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 AUTOMOTIVE
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CONTENTS
FEATURES REGULARS
26 New vision @ Gentex COVER STORY 4 Editorial: Beleaguered diesel could
Creating a vital ADAS partner through home-grown R&D and use a break—or a breakthrough
manufacturing in (of all places) western Michigan. 6 SAE Standards News
32 Positioning for hybrid growth Kickoff to begin testing program to validate SAE
J2954 wireless charging Recommended Practice
VEHICLE ELECTRIFICATION
8 Supplier Eye
BorgWarner “modularizes” to provide OEMs optimal electrified-
Will you be an active participant or passive
driveline flexibility.
bystander?
10 The Navigator
For future vehicles, communication equals trust

ON THE COVER 12 Technology Report

Gentex production member Sara Chanthala visually inspects a 12 Tenneco readies new semi-active digital
circuit board that will control the operation of a glare-eliminating suspension for 2020 | CHASSIS
rearview mirror. The “smart mirrors” include diplays, microphones, 14 New 90-degree turbo V6 leads Audi’s
forward-facing cameras, blind-zone alerts and other electronic hybridization blitz | POWERTRAINS | PROPULSION
features. (Gentex Corp. image)
16 GKN using modular control algorithms for added
systems integration | SOFTWARE
18 U of M students engineer new autonomous
shuttle system | AUTONOMOUS
20 Road Ready
Follow us on social media 20 Jaguar’s 2018 E-Pace shares Land Rover bones
22 Ford pumps powertrains for 2018 F-150
24 2018 Subaru Crosstrek moves to new global
platform
@SAEAutoMag @saeaei SAE Magazines
35 Product Briefs Spotlight: Materials
38 Reader Feedback
39 Companies Mentioned, Upcoming
Ad Index
22 40 Q&A
Nissan’s Ponz Pandikithura on EV lifecycle value
Automotive Engineering®, September 2017, Volume 4, Number 8. Automotive Engineering
(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
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

2 September 2017 AUTOMOTIVE ENGINEERING

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 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

Beleaguered diesel could use a break— Associate Editor

Jennifer.Shuttleworth@sae.org
Midwest/Central Canada:
KS, KY, MO, NE, ND, SD, ON, MB

or a breakthrough Lisa Arrigo Bob Casey

Custom Electronic +1.847.223.5225
Products Editor bobc@techbriefs.com
Lisa.Arrigo@sae.org
Start talking car-business “big picture” war, but the battle with fast-moving Rocky Mountain States/NM:
CO, ID, MT, UT, WY, NM
with engineers and the discussion in- electrification technologies, too. Late Contributors Tim Powers
+1.973.409.4762
variably comes to diesel. Is diesel “stick- summer saw German automakers in a Kami Buchholz tpowers@techbriefs.com
Detroit Editor
a-fork-in-it” done? desperate-looking, Cash for Clunkers- Southern CA, AZ, NV:
Stuart Birch Tom Boris
The blowback from Volkswagen’s mimicking gambit to tweak the engine- European Editor +1.949.715.7779
diesel shenanigans for now has caused management software of up to 5 million Jack Yamaguchi tomboris@techbriefs.com
Asia Editor
diesel compatriots BMW and Mercedes- vehicles to bring oxides of nitrogen Northern CA, WA, OR,
Western Canada:
Steven Ashley, Dan Carney,
Benz to almost completely withdraw (NOx) output in line with today’s Euro 6 Terry Costlow, Richard Gardner,
Craig Pitcher
+1.408.778.0300
diesel models from U.S. showrooms. regulations. Oh, and a €500-million Bruce Morey, Paul Weissler cpitcher@techbriefs.com
The VW scandal generated plenty of fund to improve urban air quality.
still-fomenting blowback in Europe, too. But diesel has an emissions-perception DESIGN International
crisis that isn’t going away. Maybe the Europe – Central & Eastern:
But even with pressure from ongoing Lois Erlacher
Creative Director Sven Anacker
gasoline-engine design innovations— answer is to tackle it head-on. Got an Ray Carlson
Britta Steinberg
+49.202.27169.11
Mazda just announced it is ready to emissions problem? Prove to the doubters Associate Art Director sa@intermediapartners.de
steinberg@intermediapartners.de
launch a production compression-igni- you can solve it—and then some.
tion gasoline engine in 2019, for exam- Honda might be adopting exactly that SALES & Europe – Western:
Chris Shaw
ple, and there’s a growing menu of approach. The company recently crowed MARKETING +44.1270.522130
chris.shaw@chrisshawmedia.co.uk
hang-on electrical enhancements for its new European-market 1.6-L iDTCI Joe Pramberger China:
Publisher
gasoline engines—diesel doesn’t quite diesel was one of the world’s first engines joe@techbriefs.com
Alan Ao
+86.21.6140.8920
look dead. After all, what car company to be certified under the watch of the Debbie Rothwell alan.ao@sae.org
Marketing Director
can turn its back on 40% thermal effi- newly-adopted Worldwide Harmonized drothwell@techbriefs.com
Japan:
Shigenori Nagatomo
ciency that comes as easy as falling out Light-Vehicle Test Procedure. A crucial Martha Tress +81.3.3661.6138
Nagatomo-pbi@gol.com
of bed in the morning—bundled with the component of the WLTP is data modeled Recruitment Sales Manager
+1.724.772.7155 South Korea:
luscious, customer-pleasing torque a from on-the-road emissions testing—yes, Martha.Tress@sae.org Eun-Tae Kim
+82-2-564-3971/2
hybrid can’t hope to match? the very same scrutinizing that originally ksae1@ksae.org
Ford powertrain chief engineer Pete exposed VW’s cheating. REGIONAL
Dowding recently told me that diesel’s Honda admits its new diesel achieved SALES Integrated Media
battered at the moment, but points to a its high marks with some slick engine- North America Consultants
strong, high-volume truck market design enhancements and, uh, “a new New England/Eastern Canada: Angelo Danza
+1.973.874.0271
ME, VT, NH, MA, RI, QC
where diesel still is a magic word. Ford NOx Storage Converter (NSC) system Ed Marecki adanza@techbriefs.com
truck buyers, he said, are hungry for the with larger catalysts and a higher con- +1.401.351.0274
emarecki@techbriefs.com
Patrick Harvey
+1.973.409.4686
coming 3-L V6 diesel for the F-150 next tent of noble metals (silver, platinum CT: pharvey@techbriefs.com
spring. And after an emissions-scandal and neodymium) that store nitrogen Stan Greenfield Todd Holtz
+1.203.938.2418 +1.973.545.2566
scare of its own, FiatChrysler sold the oxide gas until the regeneration cycle.” greenco@optonline.net tholtz@techbriefs.com
EPA on an emissions-system repro- If you’re reading “added cost,” go to the Mid-Atlantic/Southeast/TX: Rick Rosenberg
MD, DC, VA, WV, KY, TN, NC, SC, +1.973.545.2565
gramming and FCA’s Ram brand is back head of the class. GA, FL, AL, MS, LA, AR, OK, TX rrosenberg@techbriefs.com
Ray Tompkins
in business with its popular diesel for But until aftertreatment expense can +1.281.313.1004 Scott Williams
light-duty pickups. be reduced or an innovation improves rayt@techbriefs.com +1.973.545.2464
swilliams@techbriefs.com
But the diesel pandemic that engine-out emissions, the best thing
Volkswagen started in the U.S. has bled to the industry can do is to keep bragging
Europe—now even the famously diesel- about acing those new real-world tests. SUBSCRIPTIONS
+1.800.869.6882
worshipping continent has picked up the “Future mobility will definitely de- SOHE@kmpsgroup.com
torches to pursue the Frankenstein mon- pend on state-of-the-art diesels as
ster. Several large cities have diesel bans well,” BMW chairman Harald Krüger
on the books or in play. Britain and declared in a recent statement.
REPRINTS
Jill Kaletha
France propose to prohibit all internal- I agree. But just to be on the safe +1.574.347.4211
jkaletha@mossbergco.com
combustion vehicle sales by 2040. side, the industry needs to get cracking
Even in Germany, the cradle of all to produce the next big diesel-emis-
things compression-ignition, diesel sions breakthrough.
might be losing not just the perception Bill Visnic, Editorial Director

4 September 2017 AUTOMOTIVE ENGINEERING

Free Info at http://info.hotims.com/65855-625
SAE STANDARDS NEWS
Kickoff to begin testing program to validate SAE J2954 wireless
charging Recommended Practice
S
AE International Ground Vehicle
Standards activity is recruiting industry
participants for a Cooperative Research
Project (CRP) for Safe and Interoperable
Wireless Power Transfer (WPT) for charging hy-
brid and electric vehicles.
Automotive Engineering spoke with Jesse
Schneider, Chairman of the SAE J2954
Taskforce, regarding standardization related to
the upcoming SAE WPT CRP testing program
kickoff. “The Recommended Practice for SAE
J2954 is on track to be released later this year, Jennifer
which will provide design and testing guidance Shuttleworth
for Wireless Power Transfer and alignment for Associate Editor
Plug-in Hybrid/Electric Vehicles. Completion of Jennifer.Shuttleworth
the Recommended Practice for J2954 is the next @sae.org
step in the standardization process and provides
specifications up to 11kW, WPT 3,” he said. Part
of that massive, fast-track effort by the SAE J2954 Task Force
to release the final SAE J2954 Standard involves both OEM
and supplier participation in actual vehicle and infrastructure
validation testing for the draft SAE J2954 standard.
In support of this CRP, scheduled to begin this fall, OEMs
and manufacturers of wireless electric vehicle supply equip-
ment (WEVSE) will provide WPT systems, collect data, final-
ize test procedures, validate processes and publish the stan-
dard SAE J2954 – Wireless Power Transfer Standard of Light
Duty Plug-In/Electric Vehicles and Alignment Methodology.
The goal is to complete the CRP in one year, ending in the
second quarter of 2018.
Achieving safe and interoperable wireless charging between
plug-in electric vehicles (PEVs) and plug-in hybrid electric ve-
hicles (PHEVs) and WEVSE infrastructure requires standards
for connectivity, safety and communications that ensure that all
electric vehicles (EVs) can recharge safely and with high effi-
ciency at any wireless charging station—and in addition have
Testing WPT3 wireless-charging coil sets from WiTricity.
6 September 2017
two-way communication with utilities to enable
billing, reservation of parking spaces and other
features also useful for autonomous vehicles.
The project involves conducting testing at
three laboratories in the United States: Idaho
National Laboratory (INL) in Idaho Falls, ID;
Argonne National Laboratory (ANL) in Argonne,
IL; and TDK Research and Development Corp. in
Cedar Park, TX. Keith Wilson, SAE’s Project
Manager, Technical Programs - Global Ground
Vehicle Standards, said that bench testing will
begin in the fall, followed by the full-vehicle test-
ing beginning in 2018.
He explained that “many international auto-
makers and suppliers have joined this coopera-
tive effort that includes bench and vehicle test-
ing, which will give us valuable data to validate
the future standard.”
To date, seven OEM participants (BMW, Ford, General
Motors, Honda, Hyundai, Nissan and Toyota) and seven wire-
less charging suppliers (Continental, Delphi, IHI, Kaist, Lear,
Qualcomm and WiTricity) have submitted letters of intent to
join the project.
“One of the benefits of being involved in this CRP is that
participants can share and receive test data from other ve-
hicles and WEVSE systems that will be used to refine the
standard,” Wilson said.
Interested participants may contact Keith Wilson at
keith.wilson@sae.org for further details.
Autonomous Standards Webinar
In other Standards-related news, SAE International is hosting
“Autonomous Vehicle Standards – A Comprehensive Discussion”
on Wednesday, November 8, 2017 at noon (U.S. EDT).
Sponsored by National Instruments, this SAE Standards
Webinar will provide an overview of the cur-
rent key standards in the Automated Vehicle
Sector: SAE J3016 (Taxonomy and
Definitions), SAE J3018 (Safe Testing of
Highly Automated Vehicles on Public Roads),
and SAE J3131 Automated Driving Reference
Architecture. Speakers for the event are Dan
Bartz, Automated Vehicle Engineer/Strategist,
Fiat Chrysler Automobiles, and Barbara
Wendling, Principal Engineer - Automated
Driving, Mercedes-Benz R&D, North America.
The session will be moderated by SAE
International’s Lisa Arrigo.
Registration and further details can be
WITRICITY
found at https://event.webcasts.com/
starthere.jsp?ei=1156012.
AUTOMOTIVE ENGINEERING
Free Info at http://info.hotims.com/65855-605
SUPPLIER EYE
Will you be an active participant or passive bystander?
O
ver the past several months, there has
been increased visibility to the march
of both electrified powertrains (still
using an internal-combustion engine)
and fully-electric vehicles penetrating the indus-
try. Several Europe-based premium OEMs have
signaled that one should only expect the ICE as
part of a larger electrification strategy into the
next decade.
In prior Supplier Eye columns, we’ve noted
that there will be a reduction in the pace of the
development of all-new ICEs as OEMs shift capi-
tal and resources toward electrification. For
most automakers, it is not a matter of if but
when—the ‘when’ being the contentious part.
It is important, though, to highlight that elec-
trification is just one cog in the drive towards
reduced vehicle emissions. Other powertrain
improvements, aerodynamic improvements, re-
duction of parasitic loses and lightweighting
also are critical to this mission. In addition to
these major shifts, the march towards SAE Level
4/5 vehicle autonomy will have a significant im-
pact on the industry ecosphere—sales, service,
finance and the role of suppliers of all tiers. This
includes those involved in raw materials, ma-
chine/tool build, sub-assemblies and final pro-
duction. Changes will increasingly be apparent—
particularly for those that don’t have to manage
a presence in the aftermarket.
A couple of examples should put this in per-
spective. Think about a component as simple
as a front strut tower. On many vehicle plat-
forms, we already have witnessed the selective
shift of these from a heavier multi-piece fabri-
cated steel assembly to an optimized one-piece
cast aluminum structure. The downstream im-
pacts are profound.
The steel-to-aluminum substitution alters the
manufacturing strategy for both the OEM and
supplier. It demands a new joining/isolating
process (rivets/fasteners) away from traditional
spot welding and spurs a drastic reduction in
the number and types of tools and molds, as
well as sub-assembly requirements. In this case,
the shift to a cast-aluminum structure cascades
through the entire supply chain. It also impacts
raw material supply, the approach to vehicle
8 September 2017
repair and ultimately, recycling.
There are other examples. Several OEMs have
implemented or considered SMC (sheet-molded
composite) rear decklids to drive mass reduction,
tooling-cost reduction and gain the ability to
paint and assemble these systems offline to re-
duce complexity at the final assembly plant. The
lower tooling cost (and speed to market) of using
molds versus dies is a significant advantage.
The impact of tooling, materials, specialized
processes and joining technologies all have a
Michael Robinet downstream impact which requires one to think
Managing Director beyond the obvious.
IHS Markit The machine tool industry should especially
michael.robinet take note of these structural shifts. Driven by a
@ihsmarkit.com discerning customer base, there will be a healthy
cadence of all-new or major vehicle launches
impacting styling for exterior and interior com-
As the ponents. Combined with the slow but steady
industry shift towards common platforms, it will alter the
dynamics of changes beneath the skin.
retools itself Another factor is the OEMs’ waning focus on
for vehicle powertrain investment. As the number of new
engine families designed globally decline into
autonomy and the next decade, opportunities for new tool
electrification, build and machine replacement and upgrading
due to process turnover will start to slip as well.
it is doubtful Beyond the obvious shifts towards increased
the entire electrification and increased levels of autono-
my, virtually every functional system will be
supply base altered, enhanced or possibly eliminated.
will benefit. Within these shifts, Tier 1 suppliers and OEMs
will seek to simplify production systems, opti-
mize value and reduce waste. Those down-
stream suppliers involved in high-capital-re-
quirement industries should especially take
note and understand their role in the value
equation.
As the industry retools itself over the next
couple of decades, it is doubtful the entire sup-
ply base will benefit.
Scale economies, global- and major-market
capability, leverageable intellectual property,
value-driven partnerships and the ability to be
proactive with customers will determine future
prosperity.
Being an active participant instead of a pas-
sive bystander will be critical.
AUTOMOTIVE ENGINEERING
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THE NAVIGATOR
For future vehicles, communication equals trust
I
t’s said that communication is the key to trust.
Between us humans, we need to honestly
communicate our intentions to build trust. But
in any relationship, communicating can be a
complex problem and parties often don’t draw
the same conclusions from the same message.
Now shift the relationship from person-to-
person to person-to-automated vehicle with
“intentions” that may be far more opaque. That’s
the challenge facing Dr. Melissa Cefkin and her
colleagues at Nissan—and every other company
involved in autonomous-vehicle development— Sam Abuelsamid
as we move into the next era of mobility. Senior Analyst
Although we traditionally think of vehicle de- Navigant Research
velopment as the province of engineers and de- Sam@
signers, the promise of automated driving has abuelsamid.com
drawn a plethora of new skillsets into the pro-
cess. Along with lawyers, ethicists and data sci-
entists, there are anthropologists like Dr. Cefkin. Self-driving
As a principal scientist and design anthropolo-
gist at Nissan’s Silicon Valley research center,
vehicles
Cefkin and her team are studying how people will have to
perceive vehicles that don’t have human drivers
and how they will coexist in future cities.
clearly provide
Traversing a busy subway station, throngs of feedback
people seem to move seamlessly, but there are
constant glances around, microexpressions de-
to other
tected on faces or movements of a shoulder as vehicles and
someone slips through the crowd. When you pedestrians
cross a busy street, you may exchange a quick
glance with an approaching driver and that’s all about their
it takes to judge whether it’s safe to go—or intentions.
whether it’s better to wait and let the car pass.
Humans are remarkably adaptable and sensi-
tive to nuances that make society work. It’s
something we learn as we grow from infancy.
Nissan’s IDS Concept displays messages that normally might be relayed between two
humans via exchanged visual cues.
10 September 2017
It’s far from a flawless process, though.
Regardless of whether someone is riding in the
vehicle, these machines will have to provide
feedback to other vehicles and pedestrians
about their intentions and in turn read signals
from other entities in the driving environment.
As we hopefully have learned, adding technol-
ogy to any ecosystem typically adds a range of
new challenges and problems. A stroll down a
Manhattan street bombards people with sights
and sounds of traffic and personal interactions. In a
world of autonomous electric vehicles, the sound
and visualscape changes dramatically. Such new
stimuli can be overwhelming.
“People will have to adapt and change to the
new visual cues they must interpret,” said Cefkin.
“They need to understand quickly if the car has
seen me, in order to build the necessary trust.”
Nissan and Toyota, among other OEMs, have
shown concept automated vehicles that leverage a
variety of interesting external-display techniques
designed to provide these messages. Nissan’s IDS
Concept has a digital signboard in the windshield
that displays messages to other road users.
However, if every automaker goes its own way
with these feedback systems, it will make it expo-
nentially more difficult for pedestrians to interpret
an automated vehicle’s likely behavior.
“I’m personally committed to developing har-
monization,” Cefkin added in regard to these
signals. While preliminary discussions have be-
gun on standards, it’s still premature to lock
down much of anything.
Another approach Cefkin highlights is motion
cues. For all the perception limitations humans
have, it appears “the most expressive thing
about vehicles is their motion.” People can de-
tect changes in acceleration, for example, that
give clues to intent.
In the two years since Cefkin joined Nissan,
much of the public effort around vehicle autono-
my has been directed at developing the core
technologies of perception, mapping and con-
trol. But her feedback-stimuli efforts are equally
important to the deployment process.
Done wrong, the results of poor communica-
tion between people and automated vehicles
“could be most profound with mistrust and dis-
comfort” that kills adoption before it can really
take hold, Cefkin warns.
With the untold billions of dollars invested—
NISSAN
and yet to be invested—in autonomous-vehicle
development, I doubt anybody wants that.
AUTOMOTIVE ENGINEERING
Free Info at http://info.hotims.com/65855-607
TECHNOLOGY
REPORT
CHASSIS
Tenneco readies new semi-active digital suspension for 2020
Inside Tenneco’s DRiV damper showing the modular design. The
unit offers eight discreet damping settings with or without a
driver interface and includes a simplified “gateway” module.
One enduring challenge of engineering commer-
cial pickup trucks is how to make the vehicles
ride and handle comfortably when unloaded
without diminishing their crucial hauling and
towing capabilities. Since 2002, chassis-technol-
ogy supplier Tenneco has offered continuously
variable semi-active suspension (CVSA) systems
to address this need, but it soon will launch a
simpler, less expensive semi-active damping sys-
tem called DRiV (Digital Ride Valve). It is aimed
initially at pickups and truck-based SUVs.
Tenneco’s CVSAe systems use an external
electronic valve to adjust damper compression
in real time to road inputs and the vehicle’s
body reactions to them. Their infinite damping
curves (within minimum/maximum limits) are
created by a computer algorithm that drives
the valve’s reactions to wheel and body mo-
tions provided by sensors on the vehicle. The
costlier CVSA2 system uses two electro-hy-
draulic valves to independently control both
compression and rebound for a larger tuning
range and higher levels of comfort and control.
But the simpler DRiV digital suspension tech-
nology now under development for a 2020
launch has an integrated modular design with
sensors and software controls nestled inside the
damper itself. With no external valve or electronic
control unit, Tenneco says DRiV is easy to inte-
grate into the vehicle’s existing suspension with
little re-engineering of mechanical or electrical
12 September 2017
SAE INTERNATIONAL
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
systems. It offers eight discreet damping Douglas Patton
settings with or without a driver interface President
(it can be driver activated through an in- Cuneyt L. Oge
fotainment screen or drive mode selector) 2016 President
and uses a simplified “gateway” module Mircea Gradu, PhD
that provides cybersecurity and commu- 2018 President Elect
nication with the vehicle’s existing con- Robert L. Ireland
troller area network (CAN) bus. Vice President – Aerospace
Carla Bailo
No added sensors Vice President – Automotive
DriV is “unique in the market,” claimed Landon Sproull
Tenneco Vice President and Chief Vice President –
Technology Officer Ben Patel in a June Commercial Vehicle
release. He said the damper’s simplified Pierre Alegre
design and ability to quickly adapt to Treasurer
road surfaces and conditions “make it David L. Schutt, PhD
an excellent option for manufacturers Chief Executive Officer
looking for an easy-to-integrate solution Gregory L. Bradley, Esq.
Secretary
for improved ride performance in any
vehicle segment, at an affordable cost.” Haoran Hu, PhD
As Automotive Engineering experi- Alain P. Jablonowski
enced in a series of low-speed test drives James R. Keller
of Chevrolet Silverados over and through strate- Donald Nilson
gically placed surface events and chicanes at Eric Tech
Waterford Hills Raceway near Pontiac, MI, the
Gareth Williams, PhD
DRiV dampers improved both ride and handling
Todd Zarfos
while significantly reducing shake, bounce and
brake dive. There was no question that the
SAE Publications Board
DRiV-equipped truck, both unloaded and with
David B. Stout - Chair
400 lb (181 kg) of ballast behind its rear axle,
Mohamed El-Sayed, PhD
was dramatically better in feel and performance
than the near-identically equipped stock truck. Derek J. Logan
Daniel Keil, Chief Engineer of Tenneco’s OE Ronald D. Matthews, PhD
Business, Vehicle Dynamics and Product June Ogawa
Engineering, explained that the DRiV system Dr. Andrew C. Pickard
doesn’t require sensors added to the vehicle Mark Zachos
body or chassis. “The PCBA, the printed circuit
board inside the damper, has sensors, acceler- SAE Sections
ometers and all the electronics intelligence in- and Affiliate Activities
SAE International offers educational and
tegrated into it,” he said, “and we use data networking opportunities at the grassroots
level through more than 80 sections
from sensors already on the vehicle. We also around the world. Sections are currently
get steering, braking, tow/haul and off-road located in Belarus, Canada, Colombia,
Ecuador, Egypt, Hong Kong, Israel, Italy,
mode CAN message data from the vehicle.” Malaysia, Mexico, Romania, Russia, Taiwan,
U.K., Ukraine, U.S., and Venezuela. SAE
Regarding vehicle integration, OEMs will also operates affiliates in Brazil and India.
have to integrate communications to the gate- More information about sections, along
with a complete listing and links, can be
way [the interface between Tenneco’s and the found at www.sae.org/sections.
OEM’s system] and harnesses to the DRiV sys-
tem will have to be completed. Then, “the cali-
bration will be a joint effort between us and
them,” Keil said. “It fits in the same space
where a normal shock does, so the rest of the
TENNECO
suspension does not have to be touched.”
Gary Witzenburg
AUTOMOTIVE ENGINEERING
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TECHNOLOGY REPORT
POWERTRAINS | PROPULSION
New 90-degree turbo V6 leads Audi’s hybridization blitz
Audi’s all-new 3.0-L turbocharged gas-
oline V6, rated at 354 hp and 369 lb·ft
(264 kW and 500 N·m, respectively)
debuted recently in the 2018 SQ5 cross-
over. The V6 is the first engine pro-
duced under a new powertrain strategy
that sees Audi lead development on V6
engines, handing responsibility for gas
V8s to Porsche. Audi retains control of
the 3.0-L and 4.0-L TDI diesel engines.
Development of vee engines and fuel
cells is concentrated at Audi’s
Neckarsulm R&D site with 2,500 engi-
neers led by the recently appointed Dr.
Franz Bäumel. Speaking to Automotive
Engineering at the SQ5 media launch,
Bäumel predicted that by 2025, one-
third of Audi’s fleet would be electrically
powered, the balance by ICEs. Beyond
that date, the ICE would continue to be
developed as it is “the best compromise
for power and efficiency,” in addition to
hydrogen and gas-powered vehicles.
‘Strategic cooling’
Designated EA839, the new, long-stroke
V6’s bore and stroke measure 84.5 x 89
mm. The deep-skirted cylinder block
uses steel liners. Unusually for a contem-
porary V6, its cylinder banks feature a
90° vee; a factor in this design is to
package the turbocharger within the
vee. To offset the second-order vibration
inherent in this layout, a balance shaft is
located within the vee. Newly developed
rings for the aluminum pistons help re-
duce friction. In fully-dressed form, the
14 September 2017
The all-new EA839’s bore and stroke measure
84.5 x 89 mm. The deep-skirted cylinder block
uses steel liners and employs a balance shaft.
The turbocharged is packaged within the vee.
engine weighs 379 lb (172 kg).
The new TFSI (direct-injected and
turbocharged) engine family, which
includes a high-performance 2.9-L vari-
ant rated at 450 hp (335 kW) and 442
lb·ft (600 N·m) includes centrally-locat-
ed injectors, which Audi engineers
claim are vital in the operation of the
B-cycle combustion process that also is
used on VW’s EA888 gasoline 4-cylin-
der unit. The company bills B-cycle as a
further development of the Miller cycle.
In the B-cycle process, the intake
valves close well before the piston
reaches BDC. This unusually short
opening time keeps the fresh-
gas flow comparatively
small, artificially creat-
ing a smaller dis-
placement. When
the piston moves
back up after
Quattro driveline
in the 2018 SQ5 is
in the vanguard
of Audi’s
hybridization play.
reaching BDC, the compression phase
starts later than in a conventional en-
gine. This allows a high geometric com-
pression ratio of 11.2:1—with combustion
occurring in a relatively small combus-
tion chamber.
Compared with the compression
phase, the expansion phase has been
extended and the longer expansion of
the gas increases efficiency.
The twin-scroll turbocharger lies within
the vee with the exhaust branches from
both banks running separately until merg-
ing directly ahead of the turbine wheel.
This configuration contributes to im-
proved throttle response and the wide
peak torque band from 1370 to 4500 rpm,
according to Audi engineers. Peak power
is developed from 5400 to 6400 rpm.
Hybrids across the range
Powertrain engineer Andreas Fröhlich
was keen to emphasize that the V6
starts Audi’s mild-hybrid program when
it launches for the 2018 A8. It uses an
integrated belt-driven starter to aug-
ment the standard starter, allowing the
engine to be switched off and discon-
nected from the transmission for up to
45 s ‘coasting’ at speeds between 18
mph (30 kph) and 100 mph (160 kph).
Audi engineers claim 0.7 L/100 km con-
sumption savings on the current NEDC
cycle. A lithium-ion battery in the 48-V
loop restarts the engine within 300 ms.
The fuel saving for the mild-hybrid version
is 0.2 US gal/62.1 mi on the NEDC cycle.
The automatic coasting function is
controlled via the forward-facing cam-
era and the radar system. However, if
the camera is obscured by rain, for ex-
ample, the system won’t operate.
Fröhlich explained that Audi is the
“center of excellence” for the technol-
ogy within VAG and that there will be a
rapid roll-out of this mild hybridization
across the model range. All Audis will
feature the technology before the end
of this decade and it will be used on
both gasoline and diesel engines mated
to either direct-shift gearboxes (DSG)
or torque-converter automatics.
AUDI
Ian Adcock
AUTOMOTIVE ENGINEERING
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TECHNOLOGY REPORT

SOFTWARE

GKN using modular control algorithms for added systems integration

At its Lohmar, Germany, R&D facility,
GKN Driveline is creating modular con-
trol algorithms for new applications in-
cluding integration of drivetrain software
into a vehicle’s overall control system.
Control software for an AWD or electric
driveline system demands more than a
megabyte of code in multiple layers, while
the sheer volume of software code per
vehicle has increased dramatically. One
2019-model SUV using GKN technology
will feature 10 times as much software
code as its 2014 predecessor, according to
Michael Schomisch, the Software and
Electronics Manager at Lohmar.
He noted that with rapidly increasing
technical complexity of vehicle systems
comes “the increasingly challenging
ary teams from its Lohmar, Auburn Hills
(USA) and Shanghai facilities.
The company’s specialist teams mod-
el the system’s physics and graphically
create control algorithms to embed into
a microprocessor. After simulation and
rapid prototyping facilities provide early
validation, GKN undertakes rig tests
and vehicle integration activities on
GKN developed a new
range of controllers
to manage its
advanced electrified
drivetrains such as
used in the BMW
i8 with 2-speed
e-transmission.
teams throughout this process.
This is crucial because for many pro-
grams GKN is “entirely responsible for
the software development and integra-
tion,” Schomisch said. “Each controller
contains various layers of software.
These include the basic operating sys-
tem, connectivity applications, and the
drivers for electronic actuators.”

BOTH IMAGES: GKN

task of synchronizing the various sys- OEM development programs at its win- A general-application software layer
tems to work together.” To do this, ter test sites. Software development provides the interface between the
GKN’s “unique” modular algorithm ap- and integration teams are fully incorpo- driveline’s functions and other electric
proach brings together multi-disciplin- rated into the vehicle engineering systems in the vehicle. These different

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 TECHNOLOGY REPORT

for vehicle occupants to be disturbed communicate with other vehicle sys-

by a high-pitch whine resonating from
the electric driveline through the ve-
hicle structure.
Equally crucial: the software devel-
oped to manage the driveline can
tems, so that data can be analyzed and
acted on as part of the control strate-
gies. It also has to securely accept
over-the-air (OTA) updates.
Stuart Birch

GKN Twinster AWD system, as fitted to

the Opel Insignia.

layers of software interact but have

“distinct areas of responsibility,” he said.

Providing control on multiple levels

Driveline energy losses have been reduced
by around 25% on recent programs,
Schomisch said, and now account for only
10% of the total energy losses associated
with transferring torque from the motor to
the wheels. Much of this progress has
been achieved through more precise con-
trol of the driveline subsystems.
For example, in GKN’s Twinster twin-
clutch rear drive module that is fitted to
the current Ford Focus RS and various
GM vehicles, a vehicle dynamics control-
ler manages the on-demand AWD, limit-
ed-slip and torque vectoring strategies
(including the over-speed offset which,
in the Focus RS, is exploited further with
Drift mode), and the integration with the
vehicle’s ABS and ESC systems.
The system is operated by an actua-
tor controller and a vehicle dynamics
controller. The actuator controller man-
ages the twin-clutch actuation to
achieve very fast response rates. It also
monitors and adapts to clutch tempera-
ture, compensates for clutch wear, man-
ages the wide clutch opening (to re-
duce drag torque) and delivers a self-
diagnostic capability.

New controllers for electric drives

Even more complex software is used to
control GKN’s eDrive. A completely
new range of controllers was devel-
oped to manage advanced electrified
drivetrains, including the system in
BMW’s i8, which has a 2-speed elec-
tronic transmission.
For this system, software within the
driveline plays a vital role in managing
the frequency levels emitted from the
components; it would be unacceptable

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TECHNOLOGY REPORT
AUTONOMOUS
U of M students engineer new autonomous shuttle system
Evolving to stay relevant in the fast-
changing Engineering world is a chal-
lenge faced by every institution of high-
er learning. In 2013, educators at the
University of Michigan’s Dearborn cam-
pus inspired by a National Academy of
Engineering study took this evolution
seriously with an initiative called
“Preparing the Engineer of 2020.”
Outdated lectures, text books and lab
experiments were replaced by a fresh
Design, Build and Test curriculum. New
lean-startup courses addressing cus-
tomer discovery techniques were add-
ed. The goal was to assure that engi-
neering students graduated with the
skills they’d need to be productive at
the very start of their careers.
A prime example of the Design, Build,
Test approach is an autonomous shuttle
under development for implementation
at the Dearborn campus next year. The
seed for this project was planted when
the nearby Henry Ford Museum
Stereo-camera vision developed in the UofM-Dearborn Visual Odometry lab, along with lidar
sensors under study, will define the location and trajectory of objects in the shuttle’s path. The
development team aims to improve the route infrastructure by programming traffic signs and
overhead lights to communicate with the driverless vehicles.
18 September 2017
embraced autonomy as one of its core
areas of emphasis. Why not provide an
autonomous shuttle to ferry visitors be-
tween the Amtrak station and the mu-
seum, pondered one U of M-Dearborn
educator. A few months of study re-
vealed the broad scope of such an un-
dertaking, the idea evolved into a more-
attainable on-campus service dedicated
to faculty, staff and student use.
Anthony England, dean of the College
of Engineering and Computer Science,
recognized the merits of the project and
authorized seed funding earlier this year.
Engineering professors and their stu-
dents then began building the shuttle’s
foundation: selecting a suitable vehicle
platform; engineering drive-by-wire sys-
tems for guidance, propulsion, braking,
and signaling; and creating three-dimen-
sional GPS maps of the campus.
The vehicle of choice is a six-passenger
Polaris GEM. This light-weight “neighbor-
hood” EV has a top speed of 25 mph
(40.2 kph) and quick battery-charging
capability. All the controls and equipment
necessary for by-wire operation have
been designed, built and tested in the
laboratory per the university’s new edu-
cational doctrine. GPS maps now in hand
will enable the first test vehicle to drive
autonomously on the planned 1.8-mi
(2.8-km)-long campus route sometime
next year. By the end of 2018, free shut-
tles are expected to be in full service.
The next phase is fundraising—secur-
ing partners willing to share some of
the cost in exchange for access to the
autonomous shuttles and their operat-
ing environment. Industry partners cur-
rently are supporting 60% of the re-
search conducted at U of M- Dearborn.
Explained Sridhar Lakshmanan, an
Electrical and Computer Engineering pro-
fessor, “Standards for the performance of
lidar and other sensors don’t exist today.
Our live autonomous laboratory provides
an excellent means of filling that void.” He
adds that autonomous capability will be
phased in incrementally.
“We’ll start with the GPS map base,
which identifies roadways, traffic signs,
and the like, but not variable hazards
such as pedestrians,” he noted. “Then
we’ll add stereo-camera vision devel-
oped in our Visual Odometry lab to de-
fine the location and trajectory of any
object in the shuttle’s path. Lidar sen-
sors—also under study here—will add
more size, distance, and object move-
U OF M-DEARBORN ELECTRICAL AND COMPUTER ENGINEERING DEPT.
ment detail.”
Lakshmanan and Richardson are
quick to point out the key difference
between the Dearborn shuttle and a
similar service that begins later this
year at the University of Michigan’s Ann
Arbor campus.
“The French supplier NAVYA is manu-
facturing the Ann Arbor shuttles in
ready-to-operate form,” noted
Lakshmanan. “While that system will be
useful for gathering autonomous ve-
hicle data, engineering students there
will miss out on the design, build, and
test opportunities we’re offering with
our Dearborn project.”
Don Sherman
AUTOMOTIVE ENGINEERING
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ROAD
READY
Jaguar’s 2018 E-Pace shares Land Rover bones
Panoramic roof is fixed for the Jaguar E-Pace; opening facility would have increased weight
and therefore raised the center of gravity and cost. Cd is 0.325.
Jaguar revealed its all-new 2018 E-Pace
compact SUV in London in July. The
5-seat E-Pace joins its larger F-Pace
cousin to take the company further into
SUV territory. The E-Pace also is the
first Jaguar to be produced outside of
Britain, in Austria and China.
Initially, with its U.K. facilities close to
capacity, Jaguar Land Rover (JLR) has
partnered with engineering and con-
tract-manufacturing specialist Magna
Steyr in Graz, Austria, for E-Pace pro-
duction. Beginning next year, it will also
be manufactured for the Chinese mar-
ket at Chery JLR’s facility in Changshu.
The forthcoming all-electric Jaguar
I-Pace will be Graz-built, too.
Jaguar labels its new transverse-en-
gined AWD a “compact performance SUV
with sports-car looks,” noting that the
vehicle borrows some aesthetic cues from
the F-Type coupe. An optional R-Dynamic
pack further adds to its image.
Director of Design Ian Callum and his
team were determined to distinguish the
car from the common SUV signature, he
told Automotive Engineering. It’s a tough
task, so they used a similar coupe-like
roofline to that of the F-Type.
Said Callum: “The most challenging
thing is to get a car of this type’s size and
proportions to look dramatic and exciting.
We worked to make it look different from
other SUVs; to make it look very dynamic.
Proportion is everything, including the
wheels which are 21-inch.” To disguise
front-end overhang, the car has cham-
fered corner, he added. Cd is 0.325.
20 September 2017
Based on an adapted Land Rover D8 architecture,
mostly steel and with transverse engine, the 2018
E-Pace gets AWD but one version will be FWD.
Steel-intensive body
Graham Wilkins, Chief Product
Engineer, said the car’s architecture is
derived from the D8 used for the Land
Rover Evoque and Discovery Sport.
The integral-link rear suspension is
conceptually similar to that used for
the XE, XF and F-Pace. Wilkins noted
that the electric-assist steering “ben-
efits a great deal from learning with
the XF and XE.”
Riding on a 2981-mm (117.3-in) wheel-
base, the E-Pace measures 4395 mm
(173 in) long overall and stands 1649
mm (65 in) tall. It is powered by vari-
ants of JLR’s 2.0-L Ingenium family of
diesel and gasoline units (see http://
articles.sae.org/13353/) and (http://
papers.sae.org/2015-01-2298/), with a
power spread from 110 kW to 221 kW
(147 to 297 hp). The torquiest among
these produces a claimed 500 N·m (369
lb·ft). Best claimed acceleration to 100
kph (62 mph) is 6.4 s and the car’s CO2
rating is 124 g/km.
Unlike its aluminum-intensive stable-
mates, E-Pace has a steel-intensive
body structure and chassis. Variants
weigh (EU unladen) between 1775
kg/3913 lb (front-drive D150 version)
and 1894 kg/4176 lb for an AWD P300.
Aluminum is used for the hood, front
fenders, roof panel and liftgate.
High formability (0.7-mm/.027-in
thick) steel is used for the bodysides—
another contributor to mass reduction,
as is the cast-magnesium cross-car
beam.
First ‘Active’ AWD
Most fuel efficient of the Ingenium en-
gines is the 110-kW (148-hp) diesel driv-
ing only the front wheels—the first FWD
Jaguar since the X-type. The diesel uses
low-flow injectors to help toward a
combined fuel consumption figure of
4.7 L/100 km and 2124 g/km of CO2
emissions. That’s with 6-speed manual
gearbox and 17-in wheels.
The gasoline versions deliver a choice
of 183 kW or 221 kW (245 or 297 hp).
Engineers said upgrades to the car’s
twin-scroll turbocharger deliver up to
26% more air compared to the previous
version. A CVVL (Continuously Variable
Valve Lift) system is fitted. The gas en-
gine is paired with either the 6-speed
manual or close-ratio ZF 9-speed 9HP.
The Active Driveline AWD setup is
claimed to be a first for Jaguar, with
advanced torque-biasing providing
rear-drive characteristics, including
power-oversteer drifts; nearly 100% of
available torque can be transferred to
the rear axle when required. Two inde-
pendent electronically-controlled wet-
plate clutches distribute torque be-
tween the rear wheels.
The car has a specially tuned semi-
solid mounted front subframe designed
to provide a stiffer structure including
solid mounts. This contributes to “ex-
ceptional drive dynamics,” according to
Mike Cross, Chief Engineer, Vehicle
Integrity. Aluminum suspension compo-
JAGUAR
nents are used extensively.
Stuart Birch
AUTOMOTIVE ENGINEERING
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ROAD READY

Ford pumps powertrains for 2018 F-150

It’s tough at the moment to sell a car to a
U.S. customer, so wily automakers—or
For 2018, Ford has
enhanced power and
efficiency for three of
the F-150 pickup’s five
engines and revised
front-end styling with
a total of six new
grilles.
pickup fresh, so for 2018 the light-duty
F-150 line gets a light face-freshening and
modate the twin direct-injection (DI)
and port fuel-injection (PFI) setup that
all 2018 F-150 engines use, so horse-
power is up by eight, to 290 hp, and
torque runs to 265 lb·ft (359 N·m), a 12
lb·ft (16 N·m) hike.
Pete Dowding, Ford Powertrain’s well-
travelled chief engineer, told Automotive
Engineering the cost of moving all the
F-150’s engines to the direct- and indi-
rect-injection layout is justified by the
increased fuel economy the design per-
mits—largely because of the higher
compression ratios (CR) available from
overlaying PFI onto DI. At high load, DI
cools the cylinder sufficiently to main-
tain a high CR without high-octane un-
leaded. At lower loads, “the DI system

BOTH IMAGES: FORD

those at a fortuitous place in their product
cycles—are doubling down on trucks and
crossovers. Regardless of that, nobody
would ever expect Ford to hang back
when it comes to keeping the F-Series
tasty rework of its powertrain lineup.
At the starting end of the F-150’s
current five-engine range, the former
3.5-L V6 is reduced to 3.3-L, but fear
not: its all-new cylinder heads accom-
bleeds off,” Dowding said, and PFI takes
priority, delivering efficient cylinder-fill
while still reaping the BMEP benefit of
higher compression.
For the newly-downsized V6, the twin-

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22 September 2017 Free Info at http://info.hotims.com/65855-615 AUTOMOTIVE ENGINEERING

 ROAD READY

injection system
allows a CR in-
crease from 10.8:1 to
12:1. For the heavily-
revised 2.7-L turbo-
charged DOHC V6,
the next engine up
the F-150 food
chain, CR goes from
10:1 to 10.3:1 and for
the pickup’s lithe
“Coyote” 5-L DOHC
V8, CR is boosted
from 10.5:1 to 12:1.
The equally im-
portant benefit, Thanks to direct and port fuel injection, the 2018
however, is a slight F-150’s 2.7-L turbocharged V6 has substantially
more torque and increased fuel economy.
but meaningful fu-
el-economy boost
for all three engines. Depending on 4x2 or 4X4 configuration,
fuel efficiency increases by at least 1 or 2 mpg in the city or high-
way cycles or on both drive cycles.
As a final tweak for 2018 fuel-economy ratings, the 2.7-L
and 5-L engines now all are backed by Ford’s 10-speed auto-
matic transmission introduced last year for F-150s using the
3.5-L turbocharged V6 in standard and high-output configu-
ration. Only the 3.3-L V6 continues in 2018 with a 6-speed
automatic. The 10-speed automatics all feature stop-start
technology as standard.
The 2.7-L turbocharged V6 maintains its existing 325-hp
rating but torque is increased by 25 lb·ft (34 N·m) to an even
400 lb·ft (542 N·m) for 2018.

Plasma-coating for high volume

In addition to the 5-L V8’s performance upgrades, the engine
also now features the plasma-transfer wire arc (PTWA) bore-
coating technique Ford introduced in 2010 for the high-per-
formance 5.4-L V8 powering the 2011 Mustang GT500—and
also was used for the cylinders of the 5.2-L variant of today’s
“Voodoo” V8 family in the Mustang GT350.
From the start, Ford said it was testing the process in the
hope of decreasing its throughput time, making it applicable
to higher-volume engines.
“We always had this vision we could move that forward,”
Dowding said, “to cascade it through to the rest of the Coyote
family. It’s pretty exciting.”
In a detail for hard-core Ford V8 aficionados, Dowding said
the use of the PTWA cylinder coating enabled a slight increase
in bore, generating an overall displacement that’s now 5.04-L
compared with 4.94-L for the superceded V8 with its iron cyl-
inder liners. Dowding said the engine also drops somewhere
between 5-7 lb (2.3-3.2 kg) by losing the cylinder liners.
For the plasma-coated V8, power increases from 385 hp to 395
hp and torque from 387 lb·ft (525 N·m) to 400 lb·ft.
Bill Visnic

AUTOMOTIVE ENGINEERING Free Info at http://info.hotims.com/65855-613 23

ROAD READY
2018 Subaru Crosstrek moves to new global platform
Twenty years ago, Fuji Heavy Industries
(FHI) engineers first leveraged the sub-
compact Subaru Impreza platform to
create the popular Forester CUV. They
again used Impreza to create the 2012
Crosstrek, which became the brand’s
third-best-selling model in the U.S. and
number two in sales among B-segment
CUVs. Now comes a much-improved,
second-generation 2018 Crosstrek;
company engineers claim it’s 95% new.
It’s underpinned by the all-new and
substantially stiffer Subaru Global
Platform (SGP), which brings improved
ride, handling and NVH attenuation, as
Automotive Engineering determined dur-
ing the recent media launch. Crosstrek is
the second Subaru underpinned by the
new SGP, following the 2017 Impreza.
Eventually all new models—from the 2019
Ascent three-row CUV to new WRX,
Forester, Legacy and Outback models—
will use this architecture.
The 2018 Crosstrek includes a new multimedia
system with Android Auto and Apple CarPlay
capability and many new driver-assist
technologies.
24 September 2017
To create the 2018 Crosstrek,
FHI engineers increased
the wheelbase by
1.2-in over the
previous model.
Overall length
and width are
also increased.
Ground clearance
is 8.7 in.
The 2018 Crosstrek rides on a 104.9-in
(2664-mm) wheelbase, an increase of 1.2
in (30.4 mm) over the previous model.
Overall length and width are increased
0.6 in (15.2 mm) and 0.9 in (23 mm),
respectively. The 60/40 split flat-folding
seats and widened liftgate opening pro-
vide improved cargo loading and greater
utility. Ground clearance is 8.7 in (221
mm); wheels are 17 in.
Besides the vehicle’s new exterior
and interior, the vehicle is equipped
with an upgraded (80% new), direct-
injected 2.0L horizontally-opposed
‘boxer’ four-cylinder gasoline engine,
Active Torque Vectoring driveline, trac-
tion-enhancing X-Mode for off-road use
(standard with the continuously-vari-
able transmission), a new multimedia
system with Android Auto and Apple
CarPlay capability and many new driv-
er-assist technologies.
Alternative to axle decoupling
With 12% more high-strength steel and 9%
more hot-press steel than the previous
platform, the SGP is claimed to be 70%
stiffer torsionally and 90% (front lateral)
to 100% (rear subframe) stiffer than the
outgoing architecture. The platform is
designed to accommodate multiple pow-
ertrains, including EVs and hybrids.
Project Senior Manager Shinichi
Numata confirmed that as learnings
accumulate from one new vehicle to the
next, the development process be-
comes somewhat easier, faster and
more cost-efficient. “This Subaru Global
Platform is basically a process of how a
platform should be built,” he says. “The
major parts are not physically the same
[from one model to another], but the
concept on how they are designed is
shared with all of our car lines, and how
they go together is the same.”
The Crosstrek’s latest AWD system
doesn’t have the ability to disconnect
an axle to reduce driveline losses
Numata said fuel efficiency could be
improved by decoupling when AWD is
not needed, “but the vehicle’s behavior
would be different compared to cou-
pled. So thinking on the safer side,
Subaru decided for it to be coupled all
the time.”
Still, the 2018 Crosstrek delivers best-
in-class AWD EPA economy at 27 mpg
city, 33 highway and 29 combined with
the CVT and 23/29/25 with the stan-
dard 6-speed manual.
Also, Hill adds, “it’s not an apples-to-
apples comparison with the competi-
tion. Because the ‘boxer’ engine has a
direct feed off the back of the engine,
with the front axles coming right out of
the transmission, we have less losses to
begin with.”
The wider-ratio-spread CVT, com-
plete with seven driver-selectable ra-
tios, is engineered and built in-house by
FHI, but the chain and some other key
components are jointly developed with
suppliers. “Our drivetrain layout is
unique, so we can’t buy off-the-shelf
transmissions,” Hill said. “We have to
make our own.” And Numata confirmed
that there are joint programs with
Toyota beyond the BRZ/Toyota 86
sports cars, especially in electrification.
More power please
One important feature available is
EyeSight Driver Assist Technology,
sourced from Hitachi Automotive
Systems. It uses twin stereo cameras
mounted high on the inside of the
windshield behind the mirror. “Dual
cameras are quicker-reacting than a
radar/single camera system,” Hill ex-
plained. “They detect distance more
correctly, similarly to human eyes,”
BOTH IMAGES: SUBARU
Numata added. “Another advantage is
that they are not in the front bumper
where someone can smash into them in
a parking lot.”
Gary Witzenburg
AUTOMOTIVE ENGINEERING
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Free Info at http://info.hotims.com/65855-620

NEW VISION @
GENTEX
Creating a vital ADAS partner through
home-grown R&D and manufacturing in
(of all places) western Michigan.
by Lindsay Brooke
O
n first glance, it appears to be a passive rectangle of reflec-
tive glass. But the full-display mirror, or FDM as its maker
Gentex Corp. calls it, comes alive when you start the ve-
hicle. In the Cadillac CT6, XT5 and Chevrolet Bolt EV
where it debuted in 2016, the FDM pulls an image from a rear mount-
ed, high-definition camera and streams it onto an LCD display em-
bedded in the mirror module.
The result is a high-value safety feature: enhanced, real-time video
of the scene behind the vehicle. It’s presented in a 40° field of view—
more than double the lateral scope of a traditional optical rearview
mirror. Because the driver is actually seeing through the rear-mount-
ed camera, the FDM makes the vehicle’s roof pillars and rear seat
head rests disappear to the eye. The view is unobstructed.
The FDM is as tech-intensive as any system in the vehicle. A tiny
high-dynamic-range camera in the module reduces nighttime glare
by adjusting the lighting contrast on a per-pixel basis—“pixel-level
intelligence” is how company engineers describe it. Ten patents cover
the hardware design, the video streaming and wide angle de-warp-
ing (correcting the lens’ inherent geometric distortion) and the hy-
drophobic coating that enables the rear camera to shed raindrops.
Self-adjusting electrochromic mirrors are Gentex’s core product
and a multi-functional technology platform that’s well-suited for scal-
ing into autonomous-vehicle systems. The company shipped more
26 September 2017
COVER STORY
Gentex’s move into
biometrics (above) is a
logical growth play for both
its current mirror business
and for ADAS opportunities.
than 31 million mirrors last year, helping it achieve
$1.679 B in sales and dominant automotive market
share. (The company also produces dimmable aircraft
windows and sophisticated fire-protection sensors; the
latter helped launch Gentex in 1974.)
All the electronic, software, chemical and industrial-
design IP comes from Gentex’s global R&D and head-
quarters complex in Zeeland, Michigan, bolstered by
key collaborations. All manufacturing, including imag-
ing systems, microphones, glass-bending and thin-film
products is done in-house, too.
“We see a couple different ways to stay current in
the market.” said Steve Downing, Senior Vice President
and CFO. “Beyond our own home-grown R&D, we’re
always looking for and at start-ups and asking if the
core technology they’re developing fits our strategic
geography and capabilities. Working through new in-
novative ideas from other companies and helping
them get to market quicker with our development and
expertise is one of the two ‘fuses’, along with in-house
R&D, that we try to light. Because you never know
GENTEX
which one will get you to the finish line.”
The company, whose Homelink system pioneered
AUTOMOTIVE ENGINEERING
 The Automotive Division of the Society of Plastics Engineers
(SPE®) is announcing a “Call for Nominations” for its 47th-annual

Call for Nominations Automotive Innovation Awards Gala, the oldest and largest
recognition event in the automotive and plastics industries. This
year’s Awards Gala will be held Wednesday, November 8, 2017 at
• Most Innovative Use the Burton Manor in Livonia, Mich. Winning part nominations (due by
September, 13, 2017) in 9 different categories, and the teams that
of Plastics Awards developed them, will be honored with a Most Innovative Use of Plastics
award. A Grand Award will be presented to the winning team from all
category award winners. An application that has been in continuous use
Go to www.speautomotive.com to submit for 15 years or more, and has made a significant and lasting contribution
to the application of plastics in automotive vehicles will be honored with a
nominations and get more information.
Hall of Fame award.
For more information on the Society of Plastics Innovative Part Competition Categories:
Engineers, visit www.4spe.org. • Aftermarket • Hall of Fame
• Body Exterior • Materials

Sponsorship • Body Interior

• Chassis/Hardware
• Process, Assembly &
Enabling Technologies
Opportunities • Electrical Systems
• Environmental
• Powertrain
• Safety
This annual event typically draws over 700 OEM
engineers, automotive and plastics industry
executives, and media. A variety of sponsorship
packages - including tables at the banquet, networking
receptions, advertising in the program book,
signage at the event and more are available.
Contact Teri Chouinard of Intuit Group at
teri@intuitgroup.com.

2016 Sponsors

VIP Reception & Afterglow Sponsor Main Reception Sponsor Wine & Flowers Sponsor Student Program Sponsor

Gold Sponsors
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Bronze Sponsors

Free Info at http://info.hotims.com/65855-623

NEW VISION @
GENTEX
V2H (vehicle-to-home) communications, has been at-
Gentex’s FDM in the tracting not only university engineering graduates, but
Cadillac XT5 showing
also a growing number of Silicon Valley electronics
conventional mirror
mode (top) and real- and software veterans. They’re moved by an innova-
time streaming-video tive corporate culture and the moderate cost of high-
mode, below. quality living in western Michigan.

Biometric opportunities
“Part of the Gentex culture has always been to have
engineering close to manufacturing, so engineers and
scientists get to see and touch their ideas. It doesn’t
get outsourced to southeast Asia,” noted Neil Boehm,
Vice President of Engineering. “The group that creates
all the test equipment for production sits right next to
the hardware group for electrical. We have our own
applied-materials group in electrochromics who do
enhanced infra-red emitters, polarizing and new UV
technologies. You can literally watch the processes
developed, watch the equipment being built, then
watch your idea become embodied in a product.
“That’s a strong part of our recruiting pitch: We’ll

GENTEX
fund your ideas, run them down and find out if there’s
a marketplace for them,” he said.

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Automotive Engineering International - USA july 2017.indd 1 07/08/2017 17:25

28 September 2017 Free Info at http://info.hotims.com/65855-616 AUTOMOTIVE ENGINEERING
 COVER STORY

VP of Engineering Neil Boehm (left) and Senior VP and CFO Steve

Downing are bullish on Gentex’s place within the growing connected-
and-autonomous vehicle revolution.

Boehm and Downing are geeked about Gentex’s latest au-

tomotive technologies that were among the “hits” of the 2017
CES. They include a new three-camera rear-vision system that
streams video in multiple composite views and an RF tag-
based Integrated Toll Module, developed with partner
Transcore, that allows you to drive across the U.S. and into
Canada and Mexico and never have to deal with the multiple
road-toll protocols currently employed. Gentex has develop-
ment contracts with two customers for the toll module, expect-
ed to enter OEM use in 2019.
There’s a new mirror-integrated biometric system that uses
iris (eye) scanning to authenticate the driver and deliver cus-
tom vehicle security and convenience/transactional features,
and a next-generation, cloud-based Homelink. TDK Technology
Driving new mobility.
With 60 million units in the field and nine million being
added per year, programmable Homelink has been described
as the original automotive connection to the Internet of
Things. Downing explains that evolving the technology from
RF-based to wireless (and 5G) enables it to remotely control
DC-DC converters and
not only the owner’s home garage door, security gates and
on-board chargers
home lighting, but also to Nest thermostats and control and
in industry-leading small size
monitor other in-home appliances.
“We had to create a Bluetooth energy connection between
the HomeLink module and an app on the user’s mobile Rare earth and ferrite
phone,” Boehm explained. “The nice thing about it is, we’ve magnets for high-efficiency
developed app functionality that can be integrated into the motors
OEM’s app, ‘talks’ to the cloud and operates their home-auto-
mation devices—individually or an entire ‘scene’—with one Pressure sensors and TMR
button in the car.” He said Gentex is working with multiple angle and motion sensors
customers for 2019 production. for high-precision applications
Gentex’s new biometric technology also is being developed
LINDSAY BROOKE

for use in conjunction with HomeLink, Boehm and Downing

told Automotive Engineering. Aluminum electrolytic
“When we totally connect the car with the home—unlock the capacitors and MLCCs
garage, disarm the security system—and drive anywhere and with high reliability

AUTOMOTIVE ENGINEERING
https://product.tdk.com
NEW VISION @
GENTEX
One section of the electronics manufacturing area within Gentex’s
western Michigan complex.
seamlessly pay tolls, we need some way to authenticate the user. That’s
why we started looking at biometrics,” Downing said. Gentex partnered
with Delta ID, a company whose custom software algorithm looks at
patterns in the driver’s eye iris through a regular camera and a near-IR
camera. It then memorizes, digitizes and authenticates the patterns.
Experts say iris scanning is far more secure than fingerprints, with a
30 September 2017 Free Info at http://info.hotims.com/65855-626
lower false-acceptance rate than everything but DNA.
Boehm and Downing see biometrics as key to the
ride-sharing ecosystem and for SAE Level 5 autonomous
vehicles. Beyond security authentication, the technology
also has great convenience potential: adjust the seat and
steering wheel, upload the driver’s radio presets, GPS
connections and link with a smartphone. “It can be a
major OEM-to-consumer ‘touch point,’” offers Downing.
And it can also play a role in the driver-alert function
that’s vital for handing back control of the vehicle to the
driver during the transition from SAE Level 4 operation.
“That’s the question all our customers are asking and
it’s the next step for us—looking at complete-vehicle
cabin monitoring,” Boehm explained.
He said iris-scanning cabin monitoring “has got to be
part of the mix” that may include regular checks of the
driver’s heart, breathing and other vital signs during
autonomous operation.
“The trick is, can I do it with the same camera? To
BOTH IMAGES: GENTEX
properly analyze a drowsy-driving situation, the system
typically wants to see both eyes,” he noted. “Do you
need one camera to scan your iris and authenticate
you, then have another camera to do the cabin moni-
toring? It might require a new optical configuration.
AUTOMOTIVE ENGINEERING
 COVER STORY

Less Weight.
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Pretreatment solutions enable vehicle
lightweighting by processing up to 100 %
aluminum. These protective conversion coatings
Clean-room wafer inspection in the Zeeland manufacturing facility. lead to improved corrosion resistance and bring
ecological, economical and performance
And it must be robust and offer full redundancy.”
Downing noted that Gentex is “getting close” to having benefits. The sustainable Henkel BONDERITE®
booked business for its biometrics technology. systems can easily be integrated into existing
production lines without cost-intensive
Beyond exterior mirrors modifications and decrease process steps while
The company’s new camera monitoring system (CMS) uses saving time, lowering energy requirements and
three cameras to provide an all-inclusive view of the sides and reducing waste generation.
rear of the vehicle. The side-view cameras are integrated into
downsized exterior mirrors. Their video feeds are combined
with that of a roof-mounted camera and “stitched” into mul-
tiple composite views that are streamed to the driver via mir-
ror-integrated display.
For the moment, the CMS appears to be the ideal combina-
tion of digital vision and the redundant/fail-safe simplicity of
a base mirror. With Tesla and others pushing toward vision
systems exclusively, for aero and aesthetic benefits, what
does a mirrorless future portend for Gentex?
“Replacing multiple mirrors with multiple displays is not
going to be a one-size-fits-all approach,” Boehm stated. “At
CES we demonstrated that there is a hybrid solution now; we
don’t go from a mirror to a display immediately. You bring
them both together to allow the consumer to choose what
technology they’re comfortable with, realizing that the physi-
cal mirror provides a fail-safe for if the camera fails or the lens
is too dirty to function.” www.bonderite-mpt.com
“We’re pitching evolution versus revolution,” Downing said.
“Going 100% displays-and-cameras gives up near-field visibil-
ity and has a tremendous amount of cost. You can’t do it with
17 million vehicles in one shot. It has to be phased in so the
OEM can make a profit. The consumer will decide this, I think.”
Added Boehm: “When mirrors start disappearing with the
advent of Level 5 cars, we have some technologies that will
truly help those vehicles serve their users even more.”

AUTOMOTIVE ENGINEERING Free Info at http://info.hotims.com/65855-614 31


Positioning for hybrid growth
BorgWarner’s modular strategy provides OEMs optimal electrified-driveline flexibility.
F
ive years ago, few predicted the high level of
technology fragmentation in powertrains,
drivelines and fuels that exists in 2017. Nearly
everyone now agrees, however, that hybridiza-
tion of all types is essential to meeting the latest
European, North American and Asian emissions regu-
lations—and to connect to the long-term full-electric
future. Whenever that comes.
“We see it as a ‘spectrum of electrification’ from
stop-start systems all the way to pure EV—and every-
thing’s in play,” observed John Barlage, Director of
Product Strategy, of BorgWarner PowerDrive Systems.
Like other Tier 1 powertrain systems planners, he sees
“very large volumes” of 48V hybrid applications com-
32 September 2017
‘P’ is for preparedness: Driveline architecture positions P0
through P4 for electrified-propulsion technologies now under
development and/or slated for production by BorgWarner.
by Lindsay Brooke
ing in the next (2019-2021) production cycle.
Already arriving in Europe from Audi and other German OEMs,
the 48V systems provide greater onboard electrical capacity for
CO2-reducing features such as engine e-boosting and for ADAS
(advanced driver-assistance systems) sensor suites, which including
their actuators can gobble up to 5 kW, experts say.
“We’re going to see North America adopt 48V because it has
BOTH IMAGES: BORGWARNER
such interesting economics,” Barlage asserted. The technology is
often described as delivering about 70% of the performance of a
conventional (powersplit-type) dedicated hybrid for roughly 30% of
the cost. BorgWarner engineers also considered system architec-
ture and packaging in developing a broad new portfolio of 48V and
higher-voltage hybrid-power modules aimed at P2 (drivetrain posi-
tion 2) applications.
AUTOMOTIVE ENGINEERING

In the so-called P2 location, the electric motor is located between
the combustion engine and transmission (see diagram). The other
industry-recognized hybrid positions include (starting from the front
of the vehicle) P0 (belt-alternator-starter, or BAS); P1 (such as
Honda’s IMA in the flywheel position); P3 has the motor on the trans-
mission output shaft ahead of the final drive; and P4 describes elec-
tric rear-axle drives, often called “through the road” AWD hybrids.
The latter also offers torque-vectoring functionality.
“P2 offers a lot of very interesting driveline opportunities,” Barlage
observed, “including paired with dual-clutch (DCT) and even auto-
mated-clutch manuals [see sidebar]. It also presents a very nice com-
bination for plug-in hybrids. A P2 with PHEV capability actually deliv-
ers better overall efficiency in pure electric mode than a powersplit
type. If you want to go on the autobahn, or want to electrify a truck,
you want a P2-type hybrid.”
On- and off-axis
“P-zero BAS systems were the starting point of our development
with the same 48V motor module used in the other positions,” ex-
plained Joel Maguire, BorgWarner’s Director of Electrification. The
engineering strategy “has economies of scale by applying a com-
mon electric machine across the locations.”
AUTOMOTIVE ENGINEERING
VEHICLE ELECTRIFICATION FEATURE
Director of Electrification Joel Maguire says BorgWarner’s
strategy is to “play in all hybrid architectures.”
The product-development team designed what
Maguire calls “a nice, compact motor-generator ‘form
factor’ based on a broad set of OEM vehicle-packag-
ing requirements,” optimizing use of the e-motor’s
magnetic material for P2, P3 or P4 applications, de-
pending on what the OEM needs. “Some [competi-
tors’] powersplit and even P2 architectures have had
to compromise because their hardware wasn’t so
‘comfortable’ in terms of its flexibility with the existing
vehicle package,” he told Automotive Engineering.
BorgWarner’s P2 module features an axial length
of 6.57 in (167 mm). Rated peak torque is greater
than 330 N·m (243 lb·ft). Peak power is greater than
80 kW (107 hp), according to the company. It is engi-
neered for both on-axis (meaning located on the
same axis as the transmission input shaft, engine
crankshaft and torsional damper) and off-axis fit-
ments. The latter, mounted piggyback on the trans-
axle case, is a chain-driven solution designed for the
tight packaging needs of smaller transverse-engine/
front drive vehicles.
“The key savings [for the off-axis design] is the space
from wheel-to-wheel; it avoids potential tear-up, with
zero length in axial growth,” Maguire explained. “You
eliminate the alternator and can integrate the AC com-
pressor on the same chain drive and can still run the
compressor off the 48V when the engine is off.”
Both P2 modules include a disconnect clutch nested
within the e-motor and an integrated dual-mass fly-
wheel, enabling integration with popular transmissions:
planetary step-type automatics, DCTs, continuously vari-
able (CVTs) and automated manuals. The BorgWarner
September 2017 33

High
Performance Can manual transmissions live in the ADAS era?
Adhesives BorgWarner says yes, hopefully
Electrification was supposed to spell death
for the manual transmission. The same has
been said for a manual transmission’s pre-
sumed incompatibility with automated-driv-
ing functions. But BorgWarner is in the final
stages of developing a new clutch-automa-
tion technology that allows electrification
with a manual transmission.
Known as the Active Manual
Transmission Clutch, or AMTC, the clever
technology employs an actuator and elec-
tronic controls to provide “sailing” function-
Optoelectronics ality for increased fuel economy and lower
emissions without giving up the traditional
manual-shift experience.
“We have demonstrator vehicles run-
ning around in Europe with such a system,”
noted Brad LaFaive, Vice President, Sales,
Transmission Systems. Some applications
retain the clutch pedal and hydraulic op-
eration. “But we have controls that over-
ride that for ‘sailing’ and for stop-start ma-
neuvers, or to avoid wearing out your left
leg in heavy stop-and-go traffic,” he said.
Sensors LaFaive added that BorgWarner has an
Mechanics
engineers note another P2 advantage:
reasonably straightforward use of the
existing engine and transmission.
“With P2 you’re dropping a module
in between the engine and trans. For
sure, it’s not a perfectly ‘clean’ addi-
More information: tion,” Barlage said. “But compared
www.DELO-adhesives.com with a dedicated hybrid transmission
it’s still less expensive and requires a
lot less modification. And it’s scalable.”
Engineered into a DCT, the P2 unit be-
Free Info at http://info.hotims.com/65855-621
VEHICLE ELECTRIFICATION FEATURE
OEM interested in the application, cur-
rently in advanced development.
Integrating a manual transmission for
advanced driver-assistance systems, not a
simple task, also is in the works. Wet- and
dry-clutch versions are being evaluated.
“One of the beauties of the automated
clutch with ADAS is it can intervene in an
emergency event; we’re in the process of
trying to implement that,” reported Joel
Maguire.
While the control algorithms and fric-
tion material will be necessarily sophisti-
cated to enable sailing and automatic
launches, the system also needs to be
“smart” and able to interface with the au-
tonomous emergency braking system to
open the clutch upon an emergency road
event and allow the vehicle to be stopped
safely out of harm’s way.
The same situation with a traditional
manual transmission would have resulted in
a stalled vehicle and a delay in restarting
the engine, Maguire noted..
L.B.
The production AMTC unit employs
an actuator and electronic controls
to provide “sailing” functionality
without giving up the traditional
gearchange experience. It’s
also a key to integrating manual
gearboxes with ADAS.
comes a triple-clutch arrangement—or
what BorgWarner calls “K-Zero” with
the disconnect clutch connected to the
e-motor and the K1 and K2 clutches
handling the shifting between the two
gear clusters.
“Our strategy is to play in all architec-
tures, from P-Zero to P4, so as we see
BORGWARNER
OEM movement into any of the hybrid
positions, we’ve got a system engi-
neered for them all,” Maguire noted.
AUTOMOTIVE ENGINEERING

SPOTLIGHT: MATERIALS
Nickel-PTFE-nanodiamond coatings
Nanodiamond material spe-
cialist Carbodeon (Helsinki,
Finland) has worked with
metal finishing specialist CCT
Plating (Stuttgart, Germany)
to develop a new electroless
nickel polytetrafluoroethylene
(PTFE) and nanodiamond
composite coating. Electroless
nickel-PTFE (EN-PTFE) coatings offer anti-adhesive and
low-friction properties, but are traditionally soft and wear
quickly in abrasive conditions. By adding NanoDiamond
particles to the EN-PTFE coating, Carbodeon claims to have
improved the abrasive wear resistance of these coatings
without compromising the sliding or release properties. The
nanodiamond material consists of small, spherical diamond
nanoparticles that are specially treated to make them dis-
perse in coating liquids and carry a positive electrical charge
on their surfaces. Target applications include: automotive
components, including engine parts, chassis parts and body
mechanisms; plastics forming molds, including complex
structures, moving cores and slides; military applications
requiring hard wearing and lubricant-free operations; and
printing and textile production equipment and machinery.
For more information, visit http://info.hotims.com/65855-400
High-speed camera
Fastec Imaging’s
(San Diego, CA)
IL5 5MP high-
speed camera
enables users to
record high-
speed events for
airbag and auto-
motive compo-
nent testing,
troubleshooting, and safety using slow motion replay. The
Fastec IL5 offers recording speeds of over 630 frames per
second (fps) at HD 1080p resolution, over 3200 fps at VGA
resolution and more than 29,000 fps at smaller resolutions.
According to the company, images can be saved to an SSD
or SD card while recording high-speed bursts of hundreds or
even thousands of images at a time. Built for flexibility and
ease of use, the Fastec IL5 camera can be controlled over
Gigabit Ethernet via Fastec FasMotion software on a PC/Mac
or via the built-in web interface with a web browser on a PC,
Mac, tablet, or even a smartphone.
For more information, visit http://info.hotims.com/65855-402
AUTOMOTIVE ENGINEERING
PRODUCT
BRIEFS
High-strength aluminum alloys
Constellium HSA6 from
Constellium N.V. (Amsterdam,
The Netherlands) is a new
generation of high-strength
6000-series alloys designed
to help automakers meet
growing demand for lighter-
weight vehicles. The material
is in production for several
2017 and 2018 model year vehicles, including the Mini
Countryman. Suitable for extrusion-based crash manage-
ment systems, body-in-white structural components and
battery enclosures, the company claims Constellium HSA6
allows designers to optimize extrusion shapes and reduce
wall thickness to achieve weight savings of 15-30% com-
pared to conventional aluminum alloys. With ultimate tensile
strength higher than 400 MPa, Constellium HSA6 also pro-
vides enhanced recyclability, machinability and corrosion
resistance. Alternately, Constellium HSA6 can provide 15-
30% additional strength to reduce intrusion in the event of a
crash, thereby enhancing protection of batteries, cooling
systems and other critical vehicle systems, according to the
company. Pictured are crash boxes ready for assembly to
crash management systems.
For more information, visit http://info.hotims.com/65855-401
Engine ion sensor
Detroit Engineered Products
(DEP) Inc. (Troy, MI) offers a
commercial prototype of an
Engine Ion Sensor that in-
creases fuel economy, lowers
hazardous emissions and
can enable multiple fuel
types. According to the com-
pany, the DEP Engine Ion Sensor has multi-purposed spark plugs
and glow plugs (gasoline and diesel engines) to acquire and in-
terpret the ion signal from each combustion event that takes
place on a cycle-by-cycle, cylinder-by-cylinder basis. The DEP
Engine Ion Sensor can provide many engine performance param-
eters acting as a “super sensor” for misfire, knock, pre-ignition,
NOx, soot (particulates), flame speed, peak pressure, burn dura-
tion, IMEP (indicated mean effective pressure) and more.
Intelligent algorithms inside DEP’s patented mini-controller, de-
veloped by the company, provide active feedback and control to
the engine control unit, resulting in what the company claims is a
strong increase in fuel economy, reduced NOx and soot emissions
and options for the use of cheaper and more plentiful biofuels.
For more information, visit http://info.hotims.com/65854-403
September 2017 35
 Forming the Future
LEADING
THE
INDUSTRY
CUSTOM
SOFTWARE
MOST ADVANCED
IN THE INDUSTRY
For more than a century Newcomb Spring
has been recognized as the industry
leader, with unmatched capabilities
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• MHJPSP[PLZPU[OL<:(HUK*HUHKH
• (U0UUV]H[PVU+LWHY[TLU[[OH[
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& equipment
newcombspring.com
Free Info at http://info.hotims.com/65855-622
PRODUCT BRIEFS
Vehicle sound-generating
system
Bruël & Kjær’s (Duluth,
GA) VSound Type 3115
vehicle sound-generat-
ing system—from both
interior and exterior
perspectives—enables
virtual NVH prototype evaluation in the
context of a real vehicle, without the need
for a PC in the vehicle. This system, part of
a suite of tools, can be used to evaluate
targets, candidate sounds and sound de-
livery strategies for real vehicles, for dem-
onstrations and for final sign-off by senior
management. According to the company,
VSound delivers exceptionally high-quali-
ty audio signals—from complete engine
sounds to simple looped sounds—using
audio algorithms similar to those used by
the Brüel & Kjær NVH Simulator. To con-
trol the sound output, VSound uses ve-
hicle parameters such as throttle, rpm and
speed from the CAN-bus system.
For more information,
visit http://info.hotims.com/65855-404
Accumulator design and
assembly process
To address the disadvan-
tages mainly in the tradi-
tional manufacture of
diaphragm accumulators,
Freudenberg Sealing
Technologies (Weinheim, Baden-
Württemberg, Germany) developed a
new approach—one that the company
says requires fewer process steps, fewer
components and shorter installation
times. Joining the two halves of the
aluminum housing—using electromag-
netic pulse technology—and filling the
gas side with nitrogen are handled in a
single step. Electromagnetic pulse
forming uses powerful magnetic fields
to reform electrically conductive mate-
rials without contact. This technology
can be used to join the same type of
material or different types. Freudenberg
uses it to create a firm bond between
the diaphragm accumulator’s upper and
lower shell.
For more information,
visit http://info.hotims.com/65855-406
1200-V discrete IGBT
Infineon
Technologies AG
(Munich, Germany)
has expanded its
1200-V discrete IGBT
product portfolio by
offering up to 75 A.
The devices are co-
packed with a full-
rated diode in a TO-247PLUS package.
The new TO-247PLUS 3-pin and 4-pin
packages serve the growing demand
for higher power density and highest
efficiency in discrete packages. Typical
applications with a blocking voltage of
1200 V requiring high power density are
drives, photovoltaic and uninterruptible
power supplies; additional applications
include battery charging and energy
storage systems. Compared to a regular
TO-247-3 package, the company says
the new TO-247PLUS package can pro-
vide double current rating.
For more information,
visit http://info.hotims.com/65855-405
Automated Guided Vehicle
platform
Agile1500
Automated
Guided
Vehicle
(AGV) plat-
form from Comau (Turin, Italy) features
the flexibility to be deployed across a
wide range of manufacturing and non-
manufacturing scenarios. According to
Comau, it is the first AGV within the
new platform and fully expresses the
company’s open automation design
approach. Modular, scalable and com-
pletely reconfigurable, Agile1500 can
carry up to 1500 kg (3310 lb) with a
maximum speed of 1.7 m/s. With these
characteristics, Comau claims the new
AGV can significantly facilitate core op-
erations including just-in-time and just-
in-sequence production, as well as opti-
mized logistic flows inside the factory,
improved warehouse management and
better overall production efficiency.
For more information,
visit http://info.hotims.com/65855-407
AUTOMOTIVE ENGINEERING
 PRODUCT BRIEFS MODULES FOR THE HIGHEST REQUIREMENTS
▸ Ruggedized hardware for extreme conditions
▸ Using latest and innovative technologies

Oil change valve

Global Sales Group (Redmond, WA) offers
a new and improved EZ Oil Drain Valve
with optional hose connectors that can
replace an existing drain plug for fast, clean
and easy oil changes. According to the
company, there is no need for special tools:
just turn the lever of this nickel-plated brass ball valve and drain
the engine oil. When it’s time for an oil change, the lever lifts and
a quarter turn opens the valve. To close, the lever is returned to
its original locked position. Screw in the optional hose end (sold
separately) and connect a hose to drain the oil to a remote re-
ceptacle. For routine oil analysis, a small sample of oil can be
drained from the valve without shutting off the engine. The EZ
Oil Drain Valve is available for all engines with 30 different sizes
to fit cars, pickup trucks, vans, farm tractors, motor homes,
heavy-duty trucks, buses, and construction equipment. Automotive Testing Expo USA | Novi, MI
For more information, visit http://info.hotims.com/65855-408
24.10. - 26.10.2017 | Stand 13032

DataConcentrator software package

Instrumentation Technology Systems www.IPETRONIK.com
(ITS) (Northridge, CA) offers licensing
availability of its DataConcentrator
Free Info at http://info.hotims.com/65855-618
software package that enables seam-
less collection of test data from many
sources such as sensors, data acquisi-
tion systems, and data loggers, then
populates the data in a SMPTE 291M Type 02 KLV packet struc-
tured by the user. Sampling KLV payloads at each video frame
time permanently synchronizes data acquisition with video
capture. ITS says this eliminates the tedious and time-consum-
ing post-production process to align data with video, critical
when motion behaviors are required for product testing/evalu-
ation. In the case of autonomous cars, DataConcentrator can
be used to sync the sensor and data collection with video to
evaluate how the vehicle is performing, confirm that correct
decisions are being made and reaction time is sufficient.
For more information, visit http://info.hotims.com/65855-409

High temperature, flexible epoxy

EpoxySet, Inc.’s (Lincoln, RI) EC-
1030FL is a flexible, two-part epoxy
designed to replace silicones for pot-
ting, encapsulating and casting appli-
cations where temperatures up to
200°C (392°F) are required. This sys-
tem will prevent stresses to components, while temperature
cycling without degradation. The company claims EC-1030FL
offers superior bond strength compared with silicones to many
engineered plastics as well as metals, ceramics and glass while
reducing costs. The EC-1030FL has a 10-15 min work time,
which makes it suitable for production environments.
For more information, visit http://info.hotims.com/65855-410

AUTOMOTIVE ENGINEERING Free Info at http://info.hotims.com/65855-619 37

READER
FEEDBACK
Getting on top of cybersecurity technology attracting more people into bikes in general. Just
Just read the August issue online and found the “Hacked!” sto- having this feature for slow-speed parking lot maneuvering
ry interesting. There is no doubt that there will be increasingly would be beneficial.
bold cyber attacks on vehicles. The prospect of an independent Karen Bononi
(or even dealer) technician installing malware into a customer Columbus, OH
vehicle, whether intended or not, and the vulnerabilities of so
many “attack surfaces” in general, should be taken very seri- How about an article on the Honda ASIMO robot? This amaz-
ously by the electrical architecture development teams. ing machine keeps getting more articulate, capable and
Pzoom99 “smart” and is a great example of Honda Motor Co. tech.
Dan Quinn
The “Hacked!” article in August Spartanburg, SC
Automotive Engineering only scratches
the surface regarding the threat “win- Praise for SAE Technology
dow” that’s seemingly open wide for eNewsletters
over-the-air software update mischief. I Great articles, keep it coming, thanks.
work as an electrical-systems tech at a Roger Ebanks
large, multi-brand dealership in the Director, Product Quality
Chicago region and can see OTA turning and Customer Services
into a disaster unless the auto companies Toyota Canada
can make the vehicle firewalls bullet-
proof. Please publish more articles on Active aero and Don Sherman
OTA and cybersecurity, thank you. Your story on the Lamborghini active
Jim Dickerson aerodynamics package was interesting
Joliet, IL [August AE]. When I saw that Don
Sherman’s name is on this article as well
Please publish more information about as the sub-story on General Motors’ aero
the Auto-ISAC group, it could be the be- patent for Corvette, I thought this must be
ginning of auto industry solidar- the same legendary Sherman of
ity and technical cooperation on Car and Driver fame?
the important issue of cyberse- MGV65
curity.
David Bentz There’s only one Don Sherman
and we’re proud to report that his
Thanks to our readers for your work will be appearing in
comments about our August cov- Automotive Engineering from
er story. Clearly interest in the time to time. Don, a graduate me-
cybersecurity topic is booming chanical engineer, is a long-time
within the mobility industry. SAE SAE member, a keen technology
International is committed to be- reporter and the ‘dean’ of vehicle
ing in the vanguard of cyber road-testers. Glad you liked his
knowledge and standards, includ- Lambo aero feature.—Ed.
ing active involvement in Auto-
ISAC. Coverage of these topics
will be ongoing in Automotive
Engineering. —Ed.

Self-balancing motorcycles
Good info in your article on
Honda’s self-balancing motor-
cycle project and its relationship to the future of the motor-
cycle [August AE]. It is impressive that Honda engineers de- READERS: Let us know what you think about Automotive
cided to not use a gyroscope solution but not surprising, as Engineering magazine. Email the Editor at Lindsay.Brooke@
Honda always has gone its “own way” with two-wheelers sae.org. We appreciate your comments and reserve the
including the first to offer airbags on the Gold Wing. I’ve right to edit for brevity.
been a rider for 20 years and can see self-balancing

38 September 2017 AUTOMOTIVE ENGINEERING

COMPANIES MENTIONED
Company Page
Apple.......................................................................................................24
Argonne National Laboratory...............................................................6
Audi................................................................................................... 14, 32
BMW..........................................................................................4, 6, 17, 40
BorgWarner............................................................................................ 32
Bruël & Kjær...........................................................................................36
Cadillac....................................................................................................26
Carbodeon.............................................................................................. 35
CCT Plating............................................................................................. 35
Chery.......................................................................................................20
Chevrolet.......................................................................................... 12, 26
Comau.....................................................................................................36
Constellium............................................................................................ 35
Continental...............................................................................................6
Delphi........................................................................................................6
Delta ID...................................................................................................30
Detroit Engineered Products............................................................... 35
Eaton.......................................................................................................40
EPA............................................................................................................4
EpoxySet................................................................................................. 37
Fastec Imaging...................................................................................... 35
Fiat Chrysler Automobiles.................................................................4, 6
Ford........................................................................................... 4, 6, 17, 22
Freudenberg Sealing Technologies....................................................36
Fuji Heavy Industries............................................................................24
General Motors......................................................................6, 17, 38, 40
Gentex.....................................................................................................26
GKN Driveline..........................................................................................16
Global Sales Group................................................................................ 37
GSR Capital............................................................................................40
Henry Ford Museum..............................................................................18
Hitachi Automotive Systems...............................................................24
Honda.......................................................................................4, 6, 33, 38
Hyundai.....................................................................................................6
Idaho National Laboratory....................................................................6
IHI .............................................................................................................6
Infineon Technologies..........................................................................36
Instrumentation Technology Systems............................................... 37
Jaguar.....................................................................................................20
Kaist...........................................................................................................6
Lamborghini...........................................................................................38
Land Rover.............................................................................................20
Lear............................................................................................................6
Magna Steyr...........................................................................................20
Mazda........................................................................................................4
Mercedes-Benz....................................................................................4, 6
Mini.......................................................................................................... 35
National Academy of Engineering......................................................18
National Instruments..............................................................................6
NAVYA......................................................................................................18
Nissan........................................................................................... 6, 10, 40
Polaris......................................................................................................18
Porsche....................................................................................................14
Qualcomm................................................................................................6
Ram...........................................................................................................4
Renault....................................................................................................40
SAE International............................................................................. 6, 30
Subaru.....................................................................................................24
TDK Research and Development..........................................................6
Tenneco....................................................................................................12
Tesla...................................................................................................31, 40
Toyota............................................................................................6, 10, 24
Transcore................................................................................................29
University of Michigan...........................................................................18
Volkswagen........................................................................................ 4, 14
WiTricity....................................................................................................6
ZF ...........................................................................................................20

UPCOMING FROM THE EDITORS AD INDEX

September 8: Automotive Engineering October: Truck & Off-Highway Engineering
Technology eNewsletter Print Magazine
Advertiser Page Web Link
• SAE Commercial Vehicle Engineering 3D Systems..................................................... 9....................................... 3DSystems.com/odm
September 13: Truck & Off-Highway Congress coverage Altair..............................................................25.............................. altairenlighten.com/award
Engineering • Military Vehicles Technology AVX................................................................ 37........................................http://www.AVX.com
Technology eNewsletter • Engine Design
BorgWarner Inc.............................................11................................................ borgwarner.com
• Test Equipment product spotlight
COMSOL, Inc........................................Cover 4........................................................ comsol.com
September 20: Vehicle Engineering
Technology eNewsletter (all markets) October 5: Automotive Engineering DELO Industries Klebstoffe GmbH.............34..............................www.DELO-adhesives.com
(Connected Car) DEPRAG, Inc..................................................21..................................................depragusa.com
September 25: Heavy-Duty Technology eNewsletter dSPACE, Inc...................................................13.................................... www.dspace.com/adas
Technology eNewsletter Eastman Chemical Company....................22.......................Eastman.com/Tetrashield/AEI1
October 11: Truck & Off-Highway EPCOS Inc., A TDK Group Company.........29...................................https://product.tdk.com
September 27: Electronics & Connectivity Engineering Evonik Oil Additives USA, Inc.....................17....................... www.evonik.com/oil-additives
Technology eNewsletter Technology eNewsletter FLIR Commercial Systems........................... 5................................................. FLIR.com/ADAS
Gerdau Special Steel North America........19.................... www.gerdau.com/northamerica
September 28: Automotive Engineering October 19: Vehicle Engineering
Henkel............................................................31................................ www.bonderite-mpt.com
Technology eNewsletter Technology eNewsletter (all markets)
IPETRONIK GmbH & Co. KG....................... 37.......................................www.IPETRONIK.com
October: Automotive Engineering October 25: Automotive Engineering MathWorks..................................................... 3........................mathworks.com/deeplearning
Print Magazine Technology eNewsletter Newcomb Spring Corporation..................36........................................ newcombspring.com
• Testing & Simulation Omron Automation Americas...................... 1...................................................omron247.com
• State-of-the-Art Testing Labs November: Automotive Engineering Phoenix Contact.................................Cover 2....... www.phoenixcontact.com/industrialdata
• Testing & Analysis Tools product Print Magazine Photron USA, Inc.........................................30............................................ www.photron.com
spotlight • 2018 New Vehicle Technologies Proto Labs, Inc............................................... 7............................. go.protolabs.com/SAE7HQ
• CES ’18 Preview
Quaker Chemical Corporation....................16.............quakerchem.com/quakercool7series
• Sensors product spotlight
Siemens Industry Software.......................28.............................................siemens.com/mdx
November 3: Electronics & Connectivity Society of Plastics Engineers.................... 27................................www.speautomotive.com
Technology eNewsletter TAMAGAWA SEIKI Co., Ltd......................... 23..................http://www.tamagawa-seiki.co.jp
Techno Polymer America Inc.....................15........................... www.techpo.co.jp/en/home

AUTOMOTIVE ENGINEERING September 2017 39

Q&A
Ponz Pandikithura said programs
such as Nissan’s partnership with
Eaton for battery recycling may
help reduce EV ownership costs.
Nissan sees 2023
‘tipping point’ for
EV costs
A lot has happened in the electric-car segment since 2014
when the Nissan Leaf was the world’s best-selling BEV. The
advent of Tesla’s Model S, X and Model 3, along with GM’s Bolt
EV and development at other OEMs have pushed the Leaf out
of the electric-car limelight. Today, EV reputations are all about
range—and in that metric, the current Leaf can only muster 172
km (107 mi) between charges with its 30 kW·h battery.
However, Nissan revealed its all-new Leaf just after
Automotive Engineering contributor Ian Adcock sat for a talk
with Ponz Pandikithura, Nissan Europe’s VP Product Planning. As
a side note, also not long after this interview, the company an-
nounced it was selling its EV battery-making business—including
production facilities—to private-investment firm GSR Capital.
In early 2017, Nissan partnered with BMW to expand public access in the U.S. to DC fast-charging
stations for electric vehicles.
40 September 2017
Europeans are migrating away from diesels, but the Renault-
Nissan Alliance is a major diesel manufacturer. What does that
mean for the near term?
We need a transition between there [ICE-only powertrains] and
a lower-carbon footprint. We have lots of data on how electric
vehicles (EVs) work, how to optimize them and most impor-
tantly, what customers do and don’t like about them. We have
a very good blueprint of how we can move and migrate our
portfolio to where it’s more electric, zero emission carbon-free
future. What’s not known right now is how soon that timeline
will be. What’s the bridge?
You believe 2022-23 will be “the tipping point” in terms of
battery technology that will enable Nissan to produce an EV
for the same price as a 1.2-L Qashqai CUV [the U.S. market
Rogue Sport]. From the customer’s point of view, what does
that mean?
Total cost of [EV] ownership over the lifecycle drops dramati-
cally—and perceived value goes up.
Nissan thinks reducing total cost of EV ownership will be part-
ly achieved by extending the battery’s life beyond the vehicle;
the company is partnering with Eaton for its xStorage pro-
gram whereby partially depleted batteries with upwards of
70% capacity can be reused—presumably making a better
“business case” for customers?
What if we found a way to plug in your car that gave you back
the battery’s original efficiency? Or, we do a software flash giv-
ing you new features in the car you didn’t originally have?
If the ownership model has to change, then, will the way in
which emissions are calculated on a more-realistic and equi-
table lifecycle analysis also change?
It’s cradle-to-grave. It’s the manufacturing process that goes
into components, the power that goes into production; our ap-
proach is an overall environmental footprint.
Do the authorities and other OEMs understand that cradle-to-
grave approach?
Yes. [But] do they like it, or will they
act on it, that’s a different question.
We’re a publicly-quoted company
with shareholders and we have to
optimize the resources they’ve in-
vested in as best we can.
You believe that a mandated zero-
carbon-footprint market would
cause Nissan and the other OEMs to
BOTH IMAGES: NISSAN
lose money on every EV they make?
[Yes, but] our firm belief is that in
the long-term future, we will get to
zero-emission cradle-to-grave—and
the market will reward us.
AUTOMOTIVE ENGINEERING
UPCOMING WEBINARS
THE POWERTRAIN REVOLUTION
Wednesday, September 20, 2017 at 2:00 p.m. U.S. EDT
The fast-paced, customer-driven automotive industry has taken on the Speaker:
challenges of rapidly changing power demands for electric, hydrogen,
hybrid, and gas-powered vehicles. This 30-minute Webinar looks at
how tightening regulations, global competition, and demands for safer
vehicles have set the course for placing the powertrain front and center
in technological development.
Sirisha Lavu
Product Manager,
Hybrid and
Electric Mobility
Sponsored by: Solutions,
Hosted by:
TE Connectivity

For additional details and to register visit: www.sae.org/webcasts

FROM THE EDITORS OF SAE:

THE ART OF NVH ATTENUATION
Thursday, September 28, 2017 at Noon U.S. EDT
When vehicle engineers set out to develop new Speakers:
cars and trucks, their attention is increasingly
on reducing noise, vibration, and harshness to
create a customer-pleasing driving experience.
NVH attenuation is also critical as more quiet
electric propulsion solutions are developed.
This Webinar brings NVH research and vehicle- Jianmin Guan Dr. Pranab Michael
Saha, P.E. Thibeault
integration experts together to provide a look Director,
Vibration and Co-Founder Lead Design
at next-generation NVH designs, technologies, Acoustics and Principal Engineer:
Solutions, Consultant, Microphones,
and materials. Altair Engineering Kolano and Saha PCB
Engineers Inc., Piezotronics Inc.,
USA MTS Systems
Corp.

Sponsored by:

Hosted by:
M T S S Y S T E M S C O R P O R AT I O N

For additional details and to register visit: www.sae.org/webcasts

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Free Info at http://info.hotims.com/65855-624