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What We’re Driving
Power

What We’re Driving: 2020 Harley-Davidson LiveWire ELW

“Grab your helmet, you need to ride this thing!” exclaimed my pal Dave, as he parked his new electric Harley-Davidson in my driveway. I’d been working outside when he arrived...

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Q&A
Materials

New Polycarbonates Provide ‘Sensor Transparency’

The sensor arrays that currently reside on the roofs of development mules will be hidden from view on future production vehicles. But how to conceal them without affecting their safety-critical performance?

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News
Design

Tata Steel Europe Innovates to Retain the Automotive Materials Lead

In the constantly evolving world of automaking, Dr. Karl Haider, Chief Commercial Officer of Tata Steel Europe (TSE) is certain of one thing: that steel will continue to...

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News
Electronics & Computers

New CHAdeMO 3.0 Aims to Harmonize Global EV Quick-Charging Standards

On April 24, the CHAdeMO Association released the 3.0 version of its electric-vehicle (EV) charging protocol. The technology was co-developed by the China Electricity...

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News
Automotive

Customization Drives New Porsche Paint Process

Combining manufacturing and paint-shop processes with hardware and software similar to those used in the printing industry, Porsche says it has ready a new customization option for its 911...

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News
Power

Cummins, Tula Test ‘Dynamic’ Cylinder Deactivation for Diesels

Tula Technology has supplied the control software for “dynamic” cylinder deactivation in gasoline engines since 2018, launching in General Motors’ 5.3- and 6.2-L...

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Articles
Communications

Industry Group Aims to End V2X Tech Dilemma, FCC Bandwidth Play

In a competing-technology conflict some have compared to Betamax vs. VHS but with life-and-death implications, the Alliance for Automotive Innovation (AAI) industry trade...

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News
Manned Systems

Building Geofences to Speed AV Adoption

Vehicle and system developers have always pushed to get the most from every component and material, but design teams focused on autonomous vehicles are increasingly adopting a less-is-more strategy....

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News
Test & Measurement

Latest NVH Simulation Tools Are Ultimate EV Buzz Killers

Noise, Vibration and Harshness, the engineer’s old nemeses, are among the new paradigms that electrification brings to vehicle development. The industry’s success in mitigating...

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Articles
Electronics & Computers

Radar’s Evolving Role in ADAS and the AV Future

Until recently, various vehicle OEMs were vying to be first to put self-driving cars on the road by the magical turn of the decade. But as 2020 arrived, the bullish tone has switched to a...

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News
Manufacturing & Prototyping

Speeding AV Testing with a Digital Twin

A European company has developed time-saving simulation software for users of the University of Michigan’s Mcity CAV (connected and autonomous vehicle) testing facility in Ann Arbor. It has created...

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News
Software

Origin of the Species

“I was a vehicle-dynamics engineer my entire career—but maybe not a good one, because they put me in charge of a self-driving car!” jokes Jason Fischer, chief engineer for the Cruise Origin, the autonomous...

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News
Electronics & Computers

How Ford Is Mobilizing Its Engineers in the COVID-19 Fight

The fight against COVID-19 has forced disparate industries to collaborate on a technical level not seen since World War II, in order to boost supply of vital medical equipment....

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News
Manned Systems

Clean Is the New Safety Paradigm for AV Development

Privately-owned vehicles were never so safe as they are today. Nor have they made so much sense. That thought hit me between the nostrils recently, as I sprayed a pungent disinfectant on...

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News
Unmanned Systems

What We’re Driving: 2020 Kia Telluride

The 2020 Kia Telluride is one of the classic lightning-in-a-bottle models an automaker enjoys maybe once every couple of decades. Assertive-but-not-obnoxious styling combine with a vast cabin trimmed...

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News
Power

2020 Jeep Gladiator Mojave

The aftermarket driven by Jeep Wrangler is reportedly north of $1 billion and I like to think that my dad had something to do with kickstarting that phenomena. After purchasing a new 1947 Willys CJ2A ($1,067!),...

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What We’re Driving
Power

What We’re Driving: 2020 Ford Expedition

I’m dubious of “off-road” option packages. Decals, chunky-tread tires and tow hooks usually are more about enhancing a vehicle’s profit margin than its performance, off-road or on. So when...

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News
Regulations/Standards

Electrifying Opportunities at IAV

Mike Kenhard joined IAV Automotive Engineering as president in 2019, bringing a diverse career in systems engineering and “all sides of engines and engine controls” from his previous experience at AVL,...

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Technical Innovation
Power

New Best Practice Establishes Commonly Defined Terms, Conceptual Framework for ADS ODD

The Automated Vehicle Safety Consortium (AVSC), an industry program of SAE Industry Technologies Consortia (SAE ITC), released a new best practice in...

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News
Regulations/Standards

Underwriters Labs Publishes First AV Safety Standard

On April 1, 2020, Underwriters Laboratories (UL) announced that it published UL 4600 as an American National Standard. With its publication, UL 4600 became the auto industry’s first...

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Articles
Unmanned Systems

Roush Lands in AV Territory

Famous as an engineering-services company, a NASCAR racing icon, and the name behind many high-performance Ford cars and trucks, the Roush brand is a go-to for OEMs and suppliers needing projects executed on...

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Articles
Mechanical & Fluid Systems

New Ampere EV Motor Aims for Power, Torque Benchmarks

Consider an EV traction motor rated at 220 kW and weighing 10 kg (22 lb). Is it too good to be true? “We’ll find out within nine months when we build it,” said Ian Foley, managing...

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Articles
Unmanned Systems

V2X Communication, Not Automation, to Usher in Next Road-Safety Revolution

Development of autonomous vehicles (AV) is moving inexorably forward, driven by staggering industry investment. It’s understood that connectivity, often...

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News
Mechanical & Fluid Systems

Reconsidering CNG as an Alt-Fuel Solution

As CO2 emission standards continue to tighten, the future of the IC engine may be inexorably tied to alternative fuels. As automakers seek propulsion solutions delivering convenience and...

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News
Design

New EU Patent System Could Unify and Simplify Process

To engineers who are developing autonomous vehicle (AV) technologies, the legal landscape around innovation can look increasingly complex. And the patent path may seem daunting. But...

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Technical Innovation
Manufacturing & Prototyping

Magna Fighting COVID-19 with Ozone

An ozone-generating process that kills germs is being evaluated by supplier Magna for potential use in vehicle cabins, as the mobility industry seeks sustainable solutions for protecting passenger health....

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News
Manned Systems

The Ford Raptor’s Front Drivetrain Is Pulling for You

The second-generation of Ford’s F-150 Raptor, which launched in 2016 for MY17, is available with an exclusive set of front drivetrain hardware that endows it with exceptional off-...

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Articles
Test & Measurement

Xcelerating Innovation, Honda-Style

For the past five years, Honda Innovations, part of the automaker’s R&D enterprise, has been quietly running a collaborative, open-innovation program at six locations around the world. Known as the...

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Articles
Energy

Caterpillar Reveals Seven New Next-Gen Excavators, Increases Push for Remote Control

Caterpillar began launching its next-generation hydraulic excavators in late 2017, and the rollout continues two years later with the introduction of...

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