5/20/2018 Emerging Trends in Automobile Engineering - Prof. J.J. Gera

12 Department of Mechanical & Automobile Engineering

Vol. 2, 2006

IntroductionIntroductionIntroductionIntroductionIntroduction

With the explosive growth of the middle class in the

developing world, comes growth in the demand forecast

for all vehicles. Worldwide vehicles sales are expected

to double in fifty years and most of the sales growth

will take place in the developing world. With more

emphasis on sustainability we must find solution to

the energy, environmental, safety and congestion

impact of automobiles- while enhancing the passion,

fun and affordability they offer.

To realize sustainable mobility, our goal must be to

eliminate motor vehicles from the environmental

debate. The ways to do that is:

To design them to have no impact on the

environment.

They must emit no pollution. No green house

gases.

Consume little fuel-and what they consume should

come from renewable sources.

Production should create no waste and at the end

of its useful life a vehicle should be completely

recyclable.

The industry is in for some big changes and the further

into the future we look, the more clouded our vision

becomes. But we can look at today's trends and make

some educated estimates of what to expect in the near

future, keeping in view the benefits and challenges of

sustainable advanced technologies and mirroring what

many in the industry are working towards. Here is a

synopsis.

VVVVVehicle Design:ehicle Design:ehicle Design:ehicle Design:ehicle Design: As a system becomes integrated in

all facets of engineering, vehicles of the future will be -

smartersmartersmartersmartersmarter, more adaptable, safer and more reliable, more adaptable, safer and more reliable, more adaptable, safer and more reliable, more adaptable, safer and more reliable, more adaptable, safer and more reliable.

Product design decisions and trends will be more

heavily influenced by:

Emissions and safety legislations.

Development of new materials will

help reduce.

Weight

Add strength,

Ease service and repair and

Reduce cost.

PPPPPowertrain:owertrain:owertrain:owertrain:owertrain: Although steady gains have been made in

fuel economy and emissions in recent years, most

automakers are scrambling to do more and quickly in

the face of: Escalating fuel prices.

Growing environmental concerns.

To meet the challenges of sustainable advancement

power trains technologies are working towards

advanced gasoline engines, advanced technology diesel,

hybrid electrics, hydrogen internal combustion engine,

fuel cells. The general consensus is that in the short-

term work will:

Emerging TEmerging TEmerging TEmerging TEmerging Trends in Arends in Arends in Arends in Arends in Automobile Engineeringutomobile Engineeringutomobile Engineeringutomobile Engineeringutomobile EngineeringProf. JProf. JProf. JProf. JProf. J.K.K.K.K.K. Gera. Gera. Gera. Gera. Gera

Associate Professor, Mechanical and Automobile Engg. Deptt.

AbstractAbstractAbstractAbstractAbstract

The trend in design & development of automobile to realize sustainable mobility, while enhancing the comfort fun and

excitement has been highlighted. The benefits and challenges of sustainable advanced technologies are discussed. To meet the

huge sustainability challenge the industry must become more proactive. This paper presents an account of the emerging trends

in vehicle design, power train, hybrid vehicles, fuel cells, the use of electronics/electrical systems, safety, infrastructure, after

marketing & service.

5/20/2018 Emerging Trends in Automobile Engineering - Prof. J.J. Gera

Department of Mechanical & Automobile Engineering 13

Vol. 2, 2006

Continue to improve the internal combustion

engines efficiency with wider availability of diesel

power plants.

Hybrid offerings will bridge the gap in the mid

term.

Until the long-term solution of hydrogen powered

fuel cells become practical.

AAAAAdvanced Electronics / Electricsdvanced Electronics / Electricsdvanced Electronics / Electricsdvanced Electronics / Electricsdvanced Electronics / Electrics

Market forces driven by the consumer and regulatory

demands, coupled with advances in technology, have

created tremendous opportunities for engineering

innovations. Advanced electronics are at the heart of

these changes. Electronic components provide better

control, higher efficiencies, not prone to wear as

mechanical devices, allows improvements that could

otherwise not be possible.

In addition to the introduction of new systems,

traditional systems are changing. There will be more

networks, semiconductors, motors, and sensors. The

continuous push for safer; more fuel efficient and

environmental-friendly vehicles will be achieved byreplacing traditional mechanical systems with By-wire

systems with faster, lighter, intelligent actuators.

First wave of electronics into the vehicle was in the

area of power train (M.P.F.I. electronic ignition), the

second in safety, the third in body, the fourth in driver

information system, fifth in conversion of mechanical

and hydraulic based systems to electronic based ones.

Electronic replacing mechanical and hydraulic

components for safety, fuel economy, performance,

packaging and environmental impact. The technologysuch as throttle by wire, electronic power steering and

integrated remote start already have moved into the

automobile main stream. As we advance into 21st

century:

The use of electronics / electrics will continue to

grow into the new areas of the vehicle with

increasing level of sophistication and capability.

Eventually most mechanical and hydraulic system

will be replaced by electrical / electronic solutions.

This will present the opportunity to re-engineer

and simplify operators control and display

interfaces, dramatically improving their ease of use.

Hybrid Electrics:Hybrid Electrics:Hybrid Electrics:Hybrid Electrics:Hybrid Electrics: They have shown significant

improvement in fuel efficiency, use existing fueling

infrastructure and can achieve near zero emission

levels.

Drawbacks include:

Incremental cost for the hybrid option.

An under developed components supply base.

A general lack of across the board customeracceptance based on perceived value.

FFFFFuel Cells:uel Cells:uel Cells:uel Cells:uel Cells: Though demonstration projects are

underway, commercial readiness is not expected until

2015. This zero emission power train should enable

breakthrough performance in energy efficiency, and

hydrogen can be derived from multiple sources while

promoting long-term renewable fuel vision. Among the

many challenges are;

The extremely high cost of the technology.

On board hydrogen fuel storage.

A hydrogen infrastructure still in its infancy.

Sourcing of hydrogen from renewable energy.

Safety:Safety:Safety:Safety:Safety: Active safety will usher in an era where fatalities

are reduced by as much as an additional 50%. We are

in the midst of a revolution in smart vehicle

technologies. Tomorrow's automobile will have

"anticipatory" qualities that enable it to provide

operating recommendations and active support to the

driver. It will do this by monitoring ambient traffic

situation, recognizing upcoming circumstances that

require a drivers response, and-if necessary-taking

action.

Building upon the success of passive safety systems,

such as Antilock Braking System (ABS) and then

advanced by introduction of electronic stability control

system. Our next technological milestone will feature

the cross linking of today's many, varied, and largely

stand along chassis control units. Additional

functionality will come by connecting existing

5/20/2018 Emerging Trends in Automobile Engineering - Prof. J.J. Gera

14 Department of Mechanical & Automobile Engineering

Vol. 2, 2006

equipment electronically, adding software, and having

the various pieces of equipment communicate with

each other. In fact the car will have electronic reflexes

that, with each step, will enable the next.

Portfolio of active safety technologies design to make

individual mobility safer, preventing many rollovers

and crashes from occurring. Advance system such as

lane-departure warning, distance control, and pre-crash

sensors can identify a potential hazardous situation and

keep the vehicle on course, on the road and in control.

By looking at safety in terms of avoiding accidents in

the first place-and then protecting occupants when a

crash is unavoidable- we can prevent more accidents,

save more lives, and reduce insurance and medical costs

to society.

The vision of accident free driving eventually will be

realized with:

Active vehicles safety systems taking control in

critical situations

Networking and wireless technologies will allow

all systems on a vehicle to "talk" to each other.

Tomorrow's vehicles will be capable of

communicating with one another to improve safety

and convenience.

Eventually safety related technologies such as

rollover prevention, night vision, lane departure

warning, and drowsy-driver monitoring will

proliferate from the high to low end auto makers

ranges.

Infrastructure:Infrastructure:Infrastructure:Infrastructure:Infrastructure: If mobility trends were to continue

social, economic, and environmental cost would beunacceptably high. To reduce the significantly

transport related death and serious injuries-program

should focus on improvement in infrastructure, better

technologies for crash avoidance, and injury mitigation,

mitigate traffic congestion, reduce mobility, preserve

and enhance mobility opportunity for the general

population.

A comprehensive improvement of road traffic flow

eventually will revolutionalize individual mobility.

The infrastructure will become smarter, warningdrivers on travel conditions, delays, and closures

to prevent accidents and congestion.

After MarkAfter MarkAfter MarkAfter MarkAfter Market and Serviceet and Serviceet and Serviceet and Serviceet and Service

As with all manufactured products:

The relentless need to engineer more cost effective

solutions will continue unabated.

The need to extend (or potentially eliminate)

service intervals.

To reduce total cost of ownership.

Prognostics technologies will notify operators and

maintenance technicians of potential service

problems via communication links to enable

service prior to vehicle failure.

Several years ago the engineers at General Motors were

challenged to start with clean slate and reinvent the

automobile. They responded with a concept vehicle

combining fuel cell and by-wire technology on an

innovative vehicle architecture consisting of a six inch

(150mm) thick skateboard- like chassis with electronic

motors at all four wheels and the fuel-cell stack,

hydrogen storage system, controls, and heat exchangerembedded within. The concept vehicle shown at

International auto show at Detroit with the following

description: There is no I.C. engine, noThere is no I.C. engine, noThere is no I.C. engine, noThere is no I.C. engine, noThere is no I.C. engine, no

transmission, no drive train, no extransmission, no drive train, no extransmission, no drive train, no extransmission, no drive train, no extransmission, no drive train, no excel, no exhaustcel, no exhaustcel, no exhaustcel, no exhaustcel, no exhaust

system, no radiator and no mechanical steering,system, no radiator and no mechanical steering,system, no radiator and no mechanical steering,system, no radiator and no mechanical steering,system, no radiator and no mechanical steering,

braking, and accelerating linkages. In fact the onlybraking, and accelerating linkages. In fact the onlybraking, and accelerating linkages. In fact the onlybraking, and accelerating linkages. In fact the onlybraking, and accelerating linkages. In fact the only

thing moving other than electrons, protons, waterthing moving other than electrons, protons, waterthing moving other than electrons, protons, waterthing moving other than electrons, protons, waterthing moving other than electrons, protons, water,,,,,

and air are the wheels and suspension.and air are the wheels and suspension.and air are the wheels and suspension.and air are the wheels and suspension.and air are the wheels and suspension.

The greatest education in the world is the education

which helps one to be able to do the right thing at the

time it has to be done. I have great confidence that

working together now and into the future, automotive

industry and automotive engineers will do the right

thing at the time they have to be done.

RRRRReferenceseferenceseferenceseferenceseferences

1. AutomotiveEngineering International-SAE

International

2. SAE 100 Future Look SAE International

3. Mechanical Engineering Magazines, ASME.