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2018 Volvo XC60 T8 Inscription

No, Volvo hasn’t stuffed its old V8 into the new XC60, but that’s what the T8 nameplate of this new plug-in hybrid SUV might imply. Confused? You’re not alone.

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News
Transportation

BMW X1 XDrive28i

Intellectually, I know the X1 has to exist. Every luxury brand must have a compact crossover to satiate crossover-crazed customers.

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What We’re Driving
Transportation

Jaguar F-Pace 35t R-Sport

Considering the brazen pricetags some “luxury” vehicles bring to market these days, I’d suggest this F-Pace’s as-tested price of $62,280 could be judged almost a bargain. No turbocharged four-cylinder...

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Articles
Transportation

Toyota Rethinks the Flagship

Toyota has engineered a complete road-to-roof redo of its flagship Lexus LS sedan, dropping the V8 engine in favor of a twin-turbo V6, adding Aisin's new 10-speed planetary automatic and retaining a...

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News
Transportation

Honda 2018 Accord: Antidote for Crossover Fever

Honda engineers aren’t saying it in so many words, but one could construe the tenth-generation 2018 Accord sedan as being purposely developed as the “anti-crossover.” At a time when most...

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Road Ready
Transportation

Honda Infuses Civic Type R with Racing Pedigree

The development bogey for the new Honda Civic Type R was clear and simple in its scope if not its execution—beat the Nürburgring lap time of its predecessor.

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Articles
Electronics & Computers

‘Cruising Chauffeur’ Demos SAE Level 3 Autonomy

Within the safe confines of the Contidrome test facility in Germany, it is becoming more commonplace to see engineers nonchalantly placing their hands in their laps (and their feet well...

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Road Ready
Mechanical & Fluid Systems

M XDrive: BMW’s Power + Grip Solution

Channeling 591 hp (441 kW) and 553 lb·ft (750 N·m) through a pair of hand-sized contact patches was always going to be a challenge, even for the engineers at BMW’s M division.

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News
RF & Microwave Electronics

Global Shutter Image Sensor

The OV2311 is OmniVision Technologies, Inc.’s (Santa Clara, CA) automotive 2-megapixel, 3-micron global shutter image sensor designed for the next generation of driver monitoring systems. Leveraging OmniPixel3-GS global shutter technology and near-infrared imaging capabilities, OmniVision says the OV2311 offers...

News
RF & Microwave Electronics

Automotive-Grade Magnetic Position Sensors

ams’ (Premstaetten, Austria) AS5172A/B magnetic position sensors feature a two-wire PSI5 interface for fast and secure transmission of their precise rotary position measurements. The new AS5172A...

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News
RF & Microwave Electronics

Touch Panel Computer

Built on the NXP i.MX6 Cortex-A9 ARM CPU and available in a Solo or Quad-Core configuration, Technologic Systems’ (Fountain Hills, AZ) TS-TPC-7990 touch panel computer features the ability to provide end-users with...

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News
Green Design & Manufacturing

PEMS Takes a Bigger Testing Role in U.S., Europe

A recently launched North American database provides online users with vehicle-to-vehicle comparisons of greenhouse gas emissions and real-world fuel economy.

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News
Software

Modular Drive Wall-Mounting Kits

Siemens’ (Elk Grove Village, IL) low-cost wall-mounting kits for its Sinamics G120C and G120 PM240-2 modular drives allow easy, fast installation of the drives and conform to NEMA 1 and UL Type 1 standards...

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News
RF & Microwave Electronics

Secure Automotive Gigabit Ethernet Switch

Marvell’s (Santa Clara, CA) secure automotive gigabit Ethernet switch—the industry’s first according to the company—enables a new level of safe data transmission in next-generation connected...

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News
Power

Autonomy Testing: Simulation to the Rescue

Engineers like a good challenge, and the development path for autonomous technologies is putting logical and creative thinkers to the ultimate test.

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News
Software

3D PDF Add-On

A 3D PDF add-on is available to complement and enhance Theorem’s (Staffordshire, England) CATIA V5 to Creo View visualization product, part of the company’s Visualize 3D range. According to Theorem, Visualize 3D enables...

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Product Briefs
RF & Microwave Electronics

Portable Sound Calibrator

The 42AG Multifunction Sound Calibrator from G.R.A.S. Sound & Vibration (Twinsburg, OH) was designed for fast verification of microphones and sound-level meters in the field. Developed as an improved replacement...

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Product Briefs
Electronics & Computers

Force/torque Sensor

Like all of ATI Industrial Automation’s (Apex, NC) force/torque sensors, the new Axia80 measures all six components of force and torque. The monolithic instrumented transducer also features silicon strain gauges that reduce noise, enable high stiffness and provide overload protection five to 20 times over the sensing range,...

News
Automotive

Lightweight Constant Velocity Joint

GKN Driveline’s (Auburn Hills, MI) VL3 constant velocity joint system is a lighter, more efficient and stronger CV joint that delivers increased torque in a more compact design. The VL3 CV joint has...

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Articles
Test & Measurement

Testing mmWave Radars in the Loop

Millimeter-wave radars are a key component of advanced driver-assistance systems (ADAS). Engineers know, however, that setting up real-time radar experiments with multiple vehicles is challenging in an...

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Technology Report
RF & Microwave Electronics

Developing High-Energy-Density Batteries for EVs

It’s been a long road for Nissan from its 1947 Tama EV to its advanced prototype ZEV BladeGlider sports car, but that road still stretches to—and far beyond—the technology horizon, as...

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News
Manufacturing & Prototyping

Polyether Polyols

BASF (Ludwigshafen, Germany) offers an improved process for manufacturing Lupranol (polyether polyol) so that car components made of BASF polyurethane systems emit an average of 20% less aldehyde. The company says this allows...

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Product Briefs
Manufacturing & Prototyping

Expander Plugs

SFC Koenig (North Haven, CT) recently developed seals for an automotive manufacturer’s new anti-lock brake and traction control systems. The supplier of sealing and flow control solutions assisted the customer in the selection of an MB 850-040E Koenig Expander plug based on size requirements, materials, pressures, installation...

Editorial
Green Design & Manufacturing

EVs Lack a Robust Charging Grid

The flames lit up the sky when the electric-power substation in my town blew up one night last August. TV news had it covered: A transformer at the Detroit Edison site had exploded, immediately knocking out...

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Product Briefs
RF & Microwave Electronics

DC Power Supply

Kikusui Electronics' (Santa Clara, CA) PWR-01 series is a wide-range bench top DC power supply that provides testing performance in a compact, user-friendly package. The PWR-01 is a versatile instrument with models ranging from...

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What We’re Driving
Transportation

Ford F-150 Raptor

The wild-child Raptor is a halo model if there ever was one. It generates equal giddiness across a surprisingly broad demographic—and simultaneously demonstrates Ford knows the buttons to push to pump up the volume for...

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News
Transportation

Hyundai Elantra Sport

It’s become a rarity for automakers to put manual-transmission models in their press-evaluation fleets, but the Elantra Sport’s direct (if light) lever action and skillfully-weighted clutch pedal made it all the...

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News
Automotive

Genesis G90

Hyundai’s newly stand-alone Genesis brand may or may not eventually shoulder its way into the luxury-market country club, but for now it’s a little tough even keeping it straight regarding the budding Genesis model range....

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Road Ready
Green Design & Manufacturing

Cadillac Plugs in CT6 for High-Value Efficiency

The badge on the decklid reads ‘2.0E’, with no giveaway that the 2018 Cadillac CT6 we’re driving is a plug-in hybrid. Perhaps a more appropriate nameplate should be CT6 NEV, because this...

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