Autoblog

NHTSA proposing panic stop system for keyless ignition

Jeff Sabatini — Mon, 12 Dec 2011 07:57:00 EST

Filed under: Government/Legal, Recalls, Safety, Technology, Lexus, Toyota

In the wake of the heavily publicized fatal crash involving a Lexus ES 350 with keyless ignition in California, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration is proposing standardizing keyless ignition systems. The government regulator wants all vehicles with keyless ignition to turn off after a button press of just half a second, according to a report by Bloomberg.

The proposal states that among the concerns are "drivers' inability to stop a moving vehicle in a panic situation," according to the report. That's what happened in the Lexus crash that killed four people in 2009, in which a three-second button press was necessary to turn off the engine, according to Bloomberg. The incident was one of many that led to recalls of Toyota vehicles in 2009 and 2010.

Automakers have already discussed standardizing their keyless ignition systems, according to an Alliance of Automotive Manufacturers spokeswoman. The half-second delay falls within a range recommended by the Society of Automotive Engineers.

While this new regulation is clearly a good thing, we do wonder what was wrong with just using keys?

NHTSA proposing panic stop system for keyless ignition originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 12 Dec 2011 07:57:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Pickup makers reach pact with SAE on tow rating standards

Chris Shunk — Tue, 12 Jul 2011 10:00:00 EST

Filed under: Truck, Etc.

The pickup truck towing capacity wars have been in full-blown Mortal Kombat-style battle mode for as long as we can remember. For years, it's gone something like this: Automaker A claims that its rig can tow 10,000 pounds, then Automaker B increases their truck's stated capacities to 10,500 pounds without changing a single component. And if you've ever wondered if all automakers test towing capacities in the same manner, well... they don't.

The Detroit Free Press is reporting that the Society of Automotive Engineers will change practice that by the 2013 model year by implementing a new a standardized testing methodology. General Motors engineer Robert Krause, who chaired the SAE committee that set the new standard, said that the automakers involved "wanted our customers to know that 10,000 pounds of towing capacity means the same thing for all trucks."

This sounds like a plan that should have been hatched and executed long ago, but at least the deed is finally getting done. Toyota is already using the new standard with its Tundra (resulting in slightly lower tow ratings), while other major truckmakers will comply to the voluntary standard sometime in 2012. Nissan has stated that it will utilize the standard sometime in the future, but hasn't gotten specific with any details.

Pickup makers reach pact with SAE on tow rating standards originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 12 Jul 2011 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Report: Fed mulling standardizing keyless ignition systems

Chris Shunk — Mon, 18 Apr 2011 17:30:00 EST

Filed under: Government/Legal, Safety, Technology, Toyota

Five years ago, if you owned a vehicle with push button start, you probably owned a luxury vehicle or high-end sports car. For 2011, there are 189 vehicles with push start technology, including many vehicles that retail for less than $20,000. But while the technology has proliferated to nearly every vehicle segment, each automaker has its own keyless ignition mechanism.

Automotive News reports that the Society of Automobile Engineers (SAE) International isn't crazy about this, and it's looking to standardize keyless ignition systems. The move can be at least partially viewed as a reaction to unintended acceleration issues faced by Toyota. Some Toyota owners who reported reported the UA phenomenon were unable to turn off the vehicle because Toyota's programmers necessitate that the star/stop button must be pressed for three or more seconds to cut off power to the engine.

According to Automotive News, the SAE proposes that drivers should be able to stop the vehicle by pressing the button for .5 to two seconds, or by briefly pressing the button two or three times.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has also reportedly added that it may propose a rule this year to standardize the systems, leading at least one automaker to consider waiting to redesign their systems until uniform standards can be agreed upon. Interestingly, a poll by AN revealed that while General Motors, Ford, Volkswagen, Honda, Nissan, Chrysler and Hyundai planned to comply with the SAE standard - only Toyota says that it won't follow the guidelines until it learns if NHTSA will chime in with its own regulations, as well.

[Source: Automotive News - sub. req. via Automobile]
Image by Chris Shunk / Copyright (C)2010 Weblogs, Inc.

Report: Fed mulling standardizing keyless ignition systems originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 18 Apr 2011 17:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Report: University shuts down Formula SAE program over racy photo

Aaron Richardson — Thu, 14 Apr 2011 17:31:00 EST

Filed under: Motorsports, Performance, Etc., Racing

According to TheRecord.com, The University of Waterloo in Waterloo, Ontario, temporarily shut down its Formula SAE team after a female team member was photographed next to the chapter's race car, clad only in a bikini and high heels. The young lady who stripped down for the shot said she wanted to show her femininity juxtaposed with her engineering talents. The school, however, was not impressed with her racy display.

The irony, according to the team, is that the photo shoot was for an entry in a calendar contest designed to promote women. The female SAE member was hoping to use the photograph as her entry into the contest, which apparently celebrates beauty and brains.

Whatever her motives were, the university put the administrative clamp on the team, supposedly because they used the design department's studio for the photo shoot without getting permission. The suspension means the team won't be allowed to take their car to Michigan in May for the international SAE competition. Basically, the students' months of toil on their 600-cc sportbike-powered track star will be for naught.

Despite the harsh penalty, the school was quick to praise the team's efforts, and members were assured they'd still get academic credit for the work they put in. Still, for a team of aspiring automotive engineers who poured countless hours, more stress than anyone should ever live under and immeasurable passion into the build, academic credit is small consolation for missing the competition.

We'd love to show you the original image, but couldn't find the photographer to ask permission. Instead, you'll have to click here to see what all the fuss is about.

[Source: The Record, University of Waterloo | Source Image: University of Waterloo]

Report: University shuts down Formula SAE program over racy photo originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 14 Apr 2011 17:31:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Toyota lowers tow-rating of Tundra, but it's a good thing

Jonathon Ramsey — Mon, 23 Aug 2010 14:29:00 EST

Filed under: Truck, Toyota

Automakers have been on the honor system when stating the tow ratings of their pickups, and that has led to lofty numbers that could only be achieved under a very particular set of ideal conditions. Claiming the biggest number for any truck spec is a big deal, but maximum towing capacity is the crown spec. So it was only natural that these automakers - mainly Ford, General Motors, Dodge (Ram), Toyota, Honda and Nissan - would feel the pressure to keep coming up with better and better tow ratings.

Enter the Society of Automotive Engineers and détente: Five of the six truck manufacturers mentioned above have agreed to assess their trucks' tow rating based on SAE standard J2807. The new standard lays out several benchmark tests for pickups, so automakers won't be allowed to simply find the right conditions and produce the highest tow rating possible anymore. For the J2807 test, a standardized trailer is hooked up and the truck is put through acceleration tests on level ground and an incline, and its response to effects like understeer, trailer-sway and braking are measured. Only Ford, General Motors, Toyota, Honda and Chrysler will be employing J2807 now, but by 2013 all pickup truck makers will be obliged to adhere to it.

Someone had to go first, and today we learn that Toyota has adjusted its pickup's tow rating to the new standard, and so the Tundra can tow less on paper today despite not a single change being made to the vehicle. Its towing capacities were lowered anywhere from 400 pounds on the 2WD regular cab (10,800 to 10,400) all the way up to 1,100 pounds on the 4WD CrewMax (10,100 to 9,000).

This shouldn't be viewed as a knock against the Tundra, because we won't know where it really falls until we get revised ratings from each of the other five manufacturers, and we expect them all to shift downwards.

[Source: PickupTrucks.com]

Toyota lowers tow-rating of Tundra, but it's a good thing originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 23 Aug 2010 14:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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SAE 2010: Next-gen Ford EcoBoost engines to get even more efficient with cooled EGR

Sam Abuelsamid — Wed, 14 Apr 2010 00:01:00 EST

Filed under: Technology, Ford

Over the course of 2010, Ford plans to aggressively ramp up its EcoBoost engine strategy with two new four-cylinder engines and the first rear-wheel-drive application of the boosted 3.5-liter V6. However, this is just the beginning as Ford is already hard at work on the next generation of EcoBoost engines. At the SAE World Congress on Wednesday, Dan Kapp, director of powertrain research and advanced engineering, and Bob Fascetti, director of large gas and diesel engine engineering, will be announcing that the next generation EcoBoost engines are adding cooled exhaust gas recirculation (EGR) systems.

Just like the direct injection and turbocharging used on the current EcoBoost mills, cooled EGR is derived from diesel engines. Exhaust gas is routed back into the combustion chamber to reduce the combustion temperatures. Controlling the combustion temperature has a number of benefits, primarily allowing the use of a leaner air/fuel mixture, which would normally burn hotter and thus produce more nitrogen oxide emissions. Running the exhaust gas through a heat exchanger before sending it into the intake stream improves the cooling effect further.

Using cooled EGR will also allow the use of even higher compression ratios without getting into knock situations. Engineers will be able to downsize engines even further without sacrificing power and torque. Overall, Ford estimates cooled EGR will improve EcoBoost efficiency by an additional five percent, further closing the gap between gasoline and diesel. More power, less fuel - it's a win/win scenario.

[Source: Ford]

Continue reading SAE 2010: Next-gen Ford EcoBoost engines to get even more efficient with cooled EGR

SAE 2010: Next-gen Ford EcoBoost engines to get even more efficient with cooled EGR originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 14 Apr 2010 00:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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SAE 2010: Ford confirms Explorer, F-150 EcoBoost, ups production target to 1.5M

Sam Abuelsamid — Mon, 12 Apr 2010 00:01:00 EST

Filed under: Minivan/Van, Truck, Crossover, Ford

This Tuesday, Ford's VP of global powertrain development, Barb Samardzich, will address the Society of Automotive Engineers World Congress in Detroit, and Ecoboost technology will again be at the top of her agenda. Samardzich will confirm that before the end of this year, three more Ecoboost engines will be in production at Ford, including the 1.6-liter inline-four due to be built at the Bridgend plant in Wales and debut in the new C-Max people mover.

At the Chicago Auto Show, it was announced that the new 2.0-liter inline-four will go into the 2011 Edge and during Tuesday's address, Samardzich will also confirm that turbo'd four-pot will find its way into the new unibody Explorer as well. That installation should come as no surprise since just such a combination was listed as a powertrain for the Explorer America concept that debuted at the 2008 Detroit Auto Show when Ecoboost was originally announced.

The final announcement (and one of the worst kept secrets in the industry) will be the confirmation that the 2011 F-150 will be available with a 3.5-liter V6 Ecoboost. This will be the first rear-drive Ecoboost application, and brings the total number of announced Ecoboosted vehicles to eight (nine if you count C-Max and Grand C-Max). However, Ford is saying there will be 11 Ecoboost vehicles this year, with the Lincoln MKX one likely candidate for the 2.0-liter and the Mondeo may get one of the four-cylinder units as well.

Samardzich will also announce that Ford has upped its Ecoboost production target from 1.3 million to 1.5 million by 2013 - not bad when you consider when Ecoboost was first announced Ford was targeting 750,000 units.

[Source: Ford]

Continue reading SAE 2010: Ford confirms Explorer, F-150 EcoBoost, ups production target to 1.5M

SAE 2010: Ford confirms Explorer, F-150 EcoBoost, ups production target to 1.5M originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 12 Apr 2010 00:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Cornell's SAE Baja buggy helps us get even with would-be alma mater

Tim Stevens — Fri, 04 Dec 2009 11:57:00 EST

Filed under: Motorsports, Etc.

Cornell's SAE Baja Buggy - Click above for high-res image gallery

How much horsepower do you need to have fun in a car? More is usually better, but sometimes less is okay too. Sometimes even none is enough - if you have gravity on your side. When you're running off-road through mud, rocks, up hills, crashing off of whoops and flying over jumps, you certainly can't rely on the attraction of physical bodies to get you around the course. You need power. Cornell's Baja SAE buggy admittedly doesn't have much, driven by a lowly 10-hp Briggs & Stratton that wouldn't look out of place on a lawnmower. This most certainly is not a lawnmower.

Cornell's team of students past and present have built an impressive chariot to cradle that engine and a driver. CAD modeled, CNC hewn and carbon fiber-skinned, nearly everything on the kart is a one-off created by the sort of technology that drives Formula One. When an offer came in to come drive the thing, we jumped right in - right in to a mudbath as it turned out. Won't you join us?

Gallery: Cornell's SAE Baja buggy tour and test drive

Continue reading Cornell's SAE Baja buggy helps us get even with would-be alma mater

Cornell's SAE Baja buggy helps us get even with would-be alma mater originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 04 Dec 2009 11:57:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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REPORT: High-tech muffler speakers make diesel engine sound sporty, cut noise levels by 20 dB

Michael Harley — Fri, 11 Sep 2009 16:30:00 EST

Filed under: Etc., Safety, Technology

An exhaust-system and heating-solution supplier has reportedly engineered an electronic way to modify the sound coming from a vehicle's tailpipe. The company, Eberspächer, claims the innovation can make diesel-powered vehicles sound sportier and add an audible sound track to near-silent electric vehicles.

While mechanical devices - including flaps, dampers, or acoustic materials - have become commonplace in modern exhaust systems, this unique technology utilizes a dedicated electronic control unit (ECU) to emit sound waves to counter much of the unwanted frequencies (similar to the process of noise-canceling headphones). Of course, the same speaker technology that generates the "white noise" may be used to create new exhaust notes.

The obvious benefits are more appealing exhaust tunes, but it doesn't just stop there. This sound-deadening technology allows automakers to reduced the size of the existing mufflers (saving both weight and cost), and it may add some needed noise to the electric vehicles navigating our roads and highways.

[Source: SAE International]

REPORT: High-tech muffler speakers make diesel engine sound sporty, cut noise levels by 20 dB originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 11 Sep 2009 16:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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SAE launches new bookstore and e-Books for on-the-go engineers

Jonathon Ramsey — Tue, 01 Sep 2009 08:01:00 EST

Filed under: Etc.

The Society of Automotive Engineers has decided to apply the same forward thinking to its web site it has to its information. Borrowing ideas from the iTunes Store and Amazon, the SAE has revamped its bookstore for easier navigation and added an eBook store for engineers on the go.

Navigation is broken down by subject on the left, and you can scroll through, album style, on the main page. Electronic books are searchable and compatible with PCs, hand-helds, and proprietary readers like the Kindle, Sony Reader, and iPhone. Best of all, SAE archives your eBook library for your own virtual library. That way you can always download Brake Design and Safety, Second Edition when you need to impress the gal in the seat next to you on the subway.

[Source: SAE via The Auto Channel]

SAE launches new bookstore and e-Books for on-the-go engineers originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 01 Sep 2009 08:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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SAE 2009: Govs. Granholm and Schwarzenegger talk green mobility

Sebastian Blanco — Mon, 20 Apr 2009 13:19:00 EST

Filed under: Government/Legal, Green, Electric

Click above to read more about the Governors' opening talk at SAE 2009

The 2009 SAE World Congress kicked off this morning with a free-form, Michigan-first presentation by Michigan Governor Jennifer Granholm and then an interview-style talk by California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger, who arrived over an hour late. Still, Arnold managed to work in some famous lines by first claiming that the car industry is currently saying, "I'll be back" (cue the crowd's knowing laugh) then segueing into a short list of classic one-liners. This seemed to get everyone back on his side.

Most of the presentation was fairly serious, though, with Governor Schwarzenegger saying it is "embarrassing" that the U.S. only generates 2.8 percent of its energy from renewables. On the California waiver issue, Schwarzenegger said that the entire country should have the same regulations (something that CARB's Mary Nichols has also hinted at). He said he believes very strongly that there should be one fuel standard, and California only took the lead because Washington was not stepping up to the plate. Detroit has been slow in advancing alternative power vehicles, he said, but the blame needs to be shared by both the auto industry here and the lack of leadership in Washington. "We cannot make policy based on the oil price," he said.

You can listen to both talks and read much more after the jump.

Continue reading SAE 2009: Govs. Granholm and Schwarzenegger talk green mobility

SAE 2009: Govs. Granholm and Schwarzenegger talk green mobility originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 20 Apr 2009 13:19:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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GM lobbies for electric car plug standardization

Chris Shunk — Mon, 20 Apr 2009 07:27:00 EST

Filed under: Green, Technology, GM

Anyone with a cell phone, laptop or just about any other electronic device knows that battery chargers seldom work among different models - even when they are from the same brand.The SAE J1772[TM] Task Force is working to ensure that a similar scenario doesn't play out for electric cars.

The Society of Automotive Engineers and General Motors are trying to gain a consensus on a standard-sized plug for electric vehicles. The ubiquitous plug would enable a common plug for all OEMs to use for the future electric infrastructure. The standard plug would make an expansive infrastructure easier to tackle while saving EV owners the headache of worrying about different kinds of expensive adapters.

Beyond a standard plug, SAE J1772 is working to define physical, electrical and performance requirements so they can be manufactured for public use. The SAE will also find answers for basic questions about battery electrochemistry, size and life cycle.

GM's role in the standardization process has a lot to do with the Chevrolet Volt and future Volt variants. Since GM will likely have the first mass-market vehicle with electric-only propulsion, a plug standard ought to save The General time and money.

[Source: GM Fast Lane]

GM lobbies for electric car plug standardization originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 20 Apr 2009 07:27:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Autoline on Autoblog with John McElroy

John McElroy — Thu, 17 Apr 2008 19:32:00 EST

Filed under: Hybrid, Green, Misc. Auto Shows, Autoline on Autoblog

SAE WRAP-UP

This is what we call SAE week in Detroit. It's when automotive engineers from all over the world get together here to share their ideas on the burning engineering issues of the day. And there's no question that boosting fuel economy and reducing CO2 topped the agenda.

I can't pretend to say I learned everything being discussed at the Society of Automotive Engineers show. This thing goes on for days, has hundreds of technical presentations, all kinds of company exhibits, and is attended by something like 30,000 engineers from almost every continent. But I did manage to pick up some interesting tidbits.

John McElroy is host of the TV program "Autoline Detroit". Every week he brings his unique insights as an auto industry insider to Autoblog readers. Follow the jump to continue reading this week's editorial.

Continue reading Autoline on Autoblog with John McElroy

Autoline on Autoblog with John McElroy originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 17 Apr 2008 19:32:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Automakers facing a 75 mpg CAFE rating by 2030?

Jonathon Ramsey — Wed, 16 Apr 2008 07:58:00 EST

Filed under: Hybrid, Government/Legal, Green

The Big Predictions for the Future have begun. This is the numbers game where eye-popping numerical targets start being thrown around before we've come anywhere close to achieving the eyebrow raising targets that are still 14 years away. According to Margo Oge at the EPA, the CAFE standard will need to jump to 75-MPG by the 2030s to meet greenhouse targets.

There is, somewhere, a "widely backed scientific-community proposal to cut greenhouse gas emissions by 50 to 80 percent by 2050 from 2000 levels." Based on current realities, the EPA has reckoned that the fleet average for fuel economy would need to more than double from the 2020 target of 35 mpg in about 15 or so years in order to achieve even the minimum standard.

The EPA is looking at a variety of alternative fuel options as a way to make the plan work. Yet we have no idea whether this is being looked at as a serious long term plan, or whether grand pronouncements are being made because it's the thing to do right now. While we freely admit that the world of cars could use some cleaning up, we do wonder... is any other industry going to be on the hook for reducing greenhouse gasses?

[Source: Detroit News]

Automakers facing a 75 mpg CAFE rating by 2030? originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 16 Apr 2008 07:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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SAE Convergence: Improving automotive microcontroller performance

Eric Bryant — Fri, 20 Oct 2006 13:35:00 EST

Filed under: Technology

Without a doubt, modern expectations for automotive performance, safety, and comfort are pushing "intelligence" throughout the vehicle, with microcontrollers showing up in a variety of devices that draw together chassis control, driver assistance, and risk management. At the SAE Convergence electronics show, Patrick Leteinturier from Infineon talked about the trends that we might expect for these tiny semiconductor brains.

Moore's Law may dictate growth in computational power of about an order of magnitude (10x) every five years or so, but that's not a reasonable assumption for automotive devices, according to Leteinturier. The reasons are numerous - the harsh automotive environment, customer expectations for longevity (20 years), and the heat generated by increased clock speeds (where as a PC CPU might dissipate 60W, something in the neighborhood of 1W is considered acceptable for automotive microcontrollers). Expect instead something more along a doubling of power every five years, with current engine management devices going from 250 million instruction cycles per second nowadays to about 2 billion/second by 2020. Memory will grow at a similar rate from 2MB to 16MB over the same period of time. Process geometry shrinks will also occur, but also not at the same rate of other electronic devices. The problem here once again is reliability, but another factor is the heavy use of analog circuits in the automotive environment - such devices can't be shrunk in the same manner as digital circuits.

Adding to reliability will be multiple redundant processors, although how these will be packaged is yet to be determined. Techniques such as built-in self test (BIST) and built-in self repair (BISR) will improve memory integrity (ever more important as storage space grows), and new memory storage technologies such as FeRAM might replace Flash in the next decade.

This might not be the most exciting innovation, but it's the sort of steady improvement on the component level that enables technology that's a bit more obvious in its impact on our driving experience.

[Source: Infineon]

SAE Convergence: Improving automotive microcontroller performance originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 20 Oct 2006 13:35:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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SAE Convergence 2006: The difficulty in implementing effective engine management systems

Eric Bryant — Thu, 19 Oct 2006 17:42:00 EST

Filed under: Green, Technology

Just a decade ago, engine management was a relatively simple affair. Spark advance and fuel injection quantities were the key parameters, and the determination of both was a relatively simple matter of determining engine speed and load and using those values to index a lookup table. Nowadays, however, technology to improve power, drivability, and fuel consumption - such as variable valve timing and lift, intake tuning, and variable displacement - have greatly complicated the task of calibrating an engine control unit (ECU).

Steve Magner from Ford was at the 2006 SAE Convergence electronics show to speak on this topic and discuss what steps might be taken in the future to improve engine performance and decrease time-to-market. He used the term "high degree of freedom" (HDOF) to describe the typical modern powerplant, and explained that the table-based method ("full factorial mapping") of calibrating ECUs has basically reached its limit. Where as it's desirable to complete the calibration of a new engine in about four months, a HDOF engine currently requires up to 15 months to fully define in the laboratory. In one example, developing just the timing maps for the EPA' s fuel economy test cycle involved 630 states of operation and three months of time on the dyno. Design-of-experiment techniques can be developed to simplify the mapping process, but at the cost of effectiveness - over 25% of a new technology's potential benefit can be lost via incomplete mapping efforts.

Ultimately, the solution proposed by Magner is the direct monitoring of combustion quality, with closed-loop feedback constantly working to optimize the various operation parameters. The two technologies currently being explored are pressure measurement and ion detection schemes, with the former being easier to implement but the latter perhaps being more cost-effective (indeed, Saab has used such a technique for quite some time, albeit with significantly reduced functionality than what is being discussed here). Variations between each cylinder will require that each carry its own sensor, and the required resolution (with data collected for each degree of crankshaft rotation) requiring computational horespower beyond that provided by modern ECUs. Systems based on digital signal processors (DSPs) may be of some use to make sense of all this data and react quickly enough during transients.

[Source: Ford]

SAE Convergence 2006: The difficulty in implementing effective engine management systems originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 19 Oct 2006 17:42:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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SAE Convergence 2006: BMW's Intelligent Battery Monitoring

Eric Bryant — Wed, 18 Oct 2006 08:54:00 EST

Filed under: Gadgets, Technology, BMW

Battery state-of-charge and state-of-health monitoring is normally thought of as technology that's most appropriate for hybrids, but at the SAE Convergence conference this week, BMW made a good case for including it on all motor vehicles. According to ACAD (the German equivalent of AAA), battery failures account for a full 53% of roadside electrical failures, and the situation only gets worse as increased electrical loads and fuel-saving techniques such as idle start/stop come into play.

The idea here is simple - by measuring voltage, current, and temperature, the amount of charge remaining in the battery can be assessed. Based upon this information, additional energy can then be provided by the charging system (via an increase in commanded idle speed), or non-essential loads (such as heated seats) can be momentarily disconnected until overall demand on the charging system decreases. Additionally, degradation of the battery over its usable life can also be monitored, with the potential to warn users of an impending battery failure before someone is forced to walk home.

The trick here is performing the measurements over a wide range of current (a few tens of milliamps during key-off and a draw of several hundred amps during cold-weather cranking) at an economical cost with a device that easily integrates with existing DIN-standard batteries. A rather slick piece of electronics consisting of a shunt, an application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC) based on a ARM7 core, 16-bit analog-to-digital conversion, local area network (LIN) serial communication, and a rugged package was developed by BMW and its suppliers. The device is now proliferating throughout the automaker's lineup, with Audi and Mercedes-Benz now also using the device.

[Source: BMW, Hella]

SAE Convergence 2006: BMW's Intelligent Battery Monitoring originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 18 Oct 2006 08:54:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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NHTSA creating universal standard for automotive 'black box'

John Neff — Mon, 07 Aug 2006 16:58:00 EST

Filed under: Gadgets, Government/Legal, Technology

Though you may not realize it, your car is probably equipped with an automotive 'black box'. Also known as Event Data Recorders, these devices record information from a vehicle's various sensors during a crash - everything from airbag performance to the angle of the steering wheel to the speed of the vehicle is retained. Though an estimated 90 percent of new vehicles are shipped with the devices, each manufacturer uses their own hardware, software and file formats.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration will rule on a universal format for Event Data Recorders in the next 30 days, according to Automotive News. While not going so far as to make EDRs mandatory in every new vehicle, the ruling will create a standard format for data collected by EDRs across many different vehicles. The Society of Automotive Engineers has been given the task to come up with the universal format.

The new ruling will only cost automakers about $8 million, which isn't much in the grand scheme of things. To date these black boxes have aided in voluntary recalls and accident investigations, and automakers claim they're used to make vehicles safer. Of course, the real debate is whether information recorded by an EDR can be submitted as evidence against a driver in court. In that case, Big Brother may now be riding shot gun.

[Source: Automotive News - sub. required]

NHTSA creating universal standard for automotive 'black box' originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 07 Aug 2006 16:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Ford Shelby GT500 lives up to name - officially rated at 500HP

John Neff — Tue, 02 May 2006 13:45:00 EST

Filed under: Coupe, Performance, Ford

This summer the most powerful Mustang ever will go on sale, and Ford announced today that it would have 25 more horsepower than originally estimated. The Shelby GT500 was just ran through the Society of Automotive Engineer's ringer of tests and came out the other end with an official rating of 500 hp and 480 ft-lbs. of torque. The supercharged 5.4L V8 uses a roots-type supercharger providing a not insignificant (for OEM) 9 lbs./square inch of boost. Many of the engines components were also borrowed from Ford's supercar, the GT.

This news certainly makes the battle for domestic dominance interesting, with the Dodge Viper rated at 500 hp and 525 ft-lbs. of torque and the Corvette Z06 coming at a perhaps conservative 505 hp and 470 ft-lbs. of torque.

Follow the jump for Ford's full press release.

[Source: Ford]

Continue reading Ford Shelby GT500 lives up to name - officially rated at 500HP

Ford Shelby GT500 lives up to name - officially rated at 500HP originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 02 May 2006 13:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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SAE puts a timeline on powertrain futures

Joel Arellano — Sat, 08 Apr 2006 09:03:00 EST

Filed under: Trends, Hybrid, Green, Technology

At the annual Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE) World Congress this week, speakers and members outlined what powertrains and alternative fuel sources will move tomorrow's vehicles.

All agreed the gasoline engine will continue to dominate the North American market, the world's largest, until at least 2020. However, with technologies such as direct injection and turbocharging, the future gasoline engine may scarcely be recognizable as it delivers fuel economies nearly equal to today's best diesel. As for diesel, panelists noted such engines, which already dominate in Europe, will constitute around 25-percent of cars sold in the U.S. within 15 to 20 years.

Interestingly, everyone was in agreement that hybrids such as the Toyota Prius would probably never go fully mainstream in the market. Even Toyota representative Dave Hermance stated that a 25-percent share would be 'optimistic.'

Other powertrain technologies discussed were BMW's lean-burn engines and hybrid types.

Where do you see future powertrains? Fire away in Comments.

[Source: The Car Connection]

SAE puts a timeline on powertrain futures originally appeared on Autoblog on Sat, 08 Apr 2006 09:03:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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