family joins the lineup. Rated at 235 hp (175 Car-Net Infotainment screen in all models except the base S,
kW) and 258 lb·ft (350 N·m), the turbo four is calibrated for with available App-Connect (for Apple CarPlay); Android
premium 91 RON fuel. Auto and MirrorLink are the standard platforms. For big-
Both engines are equipped with stop/start and are paired screen lovers, a 12.3-in customizable digital cockpit is avail-
with an Aisin 8-speed automatic. Driveline choices include able. The long list of available features includes sporty R-Line
FWD (rated at 18 EPA mpg city/25 highway/20 combined and road-trip-capable Weekend Edition packages; three-zone
with the VR6) or the BorgWarner-sourced 4Motion AWD HVAC; heated outboard rear seats; Fender premium audio;
(17/23/19 mpg, with VR6). EPA certification of the 2.0-L en- KESSY keyless access; power-operated liftgate with foot-kick
gine had not been completed at time of publication. “Easy Open” and a panoramic sunroof.
The 4Motion AWD transmits up to 50% of available torque While the Atlas is targeted primarily at North America, it
to the rear wheels and vectors torque side-to-side, as needed. will be exported to Russia, Saudi Arabia and some other mar-
Electronic controls offer a selection of driveline modes: kets as the Teramont, a nameplate that also will grace the ver-
Onroad (with Normal, Sport, Comfort and Individual settings); sion manufactured in China (by SAIC) for sale there.
Snow; Offroad and Custom Offroad. VW has been without a competitive entry in this hotly con-
Maximum claimed tow rating with the VR6 (with a factory tested segment. The new Atlas appears to have the design,
hitch) is 5000 lb (2268 kg). engineering, features and performance it needs—plus a six-
Suspended by struts with lower control arms and an anti- year/72,000-mi transferrable “bumper-to-bumper” warran-
roll bar in front, and a multi-link rear set-up, the Atlas is fitted ty—to be a serious player in it.
with 245/60R18 Continental CrossContact LX Sport tires; Gary Witzenburg

ROAD READY
Loss leader: 2018 Chevy Equinox gets smaller, lighter, tidier

General Motors has made vehicle weight reduction something of
a mission for all its brands—and as with every other example
we’ve seen, the weight chopped from the all-new 2018 Chevrolet
Equinox delivers nothing (well, almost nothing) but good tidings.
Nothing all that radical happened: most of the 2018
Equinox’s approximate 400-lb (181-kg) weight loss came from
adopting the new D2XX vehicle architecture (also see GMC
Terrain and Buick Envision) that brought a hefty 5.2-in (132-
mm) wheelbase reduction from the former 112.5 in (2858 cm)
and a 4.7-in (119-cm) clip from the overall length. Engineers
also credit the use of a full lineup of downsized turbocharged The 2018 Equinox is 400 lb lighter than the outgoing model and Chevrolet
engines (the first-ever Chevy vehicle to feature all turbo- claims class-leading aerodynamics.
charged engine choices), considerably more use of high-
strength steels and an aluminium hood. The new wheelbase still is 2.5 in (66 mm) longer than the
The previous Equinox definitely was sized as a “tweener” class-benchmark Honda CR-V and the 2018 Equinox’s overall
model—something of a GM penchant—so the size reduction length of 183.1 in (4651 mm) reflects just about that same differ-
brings the new 2018 model more in line with its rivals. And the ence. In front-drive layout, the newly-lightened Equinox weighs
tidier dimensions also help the Equinox feel pleasantly nimble 3327 lb, Chevy said—20 lb (kg) more than a base CR-V. Those
on the narrow and twisting two-lane roads on and around the numbers indicate the Equinox is a plump-ish tweener no more.
Blue Ridge Parkway where Automotive Engineering sampled
the new-generation model. It doesn’t hurt that the electric All turbos—including a diesel
power steering’s sublime state of tune is one of the best There’s satisfying if not scorching shove available from the tur-
we’ve lately tried in any crossover. bocharged 1.5L launch engine that develops 170 hp and 203 lb·ft
Discover better
designs, faster.
STAR-CCM+ for vehicle aerodynamics
and thermal management simulations.
siemens.com/mdx
201706_autoengintl_siemens.indd 1 11/04/2017 11:05

AUTOMOTIVE ENGINEERING Free Info at http://info.hotims.com/65852-606 June 2017 15
ROAD READY
(203 N·m) and pushes exclusively We can attest to hushed wind-noise lev-
through a 6-speed automatic transmis- els in the cabin, while the presumably
sion (CR-V’s turbo 1.5L: 190 hp/179 lb·ft). smaller interior doesn’t seem that way at
This setup would be plenty adequate for all, possibly thanks to the lower wind-
the around-the-‘burbs duty that com- shield and generally more-open cabin
prises the bulk of many compact-cross- design; Chevy backs up this impression
overs’ duty cycle, while the estimated 31 by saying measured interior volume is
mpg (7.6 L/100 km) highway fuel econo- barely changed. Most of the plastics and
my is a strong inducement to consider other interior materials are a noticeable
this smallish powerplant. step up from the previous Equinox.
To sample GM’s new 9-speed auto- The only cabin compliant we can
matic, customers will have to plump for lodge is with the rear seat. Bravo to
the pluckier turbocharged 2L four-cylin- Although the 2018 Equinox is smaller in most engineers for eliminating the fore-aft
critical dimensions, interior volume remains
der and its 252 hp and 260 lb·ft (353 sliding function, which research deter-
nearly unaffected.
N·m). The Equinox’s market differentiator mined was virtually unknown and un-
(at least we’ll see if customers see it that used by owners and shaved some 50 lb
way) is the fall arrival of a GM’s “whisper” who own a diesel-engine Chevrolet (23 kg) from the crossover’s curb
1.6L turbodiesel four-cylinder that’s slated pickup also own a diesel-engine weight. And further kudos for the seat’s
to generate 136 hp and 236 lb·ft (320 Volkswagen model. As we know, there cleverly simple seatback-recline mecha-
N·m); it’ll be backed by GM’s higher-ca- will no longer be any diesel-powered nism. But we found the seat bottom to
pacity six-speed automatic. A unique light-duty vehicles from VW, so where be hard as a parson’s pew, a inflexibility
switchable all-wheel-drive system enables might those Chevy pickup owners turn? that cannot be construed as “support.”
selectable decoupling of the rear axle Engineers said some 600 hours of Weight savings gone a bit too far?
when AWD capability isn’t desired. wind-tunnel tweaking went into the new With three attractive engine choices
One teasing diesel thought-starter Equinox’s smooth, Chevy-familiar shape, and a new, wieldier size that makes it
presented by Steve Majoris, Chevy’s paying off in what the company said is a more dynamically satisfying, the 2018
marketing boss: some 33,000 people class-leading drag coefficient of 0.336. Equinox is a formidable effort in a seg-
ment that, along with fullsize cross-
overs, now accounts for one of every
four light vehicles sold in the U.S. The
former Equinox already was GM’s sec-
ond best-selling model, trailing only the
Silverado pickup line, and Majoris is un-
derstandably confident the all-new 2018
Equinox can do better.
Clever rear-seat design “We’re here to gain share,” Majoris
enables near-flat floor when
asserted. “We plan to sell more
backrests are folded.
Equinoxes than ever.”
Bill Visnic
Nissan engineers Sport into its hot-selling CUV

With smaller exterior dimensions, a 200-lb (91-kg) mass re- tuning that came from Japan.
duction and unique chassis tuning, the 2017 Rogue Sport “We wanted a little bit lighter steering effort for parking
crossover utility is a variant of Nissan’s top-selling U.S. model. and city driving and a more on-center, stiffer steering feel for
Called the Qashqai in Canada and other markets, the vehicle highway driving,” Robinson told Automotive Engineering at
is based on Nissan’s CMF-CD platform. an April media ride-and-drive program in Nashville, TN.
“For ride, handling, steering, NVH and quality, the Rogue Rogue Sport features electric power steering with a Sport
Sport is close to a circle on a spider chart; it’s a very well- mode that’s not offered on the conventional Rogue.
rounded vehicle,” said Bruce Robinson, Senior Project Rogue Sport is approximately 200-lb lighter than Rogue,
Engineer for Vehicle Performance Development-CBU at the due in part to the vehicle’s smaller body. Its 104.2-in (2647-
Nissan Technical Center North America in Stanfield, Arizona. mm) wheelbase, 172.4-in (4379-mm) length, 72.3-in (1836-
The Rogue Sport’s primary engineering work was done in mm) width, and 62.5-in (1588-mm) height for the front-drive
Japan and suspension tuning and steering calibrations were model make for a more compact vehicle. Both Rogues ride on
handled by Robinson’s NTCNA team. They changed the base the same Common Module Family platform and are available

ROAD READY
The smaller
The 2017 Nissan Rogue Sport is body of the
assembled in Japan. Its engine is new Rogue
assembled in Mexico. Sport (left)
enables the
vehicle to be
up to 200 lb
lighter than the
conventional
Rogue.
with FWD or all-wheel drive. cargo space versus the Rogue and its available third-row
A 2.0-L inline 4-cylinder (MR20DE) delivers a claimed 141 seating. With the second-row seat upright, Rogue Sport has
hp (105 kW) at 6000 rpm and 147 lb·ft at 4400 rpm. That up to 22.9 ft3 of stow space, compared to Rogue’s 32 ft3. With
same engine powers the hybrid-electric Rogue, which uses a second row seat folded, Rogue Sport has up to 61.1 ft3 of stor-
30 kW (40 hp) electric machine for a combined system rat- age versus Rogue’s 70 ft3.
ing of 176 hp (131 kW). Rogue Sport’s engine mates with a Rogue Sport went on sale in the U.S. on May 17 in three trim
JATCO-supplied Xtronic CVT with eco mode switch and levels with a $21,420 MSRP for the base FWD model. The
sport-mode shifter. base AWD model is $22,770.
Smaller exterior dimensions for Rogue Sport mean reduced Kami Buchholz
WHO SAYS
INNOVATION BELONGS
UNDER THE HOOD?
Next generation cabin
design deserves innovative
bonding solutions.
As cabin design continues to advance,
our technological expertise can help you
solve even the most complex challenges.
We are the global leader in permanent
bonding tapes, offering a complete interior
mounting solution with a reputation for
maximum flexibility and durability.
800-426-2181 | tesatape.com

Tackling NVH
ONE dB
PER DAY
A familiar sight
to vehicle acoustics
engineers: an Aachen
HEAD binaural
measurement system
HMS IV is installed in a
test vehicle. (Wade Bray/
HEAD Acoustics Inc.)
New tools and technologies are helping engineers reduce vehicle

Noise, Vibration and Harshness.
by Lindsay Brooke
T
he vehicle chief engineer did not like what he was hearing tunnel. The engineers would revisit their CAD drawings
on this recent evaluation ride. and revise the parts. Their next step is to launch a
He was reviewing a new transmission scheduled for pro- noise study to prove the new solution’s effectiveness.
duction in his company’s iconic sporty car. But the marriage “That’s one of many examples of us getting called in
of transmission and platform was generating unacceptably high cab- to solve a problem—where is the best place to install
in-noise levels. The CE wasn’t pleased. His design and manufacturing NVH countermeasures?” Saha noted.
engineers explained that the new gearbox featured a thin-wall alumi- The science of analyzing, attenuating and eliminat-
num case for reduced mass. However, the lightweight case was the ing Noise, Vibration and Harshness has become an
noise transmitter. integral aspect of vehicle development. NVH engineer-
The tooling investment had been made and the program clock was ing teams now push for “one dB [decibel] per day”
ticking. So a phone call went out to Pranab Saha. reductions in cabin noise levels with the same verve
“They called me in to help them devise a solution,” said Saha, an their colleagues devote to attacking excess vehicle
acoustics expert and board-certified noise control engineer with con- mass and increasing fuel efficiency.
sultants Kolano & Saha in Waterford, MI. He said the client’s original “The N&V [noise and vibration] discipline is unique
design blanketed the lightweight transmission case with a foil- because it’s driven by market competition, rather than
backed insulation material. Problem was, the blanket included mul- by government legislation,” Saha explained. “The
tiple cut-outs so that linkages and wiring could pass through. The OEMs now brag about the superior interior sound
cut-outs were built-in noise paths. quality and low noise levels of one model versus an-
Saha’s suggestion: Rather than place the insulation material on the other. And this will certainly grow more important as
transmission case, use it to line the underside of the transmission technologies such as cylinder deactivation, hybrids

COVER STORY
Wheelhouse Trunk Trim

Damper
Glazing System
Headliner
System
Watershield
Absorber
Door Back Light Trim
Sheetmetal Panel
Door Trim Panel

Hoodliner
Speaker Grille
Wheelhouse
Liner Body Cavity
Dashmat Filler
Engine Cover
Dash Panel
Engine Side
Dash Fenderseal
Floor Carpet
System
Pranab Saha, Ph.D, P.E., at one of his company’s anechoic test
chambers. (Lindsay Brooke photo)
Wiring Harness
Passthrough Damping SAE International has long served as a professional
Treatment
Brake Booster
Passthrough
forum for NVH engineers, with its biennial Noise and
Vibration Conference and Exhibition (held this month
Floor Pan Seating System in Grand Rapids, MI) the premier technical event on
the subject.
The complexity of a typical passenger vehicle’s NVH package laid bare. The potential
to add mass is obvious. (Kolano & Saha Engineers)
Playing the ‘what-if?’ game
and electric vehicles enter the market.” N&V engineers live in a realm of Sources, Paths (struc-
Quieter and smoother are requisites for the new human-machine ture-borne and airborne) and Receivers (the noise and
interfaces (HMI) being developed for automated vehicles, said Joe vibration targets) where up-front problem identifica-
Emmi, vice president of global product strategy and head of the Anti- tion and solving are critical to success. They focus on
Vibration Systems group at Cooper-Standard. “Reduced cabin noise is quantifying the relationship between objective param-
particularly important for voice-recognition systems,” he noted. eters, such as precise sound and frequency measure-
OEMs and Tier 1s have invested billions in new NVH software, facili- ments obtained through data-acquisition methods,
ties, materials R&D and in the expertise of acoustics specialists in the with a degree of informed subjectivity.
field. Makers of the absorptive materials that are vital to automotive End-customer input is part of the analysis process;
NVH abatement also are riding a hot growth curve. The global mar- to many of them enhancing sound quality is as impor-
ket for their products is projected to reach $13.52 billion by 2021, at a tant as reducing annoying noises and overall volume.
compounded annual growth rate of 6%, according to a 2017 study by Psycho-acoustics specialists agree. Loudness, sharp-
Grand View Research. ness and the articulation index (a measure of the intel-
Astute suppliers are branding their technologies to suit. The grow- ligibility of hearing speech within a given noise envi-
ing list includes Material Sciences Corp.’s “Quiet Steel” used in dash ronment) are all subjective parameters.
panels; Japan-based Technol Polymer Co. Ltd’s “Hushlloy” anti- Experts interviewed for this article agree that light-
squeak thermoplastics, and Sika Automotive’s “Sika Damp,” a co- weight aluminum body structures, in modal analysis,
extruded elastomer aimed at dampening body-panel resonance. present different and often more challenging N&V
The industry’s commitment to NVH engineering has driven the market characteristics than do steel structures. Keeping vibra-
for dedicated software programs familiar to engineers: SCS’s V-Path for tion in check requires greater stiffness in the body
transfer path analysis; HEAD Acoustics’ Artemis; Genesis’ LEA; Altair panels and additional damping materials such as LASD
Engineering’s HyperWorks suite, as well as NVH toolsets built into (liquid applied sprayable dampening) underbody mas-
Dassault Systemes’ CATIA V6/3DS, Siemens PLM and many others. tics and cavity-filling acoustic foams.

Tackling NVH
ONE dB
PER DAY
75
74
Dash 73 Lower Values Are Better
Interior Noise Level [dBA]

Incident noiseIncident noise 72
71
Reflected noise
Reflected noise70
69
Absorptive noise 68
Absorptive noise
67
66
Typical two-layer 65 0.3 dBA Average
acoustic dash 64
Noise radiated by panel functional
63 Reduction per Year
the engine performance.
Low High Low High 62
Density LayersDensity Layers 61
60
1980 1985 1990 1995 2000
Interior noise level reduction during the first 20 years of the industry’s focus on
attenuating NVH. The job has gotten tougher in recent years. (Car and Driver)
Dash mats have become a strategic bulwark in the battle to keep

powertrain noise out of the passenger cabin. The mats cover the cab-
“Without a full- in side of the dash-panel bulkhead formerly known as the firewall.
vehicle model we They used to serve as a barrier and decoupler. Today, dash mats es-
wouldn’t be able sentially play an absorptive role. Known as ‘dissipative’ materials,
to determine how they require more cross-sectional space.
aluminum factors
The growing number of OEMs who have embraced engine cylinder
into the vibration
requirement versus a deactivation as a fuel-efficiency play is sparking innovations related to
steel vehicle,” noted NVH created by uneven firing when a 60° V6 switches to V4 and V3
Jianmin Guan of operating modes, for example. Signature vibrations and acoustic pat-
Altair Engineering. terns are created by these events, with powertrain excitation entering
the cabin as low-frequency “boom,” depending on the leak paths.
In some applications, active noise control systems Managing torque-converter clutch slip, adoption of active engine
are employed (see Honda sidebar). Such solutions are and transmission mounts (typically effective but costly) and active
sometimes dubbed “band aids” because they don’t noise control using the vehicle’s audio system can be effective solu-
address root causes that typically originate in a funda- tions for mitigating the unique NVH challenges of cylinder-deactiva-
mental structure—an excessively resonant cylinder tion engines. [SAE Technical Paper 2014-01-1675, published by Tula
block, for example. And they add mass. Technologies, offers more detail on this subject.] Composites offer
Observed Richard Yen, Senior VP Automotive at vibration-absorbing benefits in some torque-reaction applications.
Altair Engineering: “A lot of companies do a good job For this reason Cooper-Standard is launching a new continuous-fiber
in NVH but basically they’re applying a lot of testing at thermoplastic engine mount on a European vehicle.
the end of the vehicle development cycle. They spend
a lot of money trying to fix the problems.”
When working with aluminum, engineers often add Full vehicle modeling
more material to achieve the same amount of NVH Modeling in the NVH arena is increasingly sophisticated. Core among
reduction of a heavier steel structure. As a result, NVH them are SEA (Statistical Energy Analysis) packages including SEAM
specialists “see evidence of trying to ‘buy more space’ 3D, developed by Cambridge Collaborative Inc. to study structure-
within the vehicle to make room for absorptive materi- borne noise in submarines. It has since been adopted by the auto indus-
als, instead of addressing the fundamental structure try as an effective CAE design tool to develop NVH sound packages for
issues,” said Saha. “They rationalize that absorption use in lightweight vehicle design. Using SEA, engineers can evaluate the
materials don’t weigh as much.” dynamic response of complex structures at mid and high frequencies

COVER STORY
A view “behind the wheel” of Altair Engineering’s pioneering full-vehicle NVH simulator.
and recover the NVH deficiency created Altair’s NVH Simulator looks like the
by the lightweighting actions. console of a cool computer video game,
SEA “enables acoustics engineers to with a big flatscreen in front of you that
play the ‘what-if’ game,” said Saha. puts the driver “on the road.”
“For example, if mass is reduced in a “With the Full-Vehicle Simulator, we
subassembly, what then will be the build a simulation model that uses test-
noise level?” ing data to drive a model of the vibra-
General Motors recently began using tion and acoustic environment in the
a modeling tool developed in-house vehicle,” explained Jiamin Guan, Altair’s
called DISPET that lets engineers opti- Director of Vibration and Acoustic
mize NVH packages across vehicle fam- Solutions. “It takes data from vehicle
ilies. With primary inputs being vehicle operation under various conditions and
body design and powertrain noise, they allows you to listen to those as you
can specify the NVH materials needed. would hear them in a real vehicle.”
“Users only input the measured acous- Altair partners with noted instrumen-
tic data for a given thickness and sur- tation specialists Brüel & Kjaer to create
face density,” says an engineer familiar the “real vehicle” experience. The model
with DISPET. “The system will tell you if is built right at the beginning of a ve-
it meets the target or not. And if you hicle program, during benchmarking
don’t know the target, DISPET will tell and specifications-setting. Altair starts
you if you’re 1 dB above or 1dB below with an imagined target customer and
(or not), at every frequency.” data on how the vehicle fits into their
Full-vehicle NVH simulation is viewed usage. The model team then builds a
as a competitive advantage whose inter- competitive set, adds packaging and
nal processes the OEMs guard closely. functional requirements, then brings in
About five years ago, Altair Engineering customers to listen to and experience
took the lead on commercialization. the measured data.
AUTOMOTIVE ENGINEERING Free Info at http://info.hotims.com/65852-608

Tackling NVH
ONE dB
PER DAY
The full-vehicle model “allows a full-vehicle model, whether you can

broad spectrum of people to experi- meet the targets or not.”
ence the noise and vibration levels The subject of Vehicle Electrification
we’re trying to target—and see if they seems to enter most conversations
agree with those targets,” Guan noted. about NVH. Is it making acoustics and
“Based on the playback of the noise N&V experts’ jobs easier or more dif-
and vibration we hone in on specific ficult? “We’re getting calls to help de-
areas. We see what people really prefer cide on sound-package materials—
and object to and what “sound quality” acoustics and seals—for new EV pro-
means to them. Once we have the tar- grams,” said Saha of Kalano & Saha.
gets, this helps us and the client con- “The supply base is moving on this
sider how we will achieve them.” trend although we haven’t seen dra-
The tool, Guan claims, gives engi- matic changes yet.” He and other ex-
neers the freedom to make changes perts noted that although EVs’ overall
and evaluate conceptual options under sound level is low, other noises previ-
weight and cost constraints. “Without a ously masked by the combustion en-
full-vehicle model we wouldn’t be able gine are now more audible.
to determine how aluminum, for ex- “NVH engineers are still working out
ample, factors into the vibration re- the sound packages to address the new
quirement versus a steel vehicle. These frequency ranges of future electrified
are constructs you can evaluate in the vehicles,” he explained.
Life in the 3rd-row seat

Andrea Martin, Honda’s principal engineer for cabin
quietness, talks to Editor Lindsay Brooke about de-
veloping the 2018 Odyssey NVH package
Tell me about the genesis of Honda’s NVH work

on the 2018 Odyssey.
We started with a blank sheet. Improving cabin qui-
etness was an investment priority, particularly the AI
[articulation index] from the first row to the third
row. Sometimes third-row seating noise levels can
be an afterthought, but I spent a lot of time sitting
in that third row during development! I wanted to Andrea Martin led the NVH
make sure we made it almost as quiet as the front engineering team that created
row. It’s a high-frequency issue when you’re talking the new Odyssey’s placid cabin.
about making a conversational cabin. (Lindsay Brooke photo)
What does that mean in terms of dB?

The new Odyssey is about 2-3 dB improvement over the current vehicle. Anyone will
be able to hear 2-3 dB in both mid and high frequency. For NVH our high frequency
range is 630 Hz to 10,000 Hz. We went after 1000 Hz because that’s about the fre-
quency of our voices, where we speak. That way you can have easy and clear con-
versations and not have interference from the road and the wind.
There are many compromises in achieving good NVH, such as minimizing the
number of holes in the structural bulkheads.
Correct. We started on our NVH work early in this program. We went to our body
designers and said, ‘We can’t have too many holes.’ Where we have holes in bulk-
heads we have to do a really good job of treating and sealing them, such as where
Free Info at http://info.hotims.com/65852-609 AUTOMOTIVE ENGINEERING

COVER STORY
we have an insulator that’s good for higher frequencies.

The underhood insulator is a fiber-based material that’s
very light and absorptive for the high frequencies.
We don’t have as much insulation as on the previous
vehicle because we made sure this one was sealed!
Every little joint where the sheet metal intersects is
sealed; we worked hard with the factory to do this.
The welds are sealed. We worked with them in spray-
foam applications as well. All of the pillars are blocked;
a fly could not get in. There is spray-foam insulation
on 14 specific applications. And all of our doors are
Honda committed major NVH engineering resources to give the 2018 Odyssey’s triple sealed.
cabin best-in-class AI performance. OEMs , here’s your new benchmark minivan.
Any changes in the vehicle carpet?
the wire harness passes through. Noise is very sneaky! Working on Huge changes there. Before we had a shoddy type of
this was very tedious, I’ll tell you. The nooks and crannies are of the material that was formed with a tool. The new Odyssey
utmost importance in delivering a quiet cabin. has foam underneath the carpet and the barrier is
Where the dash insulator and carpet connect is an engineered in- heavier in cross section. This will give us improved mid-
terface. We had lots of iterations to ensure we balanced out cost and frequency performance in road noise. It’s really thick
weight. NVH can be both very expensive and it can also be low- underneath the third seat, too. The headliner has foam,
hanging fruit. So we started from the fundamentals: What can we fix too, and provides some level of absorption.
and improve without having to add a ‘band-aid’ later on?
The first thing we looked at was the body structure itself. It’s all Did you employ active noise cancellation?
steel except for the hood and 44% more rigid than the outgoing ve- Yes, the 2018 Odyssey has ANC. We use it primarily for
hicle. The cross-car structure is Magnesium, cast in one piece versus a the cylinder deactivation when we go from six-cylin-
multipiece fabrication in steel. We get significant rigidity out of the der to three-cylinder mode. Without it we’d get some
single piece and save 10 kg. We also have the new Honda 10-speed booming in the cabin.
automatic and torque converter that gave the Powertrain group more
flexibility in developing their N&V package. How about the Aero component in the new Odyssey?
Lots of CFD analysis and wind tunnel modeling. The
How about underhood blankets, mastics, etc.? exterior mirrors were the focus of a lot of CFD. We
The treatments are engineered to best handle specific source frequen- used acoustic glass in the windshield and in the front
cies. Our dash insulator has a heavier barrier for example because it doors. Acoustic glass is lighter than conventional glass
handles low and mid frequencies from the engine. On the outer side and gives us that 1000-Hz benefit.
SER1412 Power Inductors for

High-current Power Supplies
High Isat ... up to 105.9 Amps
Flat Wire Windings ... for extremely low DCR
High Temp ... AEC-Q200 (+125°C)
Free Samples @ coilcraft.com

Artificial Intelligence becomes
A REALITY
Artificial Intelligence will help

vehicle systems identify objects
and determine how to navigate
around them. (image: ZF)
Automakers could be among the leaders in deploying AI in free-standing, high-reliability

environments. But developers must determine how to mitigate undesirable side-effects.
by Terry Costlow
T
he soaring role of software has already fostered many chang- Critics question whether anyone will be able to find all
es for automakers, but those transitions may pale in compari- the potential bugs in AI-reliant software to make it live up
son to the challenges expected when Artificial Intelligence is to the hype of accident-free roadways. Developers note
employed in the race to autonomous driving. Machine learn- that AI can reduce accidents and related injuries. But it
ing cedes even more control to software, raising myriad design and will be hard to quantify those improvements.
testing issues—while also provoking legal and ethical questions. “We can’t promise that self-driving cars won’t cause
Automakers and Tier 1s alike are embracing AI’s potential, saying it’s accidents,” said Martin Richter, Vice President, Vehicle
needed to analyze the myriad elements that self-driving cars must un- Systems at IAV Automotive Engineering. “But we can
derstand. Ford invested $1 billion in startup Argo AI. Toyota Research make sure that these vehicles will kill fewer people
Institute will devote $1 billion to AI development over five years. than human drivers. Companies will need to keep sta-
When the Bosch Center for Artificial Intelligence was created, ex- tistics, looking at the number of accidents to deter-
ecutives said “ten years from now, scarcely any Bosch product will be mine if they’re developing good systems. Companies
conceivable without artificial intelligence.” These investments are will have to prove that in so many miles, vehicles had
needed because programmers can’t write the software code that will this number of accidents. Companies and regulators
be needed for vehicles that navigate without human control. will have to define acceptable levels for accidents.”
“Most current advanced driver-assistance systems based on radar The difficulty of defining performance levels for
and cameras are not capable of accurately detecting and classifying software that changes its responses over time is aug-
objects—such as cars, pedestrians or bicycles—at a level required for mented by the need for cloud computing and over-
autonomous driving,” said Visteon President and CEO Sachin the-air (OTA) updates. As vehicles learn, strategists
Lawande. “We need to achieve virtually 100% accuracy for autono- also have to figure out how to share the learning
mous driving, which will require innovative solutions based on deep throughout fleets. Many observers feel that individual
machine-learning technology.” vehicles shouldn’t be allowed to alter their behavior
Although AI’s been heavily touted, deploying it won’t be easy. The without some form of authorization.
technical issues are many—and its role in shaping autonomous-driv- “When it comes to safety-relevant features, vehicles
ing principles also means social and regulatory issues will be key fac- should not be allowed to learn by themselves,” said
tors in its acceptance. Demetrio Aiello, Head of Artificial Intelligence and

SAFETY FEATURE
Robotics at Continental. “Rather, each vehicle should

forward its experiences to a back-end system for col-
lection. These data can then be used to generate—and
validate—new and more performant algorithms that
can be distributed to all the vehicles via OTA updates.
Therefore, during the vehicle lifetime safety can only
be increased and not compromised.”
Cloudy future
Remote computing will be a critical aspect of any AI-
based system, following the trend in commercial envi-
ronments to process AI using cloud computing. A grow-
ing number of automakers are setting the stage by us- Electronic architectures from Visteon will evolve significantly as AI and autonomy
roll out.
ing the cloud for complex tasks like voice recognition.
The combination of autonomy and cloud computing
makes security a primary design concern. AI may go be- of automotive systems,” said Upton Bowden, director, advanced tech-
yond its role in driving decisions and help in the battle to nology planning at Visteon Corp. “Clearly, the connection also brings
prevent hackers from tapping into cloud connections to about the requirement for internet security protocols to make these
control autonomous cars or steal information. connected vehicles ‘hack proof.’ Artificial Intelligence will also play a
“Connectivity will enable developers to continuously role in detecting malicious hacks and in training vehicles on how to
upgrade software and also to monitor the performance block threats.”
Hardware sets the stage for AI advances

The adoption of Artificial Intelligence both While Nvidia has built a solid reputation to servers that may put requests into queues.
heightens and alters the auto industry’s need in what it calls “deep learning,” other chip- “AI has typically been implemented in
for greater processing power. When machines makers aren’t willing to concede the enor- large server farms for computer and internet
learn using information from several high- mous market predicted for AI-based prod- applications,” said Upton Bowden, director,
bandwidth sensors, microprocessors often ucts. While other chipmakers focus their con- advanced technology planning at Visteon
manipulate gigabits (Gbit) of data in seconds. troller strategies, many developers may uti- Corp. “For autonomous driving, a portion of AI
“Systems do need a lot of processing lize FPGAs; FPGAs are comparatively expen- will need to be fully contained within a vehicle
power; the amount of data is pretty large,” sive for production runs, but that’s a some- for time-critical processing that cannot rely on
said Pat Bassett, Vice what minor concern given the a data connection beyond the vehicle.”
President at Denso’s North long-term nature of many AI The latency of 4G and eventually 5G net-
American Research and projects, since there’s time to works is far from the only communications
Engineering Center. “Systems turn FPGAs into system-on- concern. Design teams also are concerned
have to make hundreds of chip solutions. about the speed of communications between
thousands of decisions.” “GPUs and FPGAs are fun- sensors and ECUs.
That’s driving rapid changes damentally different,” said That’s prompting a changeover to
in both microcontroller elec- Stephan Tarnutzer, Vice Ethernet-based networks. When vehicles are
tronic control unit (ECU) archi- President, Electronics, at FEV making life-and-death decisions to steer and
tectures and networks. North America. “GPUs use a lot brake, system developers need to employ
Ethernet, graphics processing Central-processing more power than FPGAs, but communication systems with established
units (GPUs) and field-program- electronic control unit platform development with latency times so they can account for these
mable gate arrays (FPGAs) are (ECU) architectures GPUs is easier because with delays. Some developers plan to add time-
currently in the spotlight. and communication FPGAs you have to set up the sensitive technologies to Ethernet.
“Many companies are de- networks are evolving as FPGA before you start. Still, “The network must be scalable in terms of
veloping centralized controllers AI requirements become the power requirements are bandwidth (different speed grades) and in
that are connected using Gbit better understood. significantly different and terms of real-time capabilities, quality of ser-
Ethernet,” said Oliver Briemle, (image: ZF) that’s a factor when we’re do- vice,” said Demetrio Aiello, Head of Artificial
Senior Manager Domain Units ing everything we can to im- Intelligence and Robotics at Continental. “This
& Car2X at ZF. “Parallel pro- prove fuel efficiency.” network is going to be the first automotive one
cessing with AI is key for us; it will be a game- Technical issues must be measured in offering its own functionalities on a network
changer. Nvidia currently has the advantage; conjunction with business goals of efficiently level. Therefore it is named ‘intelligent network,’
they have an established network of develop- embedding the necessary level of AI within which is based on time-sensitive networking
ers. But all CPU companies recognize that AI is the vehicle. Automakers will probably lever- (TSN); TSN is a set of standards which is in
a game-changer, so my view is that we’ll see age cloud connections. But analysis of factors specification phase at IEEE at the moment.”
many new market entries.” like crash avoidance can’t rely on cellular links Terry Costlow

Artificial Intelligence becomes SAFETY FEATURE
A REALITY
AI systems such
as those from
Continental will learn
continuously as they
strive to drive more
like humans.
Lidar, cameras and other
sensors are employed by
Toyota to provide the inputs
necessary to navigate safely.
Prove it said Stephan Tarnutzer, Vice President of Electronics at

AI will bring many benefits, but they won’t come without challenges. FEV North America. “When you bring in AI, you have
Testing and validating software already is a huge chore for develop- to bring in ways to ensure that in two years, the sys-
ers. Understanding how AI impacts reliability over time will make that tems still have the same outcome. Highly-piloted cars
task even more difficult; AI in fact may become integral to testing the can’t be tested with traditional techniques; testing also
software created by other AI systems. needs to go to AI very soon.”
“It’s a huge challenge to test something that changes its behavior,” Determining the risks associated with these tech-
nologies will be equally challenging. AI programs often
involve many systems. The complex, multi-disciplinary
AI digs deeper aspects of autonomous driving pose major challenges
Artificial Intelligence has been around create systems that better under- to those who must ensure that the benefits are gained
since the 1950s, but in many ways it’s stand inputs from sensors like cam- without any undesired side-effects.
still an emerging technology. Large eras and Lidar and develop strate- “A key role of the developer will be to develop the
systems for years have utilized vari- gies to quickly deal with detected skill to apply the industry’s risk assessment tools in a
ous forms of AI, but the technology objects. It adds more levels during complex, multi-dimensional environment where sub-
only now is becoming viable in mass processing, which helps ensure ac- systems are interacting with other subsystems, and
markets like automotive. curacy while providing more depth
where vehicles are communicating between vehicles,
AI’s evolution has snowballed in of understanding for objects and
recent years, gaining momentum as related decisions. Deep learning,
to external infrastructure, and to the cloud,” said
more sophisticated techniques could which has been used to improve James Schwyn, Chief Technical Officer at Valeo North
be deployed on more-powerful mi- voice recognition, helps automotive America. “Developers also need to stay abreast of the
crocontrollers designed for tasks like systems learn that hexagonal red latest developments in hardware security.”
graphics processing and image rec- signs require a vehicle to stop, for Though AI is a new technology in the fledgling au-
ognition. AI has morphed into vari- example—and eventually help drive tonomous driving field, some companies already have
ants like machine learning and deep more like a human. used it in speech recognition and advanced driver-
learning, which make it easier for That’s important because no assistance systems. Developers of piloted and autono-
systems to basically program them- programming team can write all the mous vehicles are likely to begin employing it in fairly
selves. AI remains something of a code needed to identify pedestri-
controlled applications, then expand into more areas.
catch-all term for the newer variants. ans, bicycles, road signs and all the
Deep learning is evolving quickly other objects and situations autono-
As Lidar and more sensors are deployed, AI’s ability to
now that microprocessor power and mous vehicles need to understand. accurately recognize objects will improve.
parallel architectures let engineers AI-based systems can train them- “A key technological challenge is improving robust-
selves to recognize objects in a ness,” said John Leonard, Autonomy Director for the
range of variables such as weather, Toyota Research Institute. “Current AI systems can
lighting and obstructed views. They achieve high performance in relatively narrow domains
also can learn how to navigate and in favorable conditions, but can encounter difficul-
based on parameters like the loca- ties when operated in challenging environments.”
tion of fixed objects, which can be Automakers could be among the leaders in deploying AI
relatively simply mapped.
in free-standing, high-reliability environments. Development
Often, AI systems are taught by
observing human drivers. But as de-
tools aren’t yet available off the shelf, so design teams typi-
velopers push toward autonomy, cally have to pull elements from a range of sources.
they’re devising more ways to create “Some comes from universities, some from public do-
Valeo’s CES 2017 booth let humans
pit their skills against an AI-based learning programs that live up to their main; there are also freeware and open code-sharing
autonomous vehicle on a simulated name, with little input from humans. tools,” FEV’s Tarnutzer said. “You probably need a combi-
course. Terry Costlow nation of the three. In nearly all cases, there’s a lot of soft-
ware integration, calibration and a whole lot of testing.”

Composites:
17th-Annual
Solutions for a Multi-Material World

Call for Papers
Exhibit & Sponsorship Opportunities
For More Information ATTEND THE WORLD’S LEADING AUTOMOTIVE COMPOSITES FORUM
You’re invited to attend the 17th-annual SPE Automotive Composites Conference
+1.248.244.8993 ext. 4 and Exhibition (ACCE), September 6-8, 2017 in the Detroit suburbs. The show
– which has become the world’s leading automotive composites forum – features
SPEautomotive.com/acce-conference technical sessions, panel discussions, keynotes, receptions, and exhibits highlighting
advances in materials, processes, and equipment for both thermoset and thermoplastic
composites in a wide variety of transportation applications.
PRESENT BEFORE AN ENGAGED, GLOBAL AUDIENCE

The SPE ACCE draws over 900 attendees from 15 countries on 5 continents who
are interested in learning about the latest composites technologies. Few
conferences of any size offer such an engaged, global audience vitally
interested in hearing the latest composites advances. Interested
in presenting your latest research? Abstracts are due
June 15, 2017 and Papers on July 15, 2017 to allow
time for peer review. Submit abstracts via
http://SubmitACCEpapers.com.
SHOWCASE YOUR
PRODUCTS & SERVICES
A variety of sponsorship packages
are available. Companies
interested in showcasing
their products and / or
services should contact
Teri Chouinard of Intuit Group
at teri@intuitgroup.com.
2016 Sponsors
Premier Plus, Reception, Scholarships, & Student Poster Sponsors & Exhibitors
Premier Sponsors & Exhibitors
Associate Sponsors & Exhibitors
Weber Manufacturing Technologies Inc.
Exhibitors Breakfast/Coffee Break Sponsors Advertising Sponsors

DSCCONSUMABLES
High quality lab ready dsc sample pans
Media & Association Sponsors

LIDAR:
Automated-driving
capability likely won’t
happen without Lidar.
But what technology—
autonomy’s and at what price?
by Terry Costlow
mission-
critical
component Quanergy’s Lidar image of a street
(center) and trees (mostly blue)
provides high resolution.
M
any autonomous-driving development plans call for deploy- to achieve the same distance levels as cameras and radar,
ing a handful of solid-state Lidar sensors on each vehicle, with a goal of around 200 m (656 ft). To achieve desirable
but the Lidar modules used for today’s prototype vehicles distance performance, several tradeoffs are being consid-
all are mechanical systems with moving parts. That’s ered. Location points are key parameters that help deter-
prompted huge interest in Lidar, with OEMs and suppliers racing to mine field-of-view coverage; modules looking to the
invest in non-mechanical technologies. sides, for example, won’t need the same range capability
Several small companies have developed solid-state Lidar tech- as forward-facing units, so their field of view can be wider.
nologies that aren’t ready for automotive applications—and some of “We’ve demonstrated 70 meters (230 ft) with a
those have been gobbled up by major automotive companies in the 15-degree field of view, which is clearly not sufficient,”
past 18 months. Ford made a large investment in Velodyne, while ZF said Aaron Jefferson, Director of Product Planning for
bought a 40% stake in Ibeo. Continental acquired Advanced ZF’s Active and Passive Safety Division. “It needs to go
Scientific Concepts. Analog Devices Inc. (ADI) acquired Vescent up to 50 or 60 degrees to start. When the cost gets
Photonics Inc. down, it’s conceivable that they could be integrated
The interest stems from Lidar’s use of emitted laser light to mea- into taillights and headlights.”
sure the distance of objects, functioning much like radar. The laser Lidar will complement cameras and radar, providing
lets the system provide high-resolution imagery at night and in rain information that typically will be “fused” with that
or snow. from other sensors to create a reliable image of vehicle
“High-resolution ‘flash’ Lidar is a necessary technology for autono- surroundings. All these sensors generate a huge
mous driving because its capabilities are available in all lighting and amount of data, making communications and data
weather conditions,” said Dean McConnell, Director of Customer management an important factor in overall designs.
Programs, Advanced Driver Assistance Systems, at Continental North “3-D Lidar sensing will create a significant amount of
America. “We’re capturing images at 30 Hz, constructing 3D point data, but similar to radar and camera, there are soft-
clusters thirty times per second.” ware techniques to help minimize the amount of data,
The technology also helps safety systems zero-in on objects of eliminate useless or unimportant data and extract the
interest, to determine whether an object is a threat to driving. detail from the data of concern,” Jefferson said.
“Lidar acts more like the human eye: it views a broad scene, doing a “Furthermore, the techniques used to filter data, group/
quick scan, then if it sees something interesting, it can focus in on that,” cluster data, identify objects, etc., also determine the
said Chris Jacobs, General Manager of Automotive Safety for ADI. amount of data that needs to be processed, which is
Lidar providers currently are racing to develop compact solid-state the real concern in terms of managing data volume.”
modules because the large mechanical “pucks” now used by autono-
mous-driving researchers are too bulky and costly to go into produc-
tion vehicles. Researchers are striving to shrink sizes and come up
Curiously, no real hurry
with a good combination of distance and field of view. Though there’s plenty of development, the market isn’t
“Our solid-state box measures 9 x 6 x 6 cm, about the size of two expected to see much activity for some time. Many en-
decks of cards,” said Louay Eldada, Quanergy’s CEO. “Currently, it gineers say Lidar can develop slowly while waiting for
has a 120-degree field of view, so with three you have 360 degree autonomous vehicle designs to solidify. For now, system
coverage. There will always be two in the front, on the right and left designers can create prototypes using mechanical com-
sides, and one in the back middle or one on each corner.” ponents while they wait for next-generation modules.
Determining the vehicle’s distance to objects, a key parameter for safe- “Solid-state Lidar will be in production later this
ty, can be increased by narrowing the field of view. Developers are trying year, but for pilots and software development, you

ELECTRICS | ELECTRONICS | AVIONICS FEATURE
Smooth operation,
again and again
Ensure seats and armrests can be adjusted
quickly and easily with NORGLIDE® Bearings
and RENCOL® Tolerance Rings.
To discover more visit:

makingabigdifference.com/interior
Solid-state Lidar modules from Continental (shown) and others OHE SAE QP ad 1216.qxp_1/4 Page 11/22/16 11:47 AM Page 1
are expected to be on most autonomous vehicles. Free Info at http://info.hotims.com/65852-612
354356_S-G_Auto_Eng_Int_FoldingSeat_85x117_June_Af.indd 1 08/05/2017 12:45
don’t need solid-state,” Eldada said. “Though we plan to ship

solid-state products in September, we won’t have automo-
YOUR CONNECTION
tive-grade parts ready until a year later.” TO THE MOBILITY
The rollout of Lidar-equipped vehicles is as murky as the
emergence of autonomous cars. Corporate fleet programs like
ENGINEERING
Uber’s autonomous current tests in Pittsburgh may expand COMMUNITY
into market opportunities before mainstream OEMs start or-
dering Lidar sensors. The Member Connection is your one-stop shop to engage
“We’re looking at series production in the 2021 timeframe, but with other mobility engineering professionals like you:
it may happen faster in different segments,” McConnell said. • Join the conversation about SAE standards and leverage
“Some fleet-service companies are aggressive about getting timely technical discussions and topics that affect you
vehicles out with automated driving in a geomapped area.” on the job
Once Lidar is in use, many developers don’t expect it to • Build your professional network, and seek and share
displace many other sensors. A range of technologies is need- advice among industry experts
ed to provide the capability and redundancy needed to drive • And more…
autonomously in all weather conditions. The Member Connection is available exclusively to SAE
“We do not see 3-D Lidar as a sensor replacement, but members only at connection.sae.org. Not a member?
rather as an innovation that can enables the high-resolution Visit connection.sae.org for a taste of the Member
sensing needed to realize SAE Level 4-plus automated driv- Connection, and to join for complete access.
ing,” Jefferson said. “3-D solid-state Lidar, camera, radar, ul-
trasonic sensing and other technologies will continue to play
a role—a combination of these will be necessary to properly
sense the vehicle environment in 360 degrees, in real time.”
That’s not a universal conclusion, however.
“Ultrasonics will go away,” Eldada countered. “Video is
needed for color, things like seeing traffic lights. Fusing Lidar
and cameras ‘colorizes’ our data so it’s more valuable. Radar
is needed for redundancy; you need another sensor before
deciding to steer or hit the brakes.” P168851
AUTOMOTIVE ENGINEERING Free Info at http://info.hotims.com/65852-613 29

FORMULA ONE The complexity of the multi-
element front wings is on
goes longer, lower,

display here (image: XPB/
James Moy Agency via
RenaultSport).
wider for 2017
New rules make the cars faster and

more aggressive-looking, with a
Formula One’s wider track, wider tires and
2017 look: in addition to
being wider, the front wing
bigger wings.
by Dan Carney
stretches farther forward, while
the rear wing is moved farther aft
(image: XPB/James Moy Agency via RenaultSport).
A
merican Formula One viewers squinting through bleary eyes at over its face,” enthused Sauber technical director Jörg
the live early-morning broadcasts from Europe have noticed Zander about his team’s 2017 challenger.
changes to the sophisticated race cars for 2017: they are vis- Most of the changes for this year, as Zander sug-
ibly lower, wider and squatter-looking than last year’s cars. gests, are visibly obvious. Front wing span is increased
What hasn’t changed is the continuing use of the hybrid-electric sys- from 1650 mm (65 in) to 1800 mm (70.9 in) and the
tems with electric motors to augment the combustion power of turbo- car’s maximum width is up from 1800 mm to 2000
charged 1.6-L 90-degree V6s. Teams admit that the internal-combustion mm (78.7 in).
engines produce more than 600 hp (447 kW), while the electric motors At 950 mm (37.4 in), the rear wing is 200 mm (7.9
add another 160 hp (119 kW) for about 33 seconds during each lap— in) wider than before, but at 800 mm (31.5 in) tall, it
though it is suspected that the front-running Mercedes-Benz and Ferrari sits 150 mm (5.9 in) lower than in 2016. Rear down-
teams are well ahead of the official ratings. force is further bolstered by an enlarged diffuser,
Engines are restricted to 15,000 rpm by the regulations, but a which is now 175 mm (6.9 in) deep rather than the pre-
mandatory instantaneous fuel-flow limit has the practical effect of vious 125 mm (4.9 in) depth. Finally, the maximum
keeping them from ever reaching that peak. width of the car’s fuselage is increased to 1600 mm
The 2016 system of limited “tokens” that permitted in-season up- (63 in) from 1400 mm (55.1 in).
dates to powertrain technology has been eliminated, permitting unlim- “It is a sea change for Formula One,” noted Bob Bell,
ited ongoing development, which is anticipated to help power output technical director for RenaultSport.
laggards Honda and Renault catch up with front-runners Mercedes- The sport needed one after several seasons of predict-
Benz and Ferrari as the season progresses, rather than locking them able Mercedes-Benz dominance. “When you get a reset,
into their inferior places, as was the case in past seasons. that [performance] gap closes down,” he said. “The regu-
Lap times have tumbled this season as a consequence of fatter lation changes help level the playing field a little bit.”
Pirelli racing tires and wider wings that stick them to the pavement The deregulation of some aerodynamic restrictions
with enough grip that the cars now corner with an even more neck- also permits some creativity, Bell pointed out. “We are
straining 6.5 g of force. freer on aero than before.”
RenaultSport explored some of those options using
Europe’s largest 3D printer for sintered metal parts to
Wide track produce components for the team’s 60%-size wind
“Practically just by looking at it, one can tell the speed the new car tunnel model. The 20,000 printed metal parts each
has increased as a result of more downforce and shorter braking dis- year are supplemented by the team’s 3D Systems
tances—measured against lap time, not top speed—it is written all plastic printer.

MOTORSPORTS | PERFORMANCE FEATURE
Pirelli presents the entire spectrum of its 2017

race rubber in ascending degrees of hardness
(left to right) of the slicks, plus the two wet-weather tires.
The 305 mm front and 405 mm-wide 2017-spec rear tire give this
season’s driver huge contact patches (image: Pirelli).
an attacking driver, as the ruined tires would slow his car.
Tires for 2017 are about 25% wider than before, with the fronts
Today, teams use 3D printing for models, but growing from 245 mm (9.6 in) to 305 mm (12 in) wide and the rears
McLaren revealed that it is using a Stratasys 3D printer expanding from 325 mm (12.8 in) in 2016 to 405 mm (15.9 in) this
at the track to produce some replacement parts on- season. These wider tires are also 10 mm (0.4 in) larger in outer di-
site. RenaultSport predicts that within a decade teams ameter, though the wheel diameter remains unchanged at the sport’s
will be able to replace complex castings such as the historic 330 mm (13 in).
gearbox housing with printed parts. With the battery-electric Formula E cars running a much-larger
An invisible change to the 2017 cars that is related 457-mm (18-in) wheel diameter, the traditional F1 wheel diameter
to the wider wheels and tires is the use of “blown seems ripe for updating the next time the tire rules are revisited—but
hubs.” The cars’ wheel hubs have been designed to for now that one measurement remains sacrosanct.
flow air to cool their bearings and the cars’ brakes, but Pirelli distinguishes its tire compounds using different-colored
with the wider tires creating more aerodynamic drag, sidewall lettering so that fans can tell which tires that drivers are us-
teams were motivated to reduce front-tire drag by ing, providing an immediate visual cue regarding how much grip the
increasing the airflow from the brake cooling-duct by driver might have or how long the tires might last before the need to
filling the low-pressure wake alongside the wheel face pit for fresh rubber.
with higher-pressure air from the hub. This season sees the arrival of a new, purple-lettered “ultrasoft”
compound that is grippier still than the existing red “supersoft.”
Yellow indicates “soft” and white is for medium tires. Orange sidewall
Fatter rubber lettering indicates “hard” compound. For the rain tires, intermediate
Pirelli says it has rethought the entire concept of the rain tires are green and the full rain tires are blue.
F1 tire in response to changes in technical regulations “For the 2017 season, the sport asked us to develop tires with less
that make the tires wider than before. New construc- degradation, which allow drivers to push to the maximum,” said
tion techniques have improved the distribution of forc- Mario Isola, Pirelli racing manager, during a tire test. “The target was
es in the bead area and footprint, providing greater for lap times that were five seconds faster compared to Barcelona
consistency and driveability through corners, accord- (race course) in 2015. Yesterday, Valtteri Bottas set a best time of
ing to the company. 1:19.705 on ultrasoft tires. Considering that the pole time in 2015 at
The object, in response to criticism in recent seasons Barcelona was 1:24.681, I would say that this objective has been met.”
that drivers were forever taking it easy on their tires Even the regular, yellow-lettered medium-compound Pirelli tire is
when fans wanted to see them race, was to provide hugely improved from last year. “At the test in Spain, it appears to be
more durable tires as well as to raise the level of grip. a very fast, very strong and extremely consistent tire, enabling driv-
“Sometimes a problem in the past was that the ers to be extremely fast. Already it is more than three seconds faster
drivers could not be aggressive and attack on the than the same situation last year.”
tires,” noted 1997 F1 world champion driver Jacques Indeed, this seems to be a summation of the overall results of the 2017
Villeneuve. “Right now it is a tire where the drivers Formula One changes, which have seen drivers racing harder than in
can actually be aggressive.” recent years, to the satisfaction of the fans. While many enthusiasts still
“Drivers can now enter a corner a little bit sideways long for the sound of the late V10 engines, 2017’s changes are indicative
and not destroy the tire and still be aggressive,” he ex- of a new responsiveness to fans’ interest in more compelling racing and
plained. Last year, such behavior would quickly disarm more exciting cars, which bodes well for upcoming seasons.

PRODUCT
BRIEFS
SPOTLIGHT: NVH
Miniature triaxial ICP accelerometer Laminated metal
PCB Piezotronics, Inc.’s Laminated metal designed
(Depew, NY) family of to reduce vibrations and
miniature triaxial ICP ac- noise transmission in metal
celerometers, Models constructions, internal com-
356A43, 356A44 and bustion engines, vehicle
356A45, are small (0.4 x bodies, washing machines
0.4 x 0.75 in/10.2 x 10.2 x and office machines, dB
19.05 mm), lightweight Engineering Inc.’s
(4.2 g/0.15 oz) and TEDS (Mansfield, TX) Noiseless
(Transducer Electronic Metal consists of two sheets
Data Sheets) IEEE 1451.4 of metal bonded together
enabled. The TEDS feature self identifies the accelerometer by a thin viscoelastic damp-
and describes type, operation and attributes, which, according layer. Noiseless Metal
ing to the company, makes it extremely easy for an operator can be made using any
to track. Data contained in the TEDS programming include commercial quality steel or
manufacturer, model number, serial number, calibration aluminum. The structure-
date, sensitivity, frequency response and measurement ID— borne sound damping quali-
all in compliance with IEEE 1451.4 standard. Packaged in a ties of the viscoelastic core are temperature dependent. For
hermetically sealed titanium cube, models are available with this reason, Noiseless Metal panels are supplied with cores
three sensitivities: 10 mV/g, 50 mV/g or 100 mV/g. The most optimized for different temperature ranges, depending on
common applications for this family of miniature triaxial ICP the applications in which they are to be used. Standard
accelerometers are modal and structural analysis, automo- products have viscoelastic cores optimized for room tem-
tive NVH and package testing. perature, 50°C, 80°C and 100°C (122°F, 176°F and 212°F).
For more information, visit http://info.hotims.com/65852-400 For more information, visit http://info.hotims.com/65852-401
DEUTSCH connector Open integration and test platforms

The newly redesigned 2-pole IPG Automotive’s (Karlsruhe,
DEUTSCH connector (MDC06- Germany) CarMaker,
2S) from Murrelektronik, Inc. TruckMaker and
(Suwanee, GA) is an extremely MotorcycleMaker simulation
compact connector—18 mm software provides solutions that
(0.71 in) long when plugged in— allow systems to be developed
making it easier than ever to and tested in the whole vehicle
make connections, even in con- using realistic virtual scenarios.
fined spaces. Pre-wired and Designed as open integration and testing platforms, the simula-
100% electrically tested, the tion solutions enable customers to save time and costs through
DEUTSCH connector requires no the continuous development process from model-, software-
work in the field, saving time and hardware-in-the-loop, all the way to vehicle-in-the-loop.
and reducing the risk of wiring With the Scenario Editor, the CarMaker product family release
errors. It comes equipped with a PUR jacket and molded 6.0 now includes a high-performance tool for quickly and effi-
connection to protect the internal wiring from UV light, oil, ciently generating detailed traffic scenarios. According to IPG,
water and dirt. The connector also includes strain relief, re- this makes it easier to manually create and configure such sce-
ducing the risk of failure caused by a wire break, as well as a narios, as well as to edit imported existing streets from real-
connection for attaching a conduit retainer. The DEUTSCH world map or measuring data. In addition to this, CarMaker 6.0
connectors can be tailor-made to fit a customer’s needs, features an extensive collection of sensor models to suit users’
available with a choice of 2, 3, 4 or 6-poles with open-ended individual requirements, ranging from the ideal sensor model for
wires or as a connection cable with a DEUTSCH connector, concept studies and general functional tests, to physical models
Junior Timer, M12 or valve connector on the other end. for developing sensor components and algorithms.

PRODUCT BRIEFS
Electrically conductive adhesive PolyJet 3D technology

The EO-98HT from EpoxySet (Lincoln, RI) Now offered as part of Proto Labs’ (Maple Plain,
is electrically conductive epoxy for electri- MN) industrial 3D printing services, PolyJet tech-
cal circuits, LED attachment, die attach nology provides product designers and engineers
and grounding applications. With a vol- with the ability to manufacture elastomeric and
ume resistivity of approximately 10-4 overmolded prototypes without investing in tool-
ohm-cm, the EO-98HT is suited for solder ing. Product developers can leverage PolyJet to
replacement or circuit/wire bonding create 3D-printed parts comprised of both elastomeric and rigid
where high conductivity and reliability are required. Being a silver- materials as well as multiple colors. Its material selection includes
filled adhesive, the EO-98HT produces a very high thermal con- multiple Shore A hardnesses of tear-resistant Agilus 30 for in-
ductivity, a glass transition temperature of 136°C (277°F) and is creased durability. PolyJet parts exhibit smooth surface finishes
rated for continuous use up to 250°C (482°F), making it suitable and can support complex geometries with flexible features. Like
for demanding, high-temperature needs. This one-part system has other 3D printing processes, PolyJet builds parts layer-by-layer.
a creamy consistency with a 30-day work time at room tempera- The machine jets out droplets of liquid photopolymers onto the
ture and can be stored frozen for up to a year. According to the build platform where they are immediately UV cured. Once the
company, it can be cured as fast as 5 minutes at 150°C (302°F). build is complete, support structures are removed, and the parts
For more information, visit http://info.hotims.com/65852-404 are ready without the need for additional finishing.
For more information, visit http://info.hotims.com/65852-405
Standalone vision system

The In-Sight 7000 series from Cognex
Rod ends
Corp. (Natick, MA) is a suite of ultra- QA1 (Lakeville, MN) offers a variety of
rugged, highly modular standalone vi- rod ends to fit every need, including
sion systems. The second-generation applications for motorsports, off-road,
In-Sight 7000 series represents what the company says is a construction, agriculture and other
breakthrough in performance, flexibility and ease of integration. industrial markets. The company deliv-
This powerful new vision system performs fast and precise in- ers the strength, durability and consis-
spections that keep pace with increasing line speeds, while its tency needed in a rod end. With more
compact form factor easily fits into space-constrained production than 6500 part numbers, many different sizes, materials, con-
lines. The In-Sight 7000’s unique, modular design offers more figurations, coatings and options are available to fit the appli-
than 400 different field configurations, making it the most flexible cation’s needs. Offered in Endura loader slot, 3-piece, 2-piece,
vision system available, according to Cognex. The rugged In-Sight bronze race, and injection-molded construction styles, the
7000 is IP67-rated and includes Flexible Image Technology. This company claims QA1’s rod ends feature precise tolerances to
complete vision system features a patent-pending LED ring light ensure quality and consistency. Choose from metric and inch,
that produces even, diffused illumination across the entire image, male and female, and aluminum, chromoly, stainless steel, and
eliminating the need for costly external lighting. carbon steel options.
Adhesives market report Aluminum electrolytic capacitor

Global strategic consulting and mar- A new line of axial-lead aluminum electrolytic ca-
ket research firm Lucintel pacitors from Cornell Dubilier Electronics, Inc.
(Chhattisgarh, India) has analyzed (Liberty, SC) is available for applications that re-
growth opportunities for adhesives quire very high-performance under all operating con-
in the Indian automotive industry ditions. The AXLH is a uniquely designed axial-lead elec-
and has compiled a comprehensive trolytic that has the performance characteristics required for
research report titled “Growth Opportunities for Adhesives in the mission-critical circuitry. Continuous ripple current is rated at up
Indian Automotive Industry 2016-2021: Trends, Forecast, and to 28 amps RMS (root mean square). The AXLH features a load
Opportunity Analysis.” The study includes a forecast for the life rating of 2000 hours at full-rated voltage and 150°C (302°F),
growth opportunities for adhesives in the Indian automotive in- and a shelf life of 10 years. Targeted application fields include
dustry by product type (epoxy adhesives, polyurethane adhe- military, aerospace, off-road vehicles, and infrastructure system
sives, acrylic adhesives, or other adhesives), vehicle type (passen- electronics. Nine values are available from 470 µF to 4700 µF,
ger car and light commercial vehicles), application type (struc- with ratings from 25-V dc to 63-V dc. Maximum ESR (equivalent
tural components and non-structural components), and region. series resistance) ranges are from 13 to 32 mΩ at 100 kHz.

UPCOMING WEBINARS
VIRTUAL HARDWARE ECU:
HOW TO SIGNIFICANTLY INCREASE
TESTING THROUGHPUT
Wednesday, June 7, 2017 at 1:00 pm U.S. EDT
The complexity and software content of automotive electronic systems are Speaker:
increasing while the demand for more software and system testing is growing.
This need is being driven by requirements from the ISO 26262 standard and
the necessity to reduce software-driven recalls. This 60-minute Webinar
focuses on the use of Virtual Hardware ECUs to enable automotive Tier 1 and
OEM companies to achieve higher testing throughput to reach their software
testing and quality objectives. Marc Serughetti
Director of Business
Development,
Synopsys
Sponsored by: Hosted by:
For additional details and to register visit: www.sae.org/webcasts
THE EVOLUTION OF ADAS:

TESTING SYSTEMS THAT INCLUDE CAMERAS,
RADAR, AND SENSOR FUSION
Tuesday, June 13, 2017 at 2:00 pm U.S. EDT
Test requirements for camera and radar technology are rapidly changing Speaker:
as they become more safety critical. Because these systems are
increasingly reliant on sensor fusion techniques, the test requirements
are growing more complex. A test system built on a scalable, flexible
architecture is the only way to make sure you can adapt as quickly as
ADAS technologies and autonomous vehicle systems are evolving. This
60-minute Webinar discusses test methodologies used to address these Douglas Farrell
requirements, including scene generation, synchronization between Senior Solutions
Marketing
camera and radar simulation, and video bit stream manipulation, and Manager,
HIL and Test Cell
explains how to truly put cameras to the test. Systems,
National
Instruments

UPCOMING WEBINARS
FAST-TRACKING ADAS AND AUTONOMOUS
VEHICLE DEVELOPMENT WITH SIMULATION
Thursday, June 15, 2017 at 10:00 a.m. U.S. EDT
Developing Advanced Driver Assistance Speakers:
Systems (ADAS) and autonomous
vehicles is a challenge without
precedent. Estimates indicate that
billions of miles of road testing will be
necessary to ensure safety and reliability,
a task that can only be accomplished Sandeep Sovani, Lee Johnson Bernard Dion, Larry Williams,
with the help of engineering simulation. Ph.D.
Director, Global
Lead Product
Manager,
Ph.D.
Chief
Ph.D.
Director
This 60-minute Webinar will describe Automotive Systems Business Technology of Product
Industry, Unit, Officer, Management,
six specific areas where simulation ANSYS Inc. ANSYS Inc. System Electronics
is essential in the development of Business Unit,
ANSYS Inc.
Business Unit,
ANSYS Inc.
autonomous vehicles and ADAS.
FROM THE EDITORS OF SAE:

CONNECTED VEHICLES & JOBSITES
Thursday, June 22, 2017 at Noon U.S. EDT
Connectivity is providing more owners and Speakers:
operators a broad range of benefits, prompting
a surge of developments by OEMs and suppliers.
Chief among those benefits are safer, more
efficient, and productive vehicles and worksites,
both on- and off-highway. Yet technical
challenges remain with development and testing Joe Cassar Kjeld Jespersen Brett McNalley
of V2X communication, cybersecurity, and how Engineering
Group Manager,
Global Product
Manager,
Product
Manager,
to best utilize Big Data. dSPACE Digital Services, Software and
Construction Wireless,
Industries, HED
Caterpillar

READER
FEEDBACK
Magna-Ford CFRP subframe program GM’s new diesel Equinox
It appears that carbon-fiber structural assemblies may be far- GM is bringing more light-duty diesels into North America, as
ther along than was predicted a few years ago, if Magna’s your Q&A with chief engineer Mark Cieslak explained in the
progress is an accurate indicator. [May AE, cover story] The May issue. It’s a great idea and I’m sure the vehicle will be well
interesting point your article makes obliquely is this: if Magna suited for the diesel. It’ll get outstanding fuel mileage. But the
can accelerate its CFRP processes so that in-plant cycle times engine option will be $4000 or more and the diesel fuel price
are close to those of a steel subassembly, perhaps carbon in the U.S. can be 50 cents or more higher per gallon. So, who
fiber may someday replace hydroformed steel truck chassis. will buy a diesel Equinox?
This would be well into the future of course. DaveNC
Tom Kayser
We’ve been reading about carbon fiber this and carbon fiber
Go ask Allis
that for 25 years, in the SAE magazine and others. There’s no I enjoyed the April 2017 Automotive Engineering. Allis-
way CFRP will ever compete with steel on a cost basis. I don’t Chalmers tractor company had a driveable fuel-cell tractor in
think it will even compete with aluminum. the late 1950s. It’s on display in the
Then there’s the cycle rate which will nev- Smithsonian Museum.
er beat the metals. Armand Wixson
R. C. Ioni Marcellus, NY
Carbon fiber is for race cars, aircraft and Mr. Wixson is correct: In 1951 Allis-
small-lot production vehicles where the Chalmers began research on fuel cells un-
manufacturer can charge a premium for der the company’s R&D VP, Harry Karl
the material. This was true 20 years ago Ihrig. His engineers developed an alkaline-
and remains true in 2017. As the compos- type fuel cell stack incorporating 1,008
ites industry finds ways to make the prod- cells comprising 112 modules of 9 cells
uct faster and cheaper, so do their steel each, arranged in four rows. The stack
and aluminum competitors. produced a claimed 15 kW. Installed in one
James Freeland of the company’s tractor chassis, the fuel
Mound, MN cell powered a DC motor. The machine
had a 3,000-lb (1361-kg) drawbar rating. It
was first demonstrated in October 1959
Low-Temperature combustion near West Allis, WI, tilling an alfalfa field
I read your article on Delphi’s research with a double-bottom plow. This was six
and development into GDCI/low-temp combustion not long years before GM tested its famous Electrovan which used liq-
after reading that Delphi plans to divest its Powertrain busi- uid hydrogen. The Allis FC tractor (shown) is now displayed in
ness. Do you know if the business is acquired, will the new the Smithsonian Museum.—Ed.
owner get this technology?
The pioneering
Rennspeed290
Allis-Chalmers
fuel cell tractor in
We won’t know until the Delphi Powertrain unit becomes sepa- the Smithsonian.
rate in spring 2018.—Ed.
A Quantum leap
Your article on the new American Axle Quantum axles was
interesting. A 30% mass reduction is significant if they can
make that happen and the OEMs should be pleased with this
development. I wonder, however, if live axles with an alumi-
num housing will be accepted by truck owners, particularly
those who use their F-350s and Ram 3500s for work. Hope
you publish more about this AAM product. READERS: Let us know what you think about Automotive
Dave Amm Engineering magazine. Email the Editor at Lindsay.Brooke@
Southgate, MI sae.org. We appreciate your comments and reserve the
right to edit for brevity.

NEW LOOK. NEW LOCATION.
NEW OPPORTUNITIES.
COMVEC 17
ON-HIGHWAY | OFF-HIGHWAY | DEFENSE
September 18–20, 2017
Crowne Plaza Chicago
O’Hare Hotel & Conference Center
Rosemont, Illinois, USA
ENGINEERING LEADERSHIP: CREATING

CUSTOMER VALUE IN A CHANGING WORLD
Experience the new and improved COMVEC 17. This year’s event features
expanded programing, and networking opportunities for experts and young
professionals alike. Gain full mix and match access to three key symposia:
– Data Driven Decisions in Industry
– Efficiency Improvements for Commercial Vehicles
– Aerodynamics
Discover the latest supply chain innovations from around the globe. Participate
in interactive panel discussions, experience the dynamic technical displays, and
connect with industry leaders.
Find out what’s in store for the commercial vehicle industry.
Register now — sae.org/comvec
“ COMVEC 17 is the destination for

commercial vehicle professionals
to demonstrate their expertise,
exercise their leadership, and
become a part of curating the future
of our industry. ”
— Thomas Stover, Executive Chair
P1780275

WHAT’S
ONLINE
WHAT’S NEW VIDEO
U.S. sues FiatChrysler over diesel emissions SAE Eye on
The U.S. Justice Department announced Department’s Environment and Natural Engineering:
on May 23, 2017, that it filed a civil law- Resources Division on behalf of the U.S. New Corvette rumors
suit against FiatChrysler Automobiles Environmental Protection Agency,
alleging that FCA used “software func- came just days after FCA announced it In early May, General Motors sent out a
tions that were not disclosed to regula- was seeking emissions certification for notice that the ’Vette plant is halting
tors during the (emissions) certification 2017 model-year vehicles fitted with its regular public tours for 18 months
process and that the vehicles contain the same 3.0-L diesel V6—but with up- due to extensive plant upgrades. Could
defeat devices” for some 104,000 die- dated software the automaker claimed this be for the next-generation
sel-engine Jeep Grand Cherokee and would achieve the regulatory compli- Corvette? In this episode of SAE Eye
Dodge Ram pickup trucks sold during ance at issue with the previous model- on Engineering, Editor-in-Chief Lindsay
the 2014-16 model year. year diesel vehicles. Brooke looks at the C-8, the first mid-
The lawsuit, filed by the Justice The company said in a release it “be- engined Corvette. SAE Eye on
lieves that these actions should help Engineering can be viewed at video.
facilitate a prompt resolution to ongo- sae.org/12276. It also airs in audio-
ing discussions with the Environment only form Monday mornings on WJR
and Natural Resources Division of the 760 AM Detroit’s Paul W. Smith Show.
U.S. Department of Justice and other Access archived episodes of SAE Eye
governmental agencies” regarding the on Engineering at sae.org/magazines/
months of talks that so far had failed podcasts.
to produce a resolution to the allega-
tion that FCA—similar to the now-infa-
mous situation that cost Volkswagen
tens of billions of dollars to resolve—
could have employed a software-based
emissions “defeat device” that allowed
excess emissions under certain operat-
ing conditions.
Read the full article at articles.sae.
org/15461/.
WHAT’S NEW
Honda to build new wind tunnel in U.S.
Honda will spend $124 million to build a on the new wind tunnel in summer 2017 production vehicles and a second, sin-
state-of-the-art, multifunctional acous- but did not state a completion date. gle/wide belt system to test high-per-
tic wind tunnel in East Liberty, OH, on The company said the new wind formance models and purpose-built
the grounds of the Honda-owned tunnel will feature an interchangeable race vehicles.
Transportation Research Center and belt system “capable of testing both The new tunnel can generate wind
close to the company’s U.S. manufac- production vehicles and racecars”; it speeds of up to 192 mph—and will feature
turing hub in nearby East Liberty. will have a five-belt rolling-road sys- four secure bays for confidential testing
The company said it will break ground tem designed for the development of of vehicles by contracted customers.
“This innovative and industry-lead-
ing asset provides us with another dis-
tinct reason for our customers to take
advantage of the world-class testing
facilities we have in Ohio at TRC,” said
Mark-Tami Hotta, president and CEO of
the Transportation Research Center.
Read the full article at articles.sae.
org/15387/.

COMPANIES MENTIONED
Company Page
3D Systems ............................................................................................30 Ferrari .....................................................................................................30 Nvidia .....................................................................................................25
Advanced Scientific Concepts ............................................................28 FEV ...................................................................................................25, 26 Panasonic ................................................................................................6
Aisin.........................................................................................................14 Fiat Chrysler Automobiles ..................................................................38 PCB Piezotronics .................................................................................. 32
Altair Engineering .................................................................................19 Ford ........................................................................................2, 13, 24, 28 Proto Labs ............................................................................................. 33
Analog Devices .....................................................................................28 General Motors ......................................................................2, 15, 21, 38 QA1.......................................................................................................... 33
Apple .......................................................................................................14 Genesis....................................................................................................19 Quanergy ...............................................................................................28
Argo AI ...................................................................................................24 GMC .........................................................................................................15 Renault...................................................................................................30
Arizona Dept. of Transportation ..........................................................11 Google......................................................................................................4 RenaultSport .........................................................................................30
Autoneum................................................................................................6 Grand View Research ...........................................................................19 Rochling ...................................................................................................6
BASF .........................................................................................................6 Harman ....................................................................................................6 SAE International .................................................................4, 10, 19, 29
BMW ........................................................................................................10 HEAD Acoustics .....................................................................................19 SAIC .........................................................................................................14
BorgWarner............................................................................................14 Honda........................................................................ 2, 13, 15, 20, 30, 38 Sauber ....................................................................................................30
Bosch ..................................................................................................4, 24 IAV ..........................................................................................................24 SCS...........................................................................................................19
Bose ..........................................................................................................6 Ibeo.........................................................................................................28 Siemens PLM..........................................................................................19
Brüel & Kjaer ..........................................................................................21 IHS Markit ................................................................................................6 Sika Automotive ....................................................................................19
Buick ........................................................................................................15 Infiniti .....................................................................................................40 Stratasys 3D ...........................................................................................31
CalsonicKansei North America............................................................10 Insurance Institute for Highway Safety ..............................................4 Technol Polymer....................................................................................19
Cambridge Collaborative ....................................................................20 IPG Automotive .................................................................................... 32 Toyota..................................................................................................2, 13
Chevrolet .......................................................................................... 13, 15 Jeep ........................................................................................................38 Toyota Research Institute ...................................................................24
Cognex ................................................................................................... 33 Kolano & Saha........................................................................................18 Transportation Research Center ........................................................38
Continental ........................................................................... 4, 14, 25, 28 Land Rover .............................................................................................10 Tula Technologies .................................................................................20
Cooper-Standard...................................................................................19 Lucintel .................................................................................................. 33 Uber ....................................................................................................4, 29
Cornell Dubilier Electronics ................................................................ 33 Mahle ........................................................................................................6 U.S. Environmental Protection Agency ................................ 10, 14, 38
Dassault Systemes ................................................................................19 Material Sciences ...................................................................................19 U.S. Justice Department......................................................................38
dB Engineering ..................................................................................... 32 McLaren...................................................................................................31 Valeo.......................................................................................................26
Denso .....................................................................................................25 Mercedes.................................................................................................. 2 Velodyne................................................................................................28
Dodge.................................................................................................6, 38 Mercedes-Benz .....................................................................................30 Vescent Photonics Inc..........................................................................28
Dow ..........................................................................................................6 MSC ...........................................................................................................6 Visteon .............................................................................................24, 25
Drive System Design.............................................................................12 Murrelektronik ...................................................................................... 32 Volkswagen ................................................................................. 8, 13, 38
EpoxySet................................................................................................ 33 NHTSA ......................................................................................................4 Yangfeng Automotive Interiors ..........................................................13
Exa ............................................................................................................ 8 Nissan ...............................................................................................16, 40 ZF ....................................................................................................25, 28
UPCOMING FROM THE EDITORS AD INDEX

June 2: Electronics & Connectivity August: Truck & Off-Highway Engineering Advertiser Page Web Link
Technology eNewsletter Print Magazine
• Advanced Emissions Strategies for Aluma Cast Foundry, Inc. ...........................21..................................................alumacast.com
June 7: Automotive Engineering Off-Highway (Webinar Feature)
Technology eNewsletter • SAE COMVEC Preview Coilcraft CPS................................................ 23......................................................coilcraft.com
• Intelligent Machine Control
COMSOL, Inc. ......................................Cover 4......................................comsol.com/products
June 14: Truck & Off-Highway • Tractor-Trailer Aerodynamics
Engineering Technology eNewsletter • Hydraulic Components product Create The Future Design Contest ..... Cover 3.................www.createthefuturecontest.com
spotlight
June 19: Vehicle Engineering MathWorks .........................................Cover 2.......................mathworks.com/deeplearning
Technology eNewsletter (all markets) August: Automotive Engineering
Proto Labs, Inc. ............................................. 5..............................go.protolabs.com/SAE7JA
Print Magazine
June 21: Heavy-Duty • Composites & Plastics Rohde & Schwarz GmbH & Co. KG............. 7.... www.rohde-schwarz.com/ad/automotive
Technology eNewsletter • Vehicle Structural Composites
• Sensors product spotlight SAE COMVEC 17 .......................................... 37................................................ sae.org/comvec
June 26: Automotive Engineering
SAE International .......................................29...........................................connection.sae.org
Technology eNewsletter August 9: Automotive Engineering
Technology eNewsletter SAINT-GOBAIN ...........................................29.................. www.makingabigdifference.com
July 13: Automotive Engineering
(Autonomous Vehicles special edition) August 14: Truck & Off-Highway Sealed Air Corporation ................................ 3................................... SealedAir.com/airisfast
Technology eNewsletter Engineering Technology eNewsletter
Siemens Industry Software .......................15............................................siemens.com/mdx
July 17: Truck & Off-Highway Engineering August 21: Vehicle Engineering Society of Plastics Engineers.................... 27......... SPEautomotive.com/acce-conference
Technology eNewsletter Technology eNewsletter (all markets)
Synopsys, Inc. .............................................22......................... www.synopsys.com/autovdk
July 27: Automotive Engineering August 28: Automotive Engineering Techno Polymer America Inc. .................... 9.......................... www.techpo.co.jp/en/home
Technology eNewsletter Technology eNewsletter
Tesa Tape ......................................................17.................................................... tesatape.com

Q&A
you naturally are like, ‘Oh, well, that’s curious. It is different. It
is different than an ICE (internal-combustion engine) car.
So we might still see the fundamental proportions that we un-

derstand now, is it possible you can work with that?
The spirit we have right now with engineering is quite close.
Obviously, Shiro (Nakamura) was very close to them. But I have
an opportunity a little bit different than him—because I kind of
grew up with our engineers. Not because of my age, necessarily.
When you’re not the big boss—in any organization, the big boss
has to be somewhat distant from the ‘genba’ (Japanese for
“working-level” employee). I’m a genba guy, so my relationship
with platform engineers, drivetrain engineers, is that I love these
guys. My sister’s an engineer and my father was an architect in
Cuba. So I always gravitate to engineering. My work at Infiniti
With nearly three decades of experience at Nissan, Alfonso Albaisa took was bringing shape to the things engineering wanted to do.
over in 2017 as the company’s new global design director (image: Nissan). The same is happening as we move into electrification—to
get in shoulder-to-shoulder with engineering and really find
the potential of all of this.
New Nissan design chief:

Do you worry about losing that “genba” connection?
A little bit! I go from not having a private office to having one.
So that’s a fundamental change right away. I don’t know how
One foot in design, much I’ll use it, to be honest. Luckily, the heads of engineering
are also my friends. I’m the luckiest man in the world not be-
one foot in engineering cause of anything vital or a (particular) car I worked on, it’s just
that I can walk freely in engineering as much as I can in design.
Earlier this year, Nissan surprised the industry by announcing Do you find engineers now are more willing to work with de-
that design director Shiro Nakamura was retiring after nearly sign, that they understand they have to work with design?
two decades with the company, with Alfonso Albaisa, since That engineers are more cross-functional in that way?
2014 the design chief at the brand’s Infiniti upscale division, I have heard that even in other companies it’s changing. That
to take his place. engineering knows a beautiful skin only makes things better—
Cuban-American Albaisa, 52, is Nissan’s first non-Japanese and you get more budget for the next time and all this domino-
design director. He started his career with Nissan Design in effect, you know?
1988 and as head of Nissan’s global design will oversee a staff Engineering has a tough job. On one hand, they’re thinking like
of approximately 700 responsible for the styling of the com- this. But then, they’re responsible for money. The inherent beauty
pany’s full model range, including commercial vehicles. of metal is not their only concern. So I find that they are
Automotive Engineering editorial director Bill Visnic spoke extremely generous, because they all ‘play’ with me and my team
with Albaisa at the 2017 New York auto show, not long after while knowing that they have this immense (fiscal) responsibility.
he assumed his new role. When you’re (proposing) a $5-per-car loss in (the design of
new) metal, it’s absurd to the company. There’s no ‘value’ in
We used to hear a lot about “design language.” Is it your in- that. The Nissan alliance now makes 10 million cars. That’s
tention to introduce a new design language at Nissan? $50 million dollars! For what?
I think naturally, because of what’s going to happen, that we
are starting, especially with issues of electrification. In Japan, You have immense respect for engineering. Will your coming
we have something called ‘e-Power,’ which are cars that have designs reflect that by being more of a more “technical” na-
an engine, but they’re mostly to charge the battery—electric ture—particularly as the industry progresses toward electrifi-
motors drive the car. All of these new platforms of electrifica- cation and autonomy?
tion, including e-Power, are making new ‘language’ appropri- The best way to say it is that I feel humans make cars, not ma-
ate. Electrification and autonomous and intelligent mobility is chines. The fingerprint of the artist and the innovator—which is
going to bring a new aesthetic. engineering—I want that seen in the car. So a purely technical ex-
It is not required, of course. We can always put the icing pression, I don’t feel is honest to those people I work with. When
over a different cake. As artists, though, we react. So when an engineer is busting his **beep** to make panels that are deep,
our engineers are coming with the next generation of EVs, that struggle is emotional. There’s a humanity I want expressed.

Connect on social media:
LAST CHANCE! Entry deadline: July 1, 2017 #CTF2017
Autonomous
Vehicle
CAN YOU
DESIGN
A BETTER
2013 STUDENT WINNER
ROBOCAR UMECH —
VEHICLE WITH
AUTONOMOUS
TOMORROW?
OPERATION
Autonomous vehicles have the potential
to provide increased mobility for many
including the elderly, the disabled, and the
blind. Cars and light vehicles equipped with
this technology will also reduce accidents,
energy consumption and pollution, as well
THEY DID. as cut costs associated with congestion.

The driverless vehicle will transfer
passengers or cargo between given points
of a route. The Robocar automatically
calculates an optimal route considering
traffic congestion, road work, and other
road incidents.
NOW IT’S YOUR TIME TO SHINE!

ENTER TO WIN $20,000 GRAND PRIZE THE
createthefuturecontest.com
DESIGN CONTEST 2017
PRINCIPAL SPONSORS CAT E G O R Y S P O N S O R S PRIZE SPONSORS
TM
NOW
AVAILABLE
VERIFY AND Surpass design challenges with ease using

COMSOL Multiphysics®. Work with its
OPTIMIZE
powerful mathematical modeling tools and
solver technology to deliver accurate and
comprehensive simulation results.
YOUR DESIGNS Develop custom applications using the

Application Builder and deploy them within
your organization and to customers worldwide
with COMSOL Multiphysics
®
with a local installation of COMSOL Server™.

The evolution of computational tools for Benefit from the power of multiphysics today
numerical simulation of physics-based comsol.com/products
systems has reached a major milestone.
© Copyright 2017 COMSOL. COMSOL, the COMSOL logo, COMSOL Multiphysics, Capture the Concept, COMSOL Desktop, COMSOL Server, and LiveLink are either registered
trademarks or trademarks of COMSOL AB. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners, and COMSOL AB and its subsidiaries and products are not affiliated with,
endorsed by, sponsored by, or supported by those trademark owners. For a list of such trademark owners, see www.comsol.com/trademarks.

Sae 17autp06

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

Sae 17autp06

Uploaded by

Document Information

Copyright

Available Formats

Share this document

Share or Embed Document

Sharing Options

Did you find this document useful?

Is this content inappropriate?

Copyright:

Available Formats

Sae 17autp06

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

NOW

VERIFY AND Surpass design challenges with ease using

YOUR DESIGNS Develop custom applications using the

with a local installation of COMSOL Server™.

Free Info at http://info.hotims.com/65852-615

The evolving science of suppressing

How Honda made its 2018 Odyssey so (shsssh) quiet

Artificial Intelligence is hot, but deploying won’t be easy

Let the Lidar wars begin!

@2017 The MathWorks, Inc

Free Info at http://info.hotims.com/65852-601

a reality SAFETY 6 Supplier Eye

component ELECTRICS | ELECTRONICS | AVIONICS 10 CO2 buildup in vehicle cabins becoming a

Automotive Engineering®, June 2017, Volume 4, Number 6. Automotive Engineering

AUTOMOTIVE ENGINEERING June 2017 1

Wall St. hijacked within Dearborn.

pany. Disruption of the

in trenches delivering our device makers about 15 years ago, to

into one tidy bin. organize the mobile-de-

2 June 2017 AUTOMOTIVE ENGINEERING

No matter what products you need to ship, Sealed Air’s

4 June 2017 AUTOMOTIVE ENGINEERING

6 June 2017 AUTOMOTIVE ENGINEERING

¸BTC broadcast test center

Free Info at http://info.hotims.com/65852-604

8 June 2017 AUTOMOTIVE ENGINEERING

HUSHLLOY ® prevents noise at its source.

A special polymer significantly reduces the

“stick-slip” tendency of commonly-used interior

plastics. The risk of squeaks and noises caused by

friction, contact and movement is minimized. And

HUSHLLOY ® polymer does not bleed out over time,

providing a long-lasting effect.

HUSHLLOY ® easily replaces current ABS-type material

and is compatible with the same molds and processes.

When quiet counts – use HUSHLLOY ®

For more information about HUSHLLOY® or to talk with a Techno Polymer

Free Info at http://info.hotims.com/65852-605

CO2 buildup in vehicle

10 June 2017 AUTOMOTIVE ENGINEERING

Cabin CO2 Concentrations for 1 to 4

Cabin CO2 Concentrations (ppm)

AUTOMOTIVE ENGINEERING June 2017 11

DSD’s low-cost 12V hybrid aims for small cars

DSD 12V e-machine

DSD recently expanded its transmission and driveline test center

12 June 2017 AUTOMOTIVE ENGINEERING

VW finally fills its SUV gap with 2018 Atlas

Commodious cargo hauler

AUTOMOTIVE ENGINEERING June 2017 13

20-in tires will be offered. The vehicle steered and handled

14 June 2017 AUTOMOTIVE ENGINEERING

Loss leader: 2018 Chevy Equinox gets smaller, lighter, tidier

201706_autoengintl_siemens.indd 1 11/04/2017 11:05

Nissan engineers Sport into its hot-selling CUV

16 June 2017 AUTOMOTIVE ENGINEERING

AUTOMOTIVE ENGINEERING Free Info at http://info.hotims.com/65852-607 June 2017 17

New tools and technologies are helping engineers reduce vehicle

18 June 2017 AUTOMOTIVE ENGINEERING

Wheelhouse Trunk Trim