Automotive News

ABDS's Behind The Wheel Automotive News

These articles are collected by ABDS staff from news sources around the world. They cover a broad range of transportation, technology, events, fuel-related issues, and many other automotive issues. The articles do not necessarily reflect the views or activities of ABDS. They are posted on our web site purely as a service to our web site visitors.

HYBRID UPDATE
With all the hype about hybrids lately, it is difficult to keep up with the unveiling and availability of new models. Below we present a brief update on recent hybrid activity from Lexus, Nissan, and Toyota.

Lexus proves once again that buying a hybrid car doesn’t mean compromising the comfort and operation of a luxury, high-performance vehicle. In addition to its hybrid luxury SUV RX 400h, Lexus will begin selling a hybrid version its LS sedan in August 2006. Lexus has currently developed a 4.3-liter V-8 linked to a Prius-style hybrid power train for use in the new hybrid LS, but rumors are circulating that they may upgrade to a more powerful 5.0-liter version linked to the twin-motor system of the RX 400h. These improvements would translate into all-wheel drive and a potential 600 horsepower output. This will be the fifth hybrid model in Toyota Motor Company’s showroom by 2006, joining the Prius, Highlander, Camry, and the Lexus RX 400h.

Keeping up with its competitors and the high demand for hybrid cars, Nissan will produce a hybrid version of its top-selling Altima sedan, due to be released in the U.S. in 2006. In 2002, Nissan signed an agreement with Toyota Motor Corporation promising to produce 100,000 hybrids using Toyota hybrid electric drive system components within a five-year period. The new Altima will pair a 4-cylinder gasoline engine with the Toyota hybrid electric drive system (transaxle, inverter, battery, and control unit). It is expected to look almost identical to the traditional Altima model and boast identical handling capabilities.

Toyota has created automotive history again by producing the first high-performance hybrid—the Toyota Alessandro Volta (pictured). Created in collaboration with Italdesign-Giugiaro, the sports car hosts a carbon-fiber body and features "drive-by-wire" controls which allow for positioning of the steering wheel and pedals in front of any one of the three potential passengers that fit abreast. The Volta boasts a 408 horsepower Hybrid Synergy Drive (a 3.3-liter V6 engine with an electric motor for each axle), and not only delivers 435 miles on a 13.7-gallon tank, but can accelerate from 0 to 62 mph in a mere 4.03 seconds. Couple this technology with a car body design engineered by a famous Italian company and a top speed of 155 mph, and you have a “green” high-performing sports car.

Source: Automobile Magazine, June 2005; Hybrid & Electric Vehicle Progress, 15 June 2005; www.rsportscars.com, 15 July 2005.

BMW LIGHTENS ITS LOAD
BMW engineers have developed a lighter, more fuel-efficient gasoline engine. Claiming it to be the world's lightest 6-cylinder engine, BMW intends to use the newly developed engines to replace its 3.0-liter gasoline engines used in its 7- and 5- Series, 630Ci coupe and convertible, and the X3, X5 and Z4. The new engine weighs just 355 pounds and is comprised of a magnesium alloy composite crankcase, which reduces the assembled engine weight by about 22 pounds. Fuel-saving features include a 90 percent more efficient water pump that enables the engine to reach its optimum temperature more quickly from a cold start, when engines tend to run most inefficiently. With this new model, overall performance is increased by 12 percent, while fuel consumption will drop 12 percent.

Source: www.autoweek.com, 13 July 2005.

New Airbag Offers Protection Specific to Passenger
Posted 7/10/05 

By Barrett Kalellis
Detroit News

STERLING HEIGHTS, Mich. — A Michigan auto parts supplier has developed new airbag technology designed to better protect front-seat passengers in a crash.

Key Safety Systems Inc.’s Ticker Tape Air Bag tailors the pressure inside an inflating airbag to meet the specific crash-protection needs of front-seat passengers, particularly those who are small in stature or not properly positioned in the seat.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration estimates that nearly 15,000 lives have been saved in the last two decades by airbags used in tandem with seat belts.

But airbag deployment has caused a number of deaths, most involving small children, typically the result of the force of the bag inflation, along with the victim not being properly restrained.

Key Safety Systems’ Ticker Tape Air Bag, known as TTAB, uses multiple strands of specially coded polyester sensor tape — resembling old-fashioned stock ticker tape — that are sewn to strategic points on the inside of the front surface of the passenger airbag cushion.

The strands of sensor tape are pulled through an optical sensing unit that reads and interprets critical data about the crash and the passenger.

The technology dynamically assesses the passenger’s size and position at the moment of airbag inflation, supplying the correct amount of cushion for optimal protection.

This occurs in less than 10 milliseconds, one-tenth the time it takes to blink your eyes.

Larger and properly seated occupants receive a fully inflated cushion, while the inflation is proportionately reduced for smaller or out-of-position passengers.

The TTAB system is superior to current airbag technology because it responds immediately to data collected at the moment of the crash, said Craig White, president of the Craig White Group, an automotive electronics and safety restraints consulting firm.

“Even though it sounds complicated, the decision process becomes a lot easier and the information needed to calculate deployment is better,” White said. “It’s a more robust system.”

In recent crash tests, TTAB exceeded NHTSA’s airbag safety requirements.

Dennis Van Dorp, Key Safety Systems’ North American director of engineering for frontal airbags, called TTAB technology “a real breakthrough in passenger safety.”

“TTAB allows a variable level of safety protection for small adults in situations where present airbag systems might be turned off,” Van Dorp said.

Small children, however, should still ride in the rear seat, he said.

The number of airbag-related fatalities has been greatly reduced in recent years through a combination of initiatives: warning parents to place and restrain infants properly in the backseat; using less-forceful airbags; and providing the option to turn off airbag systems on the passenger side.

Current “smart” airbag systems use sensors embedded in the front passenger seat. If the sensors detect that the passenger isn’t in the correct position, or is small in stature, the cushion won’t inflate or won’t inflate fully. NHTSA has mandated that all cars have this shut-off technology by 2006.

Several major automakers are considering Key Safety Systems’ TTAB technology, Van Dorp said.

Because the TTAB system doesn’t depend on seat sensors for airbag performance, the supplier believes that automakers can reduce or eliminate them altogether, at an estimated cost savings of $25 to $40 per vehicle, compared to standard passenger airbag systems now in use.

TTAB further allows interior designers a wider selection of seat materials and the ability to use heated seats, while eliminating the need for instrument panel warning lights that register seat mat sensor readings.

“The TTAB system is the most advanced airbag technology now available,” White said. “Along with seat belts, airbags have become a fundamental piece of the car.

“But regardless of whatever safety systems are in place, the ultimate goal for drivers should always be to avoid getting into an accident in the first place.”

This story was first posted on Aug. 10, 2004, on detnews.com, 
Copyright 2004 Detroit News

According to an article in a recent issue of the Detroit News, Chrysler will “more likely than not” built their stunning ME Four-Twelve, an outlandish 12-cylinder, mid-engined super car that it showed during January’s Detroit Motor Show. Dieter Zetsche, CEO of Chrysler told the paper that, “we are in talks with partners who are interested in building it,” and are currently considering the economic details. The biggest problems on the table right now concern the number of vehicles to produce, and a pricing strategy. The Chrysler CEO hopes to have these details completely sorted by the end of this year.

                                        Shape is typical super car because of mid-engine design.

Not surprisingly, Chrysler is aiming to tear down the competition and set quite a few records with the ME. Its AMG-sourced 6.0 liter quad-turbo V12 packs a powerful punch – enough to deliver 850 rocketing horsepower and 850 lb-ft of torque which is only overshadowed by the 987 horsepower Bugatti Veyron. While the quad-turbo motor loses out on grunt, it pulls ahead of the French machine in many other categories including the all-important power to weight ratio which stands at a towering 648 horsepower per ton as compared to the Veyron’s 506 horsepower per ton, and a devastating 142 horsepower per liter rating compared to the Veyron’s milder 125.1 horses per liter. The lightweight design of the Four-Twelve is also expected to trump the Bugatti in handling, ride and braking.

                       Don't get your hopes up too high quite yet - there's still a deciding period.

While all looks rosy for ME Four-Twelve, a great deal of caution must be taken for super cars; many a speed demon makes it to the testing phase, only to be canned shortly thereafter. Many examples have come from Volkswagen’s Auto Group, particularly with the Nardo/W12 super car and the Audi Avus. While both marques had the funding needed to continue developing, each respectively pulled the plug on their nearly-finished vehicles. All we can do for now is cross our fingers and hope for the best for Chrysler as there are still about five months left in the deciding period.

Photos: Chrysler 

United States Automobile Manufacturers

Consolidation in the automobile industry is progressing speedily. The six leading manufacturing companies - General Motors, Ford, Daimler Chrysler, Toyota, Renault and Volkswagen - together account for almost 70% of global production. As long as the merger / acquisition route appears to provide substantial cost-savings - and there are signs in the post-Worldcom era that the disadvantages of the strategy are beginning to surface - consolidation in both passenger car production and sales will continue.

2001 saw a further reduction in the number of franchised dealerships, primarily caused by acquisitions by large companies and continued economic gloom.

US manufacturers are also facing intensified competition from foreign imports. The major Asian and European brands have steadily increased their market shares in the US passenger cars market. Toyota has been the main beneficiary of this development, with its market share approaching that of the 'Big Three' - General Motors, Ford and Daimler Chrysler.

The USA is the world's second largest producer of automobiles behind Japan. General Motors is the market leader, and now followed by Toyota who surpassed Ford to take over the number two possition, in market share terms. In terms of production, General Motors is even further ahead, producing 36% of the country's passenger cars in 2001, to Ford's 22%. Their Pontiac and Chevrolet models remain the most prominent, each accounting for around 10% of all US car production.

Data monitor has identified the major automobile manufacturers in the US by analyzing the 2002 market shares by value of all companies active in the market.                              
        

Safety drives auto sales and insurance rates
By Prakash Gandhi • Bankrate.com

You're wandering through the maze of a car dealership parking lot when all of a sudden it hits you: The car you've hunted for months is sitting right in front of you. It's the right color and has all the extras. It's perfect.

You take it for a test spin. You love it and you've got to have it.

But have you stopped to consider its safety rating?

Is it really the best car for you or is it just a cleverly disguised death trap?

Let's face it, many drivers think safe means boring. But it's not boring to insurance companies, which base their rates, in part, on the safety of the cars and their occupants.

Kim Hazelbaker, senior vice-president of the Highway Loss Data Institute, says insurance companies factor accident records of vehicles when setting premiums. However, crash-test results are useful to the insurance industry if there's not a lot of real-life accident data on the newer models of vehicles. Vehicles that do well in crash tests generally perform well in the real world, he says.

Newer vehicles generally cost more to insure than older ones. But consumers can get discounts on the newer models if the vehicles have the latest safety features.

What's more, manufacturers increasingly are aware that safety can boost their bottom lines.

"Safety sells," says David Champion, director of automobile testing at Consumer Reports magazine. "More and more companies are using good crash-test results as an advertising ploy to get a leg up on the competition."

And David Zuby, vice president of the vehicle research center at the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety agrees, "Most manufacturers realize consumers want crash protection."

Safety by design
There are two major factors at play: prevention, or how well the vehicle is designed to prevent an accident, and crashworthiness, how well the vehicle performs in a crash.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, a government agency, performs full-frontal crashes and side-impact collisions and the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, which is sponsored by the insurance industry, tests vehicles in an offset-frontal crash, a more common type.

Consumer Reports magazine uses the test results of these two agencies to compare 85 vehicles in terms of accident avoidance, crash protection and overall safety. Higher overall scores go to the models that have done well in accident avoidance and crash protection and can improve your chance of avoiding or surviving a crash.

As for avoiding accidents in the first place, the magazine looks at braking performance on both dry and wet pavement, the effectiveness of the anti-lock braking system, emergency handling, acceleration, driving position, visibility and even seat comfort. A vehicle that accelerates quickly makes it easier to merge safely into traffic. Driving position can affect comfort and your ability to see the road clearly and visibility increases your awareness of road conditions and other vehicles. Seat comfort plays a role, also. A driver who is tired or uncomfortable may concentrate less on the road.

Consumer Reports publishes its results in five categories:

Upscale and large sedans -- The Lexus LS300, the Audi A4 and the BMW 330i topped the charts. The Buick LeSabre Limited and Chrysler 300M came in at the bottom of 14 vehicles tested in this category.

Family sedans -- The Volkswagen Passat GLX (V6) came in at number one, with the Toyota Camry XLE (V6) close behind. The four-cylinder Passat GLS, the Nissan Altima 3.5 SE and the Subaru Legacy also did well in this category. Safety dogs were the Pontiac Grand Prix GT, the Oldsmobile Alero and the Pontiac Grand Am.

Small cars -- Volkswagen also took top honors in the battle of the bantamweights. The VW Golf TDI came in at number one. Close behind was the Honda Civic EX and the Volkswagen Jetta GLS TDI. Trailing in this category were the Hyundai Elantra GLS and the Chevrolet Cavalier LS.

Pickup trucks -- In the full-sized pickup category, pole position went to the Toyota Tundra SRS 4.7, the Dodge Ram SLT 4.7 and the Ford F.150 XLT 5.4. Taking the top honors in the compact crew-cab pickups were the Toyota Tacoma TRD (V6) and the Nissan Frontier (V6). Rated as poor were the Dodge Dakota SLT, the Chevrolet S-10 L5 (V6) and the GMC Sonoma 5LS (V6). "Pickups generally don't do well in these assessments," says Champion. "They usually don't protect the driver in crashes and some of them have poor brakes and sloppy handling."

Sport utility vehicles and minivans -- In the small-sized SUV category the top vehicles for safety were the Saturn VUE (V6), the Honda CR-V EX and the Hyundai Santa Fe GLS (V6). In the mid-sized category, the winners were the Lexus RX300, the Acura MDX and the Toyota Highlander. SUVs that did poorly were the Chevrolet Trail Blazer, the GMC Envoy and the Jeep Grand Cherokee. As for minivans, the Honda Odyssey EX, the Toyota Sienna LE and the Mazda MPV LX all did well. But the Chevrolet Venture LS, the Oldsmobile Silhouette GLS and Pontiac Montana fared poorly.

Zuby says that the Pontiac Montana, a minivan, probably was the worst vehicle the institute has tested that's still being sold. "The crush zone didn't crush as much as it should have done, meaning there's a high likelihood of a serious injury in an accident."

For full crash-test results from NHTSA click here and from IIHS click here.

Daniel Pund, associate editor for Car and Driver magazine, says there's no such thing as a totally safe car. "Because of legislation and because of government testing, they're all pretty close," Pund says. "For example, they're all now required to have air bags. Vehicles are safer today than they were 15 or 20 years ago. There's no question that cars are better designed these days to handle crashes."

Tires also are much better today than they were 30 years ago, which means better handling, he says. Seat belts are also better designed so that the belt itself does not injure an occupant and still protects you from hitting the windshield.

In the end, no matter how safe the vehicle is, the way it's driven can have a lot to do with whether you'll suffer a serious injury.

"The safest car in the world is one that never leaves the garage," says Champion. "How safe a vehicle is depends a lot on the way it's driven."

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