Design News for Mechanical and Design Engineers

Jetson-like vehicles drop in

By Anna Allen, Contributing Editor

This four-person flying car takes off and lands vertically from any small, flat area without the need for an airport or heliport. It hovers or moves at speeds up to 350 mph; can travel as far as 900 miles before refueling; and flies over traffic, buildings, and mountains at altitudes up to 30,000 ft., the company says. Pilot controls are all electronic.

Paul Moller, who founded the firm, has been working on the project for 30 years. The M400 SkyCar is powered by eight Wankel rotary engines. Moller RotaPower engines, marketed by Freedom Motors (Davis, CA), are part of Moller's R&D efforts to develop new rotary combustion engine technology, which can then be applied to applications such as the SkyCar, boats, hybrid electric vehicles, and remote piloted aircraft. In addition to these engines, the company has also developed electronic stabilization and fly-by-wire control systems.

According to the company, development of the SkyCar is possible now because of this moderate-cost engine, as well as light, low-cost composites and electronics. Advances in electronics and software also permit safe, easy operation.

In 1992, Moller received a U.S. generic patent for this entirely new aircraft. This design is being considered by the FAA for certification under the new "Powered LiftNormal" category. In addition, criteria for development of private and commercial "vertiports" have been partially formulated by the FAA in anticipation of certification of a civil version of the V-22 Osprey, the 24 to 30-passenger tilt-rotor aircraft under development by Boeing and Bell. Certification is expected by next year.

Ferries very unfriendly to the environment

Seat belt inventor hailed

By Rick DeMeis, Senior Editor

Detroit-Forty years ago Volvo began installing three-point safety belts in its cars, and this month the Safety Hall of Fame inducts their inventor, Nils Bohlin, into its ranks. Many feel the combination lap and shoulder belt is the greatest single contribution to auto safety in terms of the number of lives saved. The company made the invention available royalty-free to the rest of the automotive industry.

Ironically, before coming to Volvo in 1958, Bohlin's work at Saab Aircraft involved designing ejection seats to remove occupants from vehicles in danger. In 1957, Volvo made provision in its cars for an optional two-point "diagonal" belt, but it did not give all the protection the company desired.

Bohlin says, "I realized that both the upper and lower body must be held securely in place with one strap across the chest and one across the hips, with an immovable anchorage point for the buckle far enough down beside the occupant's hip so that the belt could hold the body properly throughout the collision. It was a matter of finding a solution that was simple, effective, and could be put on conveniently with one hand." Volvo introduced the three-point belt to a skeptical U.S. market in 1963. It wasn't until a conference in the U.S. in 1967 that the concept gained wider acceptance. Here the company presented data showing that in 28,000 accidents involving Volvos in Sweden, injuries were reduced on the order of 50-60%. The following year, despite some industry opposition, Congress passed legislation mandating the belts.

Since then, the design has improved with inertia-reels for more convenient use and active belt pretensioning to tighten them quicker.

Would you buy a used car from this guy?

Actually, 42.8% of Design News' readers would. That's according to this year's exclusive Design News automotive survey, which asked respondents whether they plan to buy a used or new car. Top reasons not to buy new? Cars that have been around the block a few times, say design engineers, have a lower price and better value. Other readers said they're willing to put up with used cars because someone else has already taken the depreciation hit; the bugs are worked out; and they find money in the back seat. For more results from our exclusive survey, see page 90.

Ford lowers the bar

By Karen Auguston Field,Executive Editor

Dearborn, MI-Can an object weighing less than 50 lb provide better management of frontal collisions? That's the theory behind the 49-lb, hollow steel beam mounted behind the front bumper of the new Ford Excursion.

Safety engineers designed the beam in response to concerns about the height mismatch between the Excursion, the biggest and tallest SUV built today, and passenger cars. In a collision, this incompatibility could allow the Excursion to override a car's frame rails, which help dissipate the impact forces. The result? Greater risk of injury to the car's occupants.

By helping prevent a car from sliding under the SUV, the beam itself reduces that potential risk. Measuring 3.5 inches wide and 2 inches tall, the 4-ft beam spans the width of the vehicle. At 2.5 inches below and 6.5 inches behind the Excursion's front bumper, the cantilevered beam's location falls within the 16-to-20 inch off-ground height of most passenger car frame rails.

According to Ford spokeswoman Jennifer Flake, it is the two, 7-inch-long, L-shaped brackets used to attach the beam to the frame that help the Excursion share more of the crash energy with a small car. Although Ford would not elaborate on the exact details or geometry, the brackets appear to be designed to deform in such a way that the brackets bend, thereby absorbing some of the crash energy and helping to prevent the car from sliding further beneath the SUV.

Dashboards go virtual

By Laurie Toupin, Associate Editor

Montreal-There are many aspects to designing a car. One of the last, but definitely not least, is the human interface with such features as the radio, CD player, fuel gauge, failure warnings, and door and light status indicators.

Digital mockups help engineers with this portion of car design as readily as they do with that of the chassis, but this requires a different type of software. "A MCAD file is essential for a physical perspective, but it doesn't tell you how the position or interface of instruments work in relation to driver and passenger," says Philippe Collard, president and CEO of Virtual Prototypes.

That's where VAPS come in. VAPS, a suite of tools, specifies, tests, simulates, and deploys visual, real-time, interactive 2D graphical user interfaces. The software examines the human interface by replicating how an instrument works via a computer screen. If the driver turns up the air conditioning, for example, the car will get cold. If he or she turns up the radio, the music gets louder. "Its behavior is the exact same as it would be in a real car," Collard says. Only a user interacts with the simulator with a mouse.

Two years ago, what is now DaimlerChrysler decided to spruce up its Mercedes S-class dashboard. The car manufacturer wanted to add a command system, a five-inch active matrix display located in the center console. This system included controls for many of the car's features, such as entertainment options, mobile telephone, as well as the navigation controls.

Engineers also wanted to test the dashboard display itself, a small dot-matrix screen controlled with eight function keys, located on the steering wheel. The keys enable the driver to access a variety of programs, including those that show fuel level and the distance driven since the last stop. Another enables the driver to activate the telephone by voice, while yet another works the navigation system.

DaimlerChrysler used VAPS to prototype and simulate the S-class instruments such as navigation, radio, and climate control functions. Test "drivers" sat in front of a computer simulation of the car's interior, complete with a steering wheel. The equipment can also be placed in a real car with a display in front of the driver. A knob on the center console enables drivers to access options on the dashboard display's menu without having to hunt for pushbuttons.

"By using Virtual Prototypes' VAPS tools to prototype these displays, we decreased our development time for the new S-Class cars by six months," says Friedemann Kuhn with DaimlerChrysler's research division. "We were able to produce animated, interactive prototypes that we could easily reconfigure to meet new specifications. New options on the display panel could be easily prototyped and tested before being installed."

Besides time, designers saved cost. A physical prototype costs $100,000, says Collard. Now one can test sensors, alarms, temperature controls, and if changes are necessary, it is just a matter of a few keystrokes rather than another $100,000.

Virtual Prototypes recently released a companion product, CCG (C Code Generator), that automatically generates code from the prototypes built in VAPS and programs the embedded systems that drive these displays. With this product, design changes can easily be made late in the cycle and not affect final delivery schedule, says Collard. This type of software may eventually allow manufacturers to customize the interior and dash of a car, as it is basically just a matter of logistics, he adds.

VAPS is not new, having been used in the aerospace and defense industries. But today's cars are very complex, says Collard. "They are becoming as loaded as any cockpit, though not as sophisticated." The company has primarily sold VAPS in Europe until nearly a year ago when it opened an office in Detroit. The software operates on either a Unix or NT platform.

X5 -- a backwoods BMW

By Gerry Miles, Contributing Editor

Spartanburg, SC-From the trademark kidney grille and glass-covered Xenon headlights, there's no mistaking: the X5 is BMW. However the underpinnings are the key components to ensure that the German automaker's car-craving cadre find this crossover Sport Activity Vehicle (SAV) appropriately named and not playing up a marketing whim.

Like its stablemates, key to the X5's performance is its foundation or new chassis, and it's handling. BMW designers opted for a unitized body over a truck-like box or ladder frame for strength, an independent suspension, and crashworthiness on a par with its car line.

The new chassis allows the X5 to support a new double-joint front suspension as well as a multilink rear suspension similar to that found on its upscale 7 Series cars.

A redesigned MacPherson-strut system in conjunction with an anti-roll bar and pressurized gas shocks up front controls body roll. In the back, an integrated or live rear axle uses geometry similar to the 7 Series along with a sub-frame tied to the chassis via elastic rubber supports for longevity and reduced noise, vibration, and harshness.

Opting for all-wheel-drive over a four-wheel-drive gearbox with a low-range speaks to the SAV's sporting nature. A single central differential maximized ground clearance, permitting a 38-to-62 front-to-back power ratio under normal conditions, a lower center of gravity to improve handling, and the virtual elimination of torque steer when power is applied.

Realizing that some owners might decide to slightly venture off the beaten path, as opposed to serious off-roading, BMW included the Hill Descent Control (HDC) found on the Discovery II Range Rover made by its Rover operation. "It's not so much for off-roading but any road condition, such as inclement weather, one might find that requires safety and controlled descent," says BMW spokesman David Buchko.

HDC works automatically in either forward or reverse without pedal input, in any gear, leaving the driver's hands free for steering. Additional power can be added, but HDC retards the throttle to a safe level based upon input from the all-new Dynamic Stability Control (DSC-X) that counters under- and over-steering.

Activated by a dashboard switch, HDC takes effect at less than 31 mph, decelerating to a walking speed of 3-6 mph. Braking and acceleration can be used while HDC is on, but the system switches into a stand-by mode if speed is added to exceed 6 mph.

DSC-X utilizes a number of sensors: wheel spin, lateral and yaw acceleration, along with the vehicle's steering angle and speed.

A microprocessor determines if the vehicle is traveling on its intended path or preparing to part from it in a skid. Additionally, DSC brakes each wheel independent of the others if needed, as well as cutting engine output. In an understeer situation on a left-hand turn, the brake on the inside left-rear wheel would activate to help pivot the car back in line. In an oversteer, or fishtailing situation, the brakes are applied on the outside front to force the car back in line.

Under normal conditions, BMW's new Automatic Differential Braking detects wheel spin and directs additional power to the wheels with grip. This works counter to Mercedes' M-Class design which necessitates the driver staying on the gas pedal to enact wheel spin to split power to the wheel, or wheels, with the most traction to keep rolling.

Powered by either a six- or eight-cylinder engine mated to a five-speed automatic transmission, a new braking system called Dynamic Brake Control (DBC) boosts brake pressure during a panic or emergency situation, shortening the stopping distance.

At least initially, the X5 is made and sold only in the U.S. With the prospect of BMW handling in a sport package, the company may have another hit on its hands.

C&K continues to support design engineering

Watertown, MA-Once again, C&K Components Inc. is supporting the Design News Engineering Foundation with a major donation of $10,000.

According to Lisa Blais, vice president of sales and marketing, C&K is very proud to sponsor a program that awards engineers for their outstanding accomplishments and at the same time provides financial support for engineers of the future. Blais states that "C&K is a switch company, with a heritage and success built on manufacturing products that are engineered and designed according to customer specifications."

C&K invests and believes strongly in the engineering community for a number of reasons. The community is a major part of the company's heritage that began when founders Dr. Charles Coolidge and Marshall Kincaid met as researchers at the Harvard Computational Lab in the early 1950's. They became partners and pioneers in the introduction of miniature switches. Both men based the company's success on attracting and retaining the best engineering talent for design and manufacturing innovation and solutions. They also introduced an early program to underwrite ongoing technical education for their employees. "Another fundamental element in C&K's commitment to the foundation is the belief in American ingenuity and the critical role design and innovation play in our country's success and standard of living," says Blais.

C&K hosts a number of technical educational programs, including co-op programs with Northeastern University and Mass Bay Community College. This year, the company also participated in an MIT Partnership Program where fifteen industrial engineering students used C&K's Newton, MA manufacturing facility as a laboratory. C&K is one in four Massachusetts industry partners chosen to host the student program, which offers first-hand industrial experience to 65 seniors and graduate students enrolled in a manufacturing system design course. "This partnership program with MIT provided future engineers with a real experience of lean manufacturing," says Blais. "C&K believes that there is a great need and worth in the support of education, and that there is a great need to encourage today's youth to pursue engineering careers."

Engineers at C&K have developed more than 50 families of switch products during the past 30 years. C&K's global design team is headquartered in Watertown, MA with manufacturing facilities in Clayton, NC; San Jose; Costa Rica; and Kettering, England.

Chevy Silverado -- rigid frame the key

By Charles J. Murray, Senior Regional Editor

Pontiac, MI-The key features in the new Chevrolet Silverado are the kind that no reviewer can evaluate in a day, week, or even a month. In fact, the only real measure of the success for this vehicle would be a year of rugged use.

That's because the Silverado's key features are its durability and reliability. Chevrolet claims that its award-winning pickup (Motor Trend magazine Truck of the Year) has the toughest frame in GM history.

And Chevrolet might be right. After all, Silverado's frame is the result of an extraordinarily intense design effort, the kind that's usually reserved for more high-profile components, such as engines.

More about that in a minute, though. First, let's look at some of the features that can be easily evaluated. The particular vehicle we test drove, the Silverado LS 1500 pickup, was more than just roomy. It was downright luxurious. It had six-way power seats for the driver and front passenger; chrome grill; cast aluminum wheels; power locks and windows; tinted glass; and lots of front-seat storage. A rear-access door also made entry and exit easier for back seat passengers. It should be noted, however, that all of that luxury came with a substantial pricetag, the vehicle we drove had an invoice of $30,367. For that price, it should be luxurious.

Acceleration of the Vortec 5300 V8 engine was more than ample for pickup truck applications. Equally important, the four-speed automatic transmission, a $995 add-on and its oil cooler are ideal for towing.

Our vehicle also included an optional, automatic four-wheel drive system, known as Autotrac. It's basically a "smart" four-wheel drive transfer case, when there's no slippage, it sends 100% of the power to the rear wheels. That's important for pickup owners who intend to drive their vehicles off-road and don't want to keep switching back and forth from four-wheel drive. And it's not a terribly expensive option at $375.

Silverado's ride and handling characteristics were truck-like no more or less so than any of its competitors. But if you haven't test driven a pickup in awhile, you should try this or any comparable vehicle. It's a far cry from those of a decade ago.

Which brings us back to the issue of GM's innovative new frame. Chevrolet says that the frame is in large part responsible for those ride and handling characteristics. The truth is, you're unlikely to appreciate the frame through seat-of-the-pants measurements. In that respect, you'll notice little difference from any of the other good pickups.

Silverado’s frame incorporates a multitude of innovations including: a hydroformed front section which eliminates about 300 inches of weld; a roll-formed/draw bent mid-frame which optimizes strength-to-mass ratio; welded construction which improves torsional stiffness; and hot wax technology which protects the frame from corrosion.

No, the real advantage of the Silverado's new frame is, as we mentioned earlier, the durability, strength, and rigidity it reportedly offers. The three-piece design is unlike anything on the market today (Design News 4/19/99, pg. 63). It includes a hydroformed front section, roll-formed mid-frame, and traditionally-stamped rear section. The result is said to be greater rigidity, lighter weight, better dimensional control, and a host of other advantages. But the bottom line is durability. GM engineers say the frame's advantages are real, based on one million miles of customer validation and field testing.

If they're right, that could be the key to the Silverado's success. Because, at first glance, it's merely a good vehicle for the money. But if the frame can improve on the typical squeaks and rattles, clanks and clunks that all pickups have after a year of use, then the Silverado could indeed become a great vehicle.

Nintendo sensor helps eliminate airbag risk

By Bruce Wiebusch, Regional Editor

Salt Lake City-Starting with the 2000 model year, General Motors will use a new smart-airbag system that selectively deploys passenger-side airbags based on weight and pressure measurements obtained from 22 sensors in the seat. GM's first application of this technology, which is enabled by the Bend Sensor Occupant Detection System, will be on the Cadillac DeVille.

The detection system, developed by Flexpoint, uses thin-film sensors mounted under factory-installed automobile seats that activate passenger-side airbags based on the size, weight, and topographical profile of the occupant. The sensors measure changes, up to 200 data points per inch, in electrical resistance to detect changes in the occupant's position.

Unlike other restraint systems that rely solely on weight measurement, this airbag system uses weight and pattern detection, so it can not be fooled by a child safety seat that is strapped in too tightly. Even if the weight of the child safety seat is 180 lb., the system will recognize the profile of the seat and disable the air bag. The system is also said to be capable of distinguishing between such a safety seat and a bag of groceries.

The paper-thin, self-contained system has no mechanical components, operates without manual activation or manipulation, and can be activated up to 5 million times. Conductive ink within the film generates weight and pattern signals when bent, which are then analyzed by Flexpoint software.

The drive of luxury

By Laurie Toupin, Associate Editor

Rome-It was a Mercedes. Need I say more? Coming from a background of Toyota Tercels, Mazda Protégés, and Honda Civics...I was in car heaven. This luxury E-Class felt wonderful, handled the curves like it was one with the road, and went 120 mph as easily as walking my dogs in the morning.

From the Leonardo da Vinci International Airport in Italy to the San Benedetto Monastery in Subiaco, to the Palazzo della Fonte Hotel in Fiuggi, and back to Rome, the Mercedes took us through tiny, curvy Italian highways and byways, around sheep and cattle, and up steep mountain roads without skipping a beat.

After four years of production and approximately 1 million unit sales, Mercedes-Benz decided to fine tune the E-class technology. Updates include a new six speed manual transmission (unfortunately not available in the U.S.), window airbags, and modern electronic assistance systems. Design engineers improved or refined more than 1,800 components of the car.

Many of the changes were cosmetic. The front section, for example, has been lowered by about 2 cm and accompanied by a redesigned radiator grille and bumper covering, which blends smoothly into the body work. While lowering the hood gives the car a sleeker, more aerodynamic look, this design change caused a slight dilemma for the diesel model: the engine no longer fits. DaimlerChrysler engineers are currently working on a new direct injection diesel E-class design.

Convenience is Mercedes' middle name. A multifunction steering wheel allows operation of both radio and telephone without taking a hand off the wheel. The actively ventilated seat from the S-class is an optional extra, but one highly recommended by this driver.

I particularly enjoyed the automatic touch shift. The one-touch control for the five-speed automatic transmission allows the driver to chose between all five forward speeds by gently nudging the shifter lever to the left to downshift or to the right to upshift. If you are already in the highest gear, the transmission moves down to the next gear range. Over-revving isn't possible because the electronics simply won't execute the requested downshift if it will tax the engine. A gear recognition switch in the electronic selector lever module registers all selector level positions, encodes them and transmits them via the CAN data bus to the electronic transmission control.

Mercedes claims they are going after a new buyer with this car. Instead of the traditional "functional" customer, they are going after the more contemporary, "emotional" sale. After this drive, I would say they sold me. Now if only I could find that extra $40,000 I know I had somewhere.

A wagon tale

By Rick DeMeis, Senior Editor

Conesville, NY-My wife has found another. After seven years of faithful service, she unexpectedly admitted there is a car that exceeds her Saab 9000 hatchback for cargo carrying versatility combined with get-up-and-go power and handling. Her new love is again from Sweden, Saab's 9⁵ wagon.

In a car only a half inch wider and two inches longer than the 9000, Saab designers have increased internal dimensions and clearances even more, which coupled with the wagon-style rear end, produces a cargo volume of 72.9 ft³ (37 ft³ with the rear seat up). The 2.3-liter, four-cylinder, light pressure turbocharged engine and four-speed automatic transmission we drove from outside Boston to the Catskills displayed the usual Saab verve, and the wagon had the 9⁵ sedan's solid handling (see Design News 11/2/98, p.58). This engine option comes standard with a five-speed manual transmission, while the 3.0-liter V6 turbo only comes with the automatic.

But the tale of any wagon is naturally found in the rear. How did Saab engineers do in crafting this car? Here's a rundown of the technical features:

Aerodynamics. A small lip at the rear edge of the roof separates the airflow cleanly, which Saab says cuts drag without adding lift to adversely affect handling. The curved rear D pillars, neatly hidden behind dark glass, also provide clean flow separation around the sides to maintain high-speed stability. Saab gives the drag coefficient as a very un-wagonlike low of 0.31 (9⁵ sedan drag is 0.29).

Ergonomics. The rear hatch opens high enough that a six-footer can move around the loading area without hitting the gate, much less getting poked in the eye. At night, twin lights in the hatch illuminate the internal cargo and the outside loading areas. An option allows the cargo floor to slide out and slightly upward to eliminate having to lean over when loading heavy objects. This sliding platform supports 440 lb (a similar floor in the new BMW wagons supports 165 lb).

Structure. Running fore and aft along each side of the rear cargo floor are aircraft-like CargoTracks^TM, much like the floor rails that secure the seats in airliners. Snap-in tie-downs can be mounted anywhere along these tracks to secure loads. Plastic covers fit over the tracks when not in use to keep them from trapping dirt. In testing track strength, a crane attached to a tie-down on each track was able to lift the back wheels of the more than 3,600-lb car. Then using just one hook, engineers again lifted the car, but with slight distortion to the track.

Saab exceeded by more than 100% Germany’s rear-seat strength requirements to prevent cargo intrusion into the passenger area during a frontal collision.

Safety. The rear seat in the 9⁵ wagon does not have a pass-through hole for long objects such as skis. A pass-through, says Saab, would weaken the seat's strength in keeping cargo from intruding into the passenger area during a frontal collision. To this end, the engineers designed the wagon for rear-seat integrity in impacts up to 35 mph with an unsecured cargo area load of 176 lb. This ability betters the German requirement for restraining about 80 lb in a 31-mph collision. Any long cargo can be internally accommodated by folding down one portion of the 60/40 split rear seat.

Our experience in hauling three adults and weekend luggage over 400-plus miles of interstate, up mountains, and just idling to keep cool in the Upstate New York humidity, gave a fuel economy of about 25 mpg. Accompanied by a dynamite sound system, touring in the 9⁵ wagon is not bad, not bad at all.

Smog-busting super Sentra pollutes less than parked car

Carson, CA-Nissan North America set an environmental benchmark in August when it disclosed development of what it says is the world's first gasoline-powered super ultra-low emission vehicle (SULEV). The automaker will market the high efficiency, low polluting vehicle as a 1.8-liter version of the new 2000 Sentra compact sedan in February.

Nissan made the announcement as it reached the home stretch of gaining California Air Resources Board SULEV certification for the car. The air agency develops vehicle emission standards and fuel specifications.

The SULEV Sentra is expected to emit about one-quarter of the unburned hydrocarbons and one-tenth of the oxides of nitrogen (NOx) emissions of the cleanest gasoline-powered car sold now in Los Angeles, which has the worst air quality in the nation. Dubbed the "Superbowl of Smog" by environmentalists, the area pumps over 8,700 tons of carbon monoxide and 1,000 tons of NOx into its skies each day. Smog is formed when unburned hydrocarbons, mostly petroleum byproducts, and NOx react with sunlight. Vehicle emissions account for a full 80% of the region's smog problem.

According to Allan Hirsch of CARB, the agency is pleased that Nissan has developed this vehicle now. The air agency had anticipated the first SULEVs coming out in the 2002-2003 timeframe. To qualify as an SULEV, a vehicle has to meet a non-methane organic gas (hydrocarbon) standard of .01 grams per mile, about 1/4^th of the standard for an ultra-low emission vehicle, the cleanest certified to date. Outfitted with special seals, fuel hoses, and materials to prevent any gasoline evaporation, the Sentra SULEV also hopes to also qualify for CARB's zero evaporative emission standard. Today's vehicles emit a considerable amount of gas which evaporates from the tank even when a car is parked.

"A person will be able to drive this 2000 model 1.8-liter engine Sentra 10 miles to work, return home, and have the vehicle emit less than a typical new car parked in a driveway all day with its engine shut off," said Robert S. Strassburger, Nissan North America's director for government and technical affairs.

Jason Vines, Nissan North America's vice president for external affairs says, "If U.S. gasoline supplies met California's strict fuel sulfur limits, it would help clear the way for vehicles like the SULEV version of the Sentra and those powered by direct-injection to be offered nationwide." The cleaner burning gasoline sold in California helps the Sentra meet the stringent SULEV standard.

Asians aim hybrids at U.S. market

By Jean Gonzalez, Western Technical Editor

Torrance, CA-Asian automakers will see if drivers abandon their SUVs and trucks for great gas mileage when they put hybrid gas-electric vehicles on the North American market in 2000.

Honda's Insight, the first hybrid-electric car introduced in the United States, goes on sale this December. The sporty 5-speed coupe has a 1-liter, 3-cylinder gas engine and an electric motor. The lean-burning engine uses a low-friction design and lightweight aluminum, magnesium, and plastic materials in combination with an oxides of nitrogen (NOx) catalyst for efficiency and low emissions.

An ultra-thin, 60-mm, dc-brushless motor is powered by a 144V nickel metal hydride battery pack. Unlike a dedicated electric vehicle, Insight does not require an outside power source. The electric motor draws power from the batteries to boost engine performance to the level of a 1.5-liter gasoline engine and acts as a generator during regenerative braking and deceleration to recharge the batteries. The hybrid boasts an average fuel economy of than 70 miles per gallon, allowing it to go from Detroit to New York on a tank of gas.

Toyota, second to market in the U.S., really led the pack with 30,000 Prius hybrids already on the road in Japan. Toyota plans to introduce this next-generation "green car" to the U.S. and Europe in late May of 2000. With twice the mileage of conventional cars and the one-tenth the pollution, Prius combines a 4-cylinder gas engine with sealed, 40-module nickel metal hydride batteries. An onboard system recharges the batteries while you drive, eliminating the need to plug into an outside source. The car can run at 100 mph when the engine and motor are combined, and gets over 55 miles per gallon. Toyota also plans to introduce a Tundra-based hybrid SUV and a mini-van hybrid in a year. Toyota expects to sell 20,000 Priuses within a year of its introduction in North America.

Holding out to perfect lithium ion battery technology, Nissan will take Tino to market in Japan in early 2000. Nissan put the gas electric hybrid to the test when a 20-prototype fleet hit the streets of Tokyo in April. Although the nickel metal hydride of Honda's Insight and Toyota's Prius is further along its development path, the lithium ion battery offers better energy storage ability. Nissan jumped directly to exploring advanced lithium ion battery solutions in partnership with Sony, who has made the batteries, a mainstay in laptops and consumer electronics, for years. Tino promises twice the fuel economy and half the emissions of a gas engine car in its class. The hybrid system combines a gas engine with two electric motors and a battery pack. One of the motors provides motive force under motor-powered travel and functions as a generator during deceleration to regenerate electric power. The other motor provides electricity for starting the engine and serves as a motor-driven generator when the battery charge falls below a certain level.

Composites slated for GM truck box

By Charles J. Murray, Senior Regional Editor

Pontiac, MI-General Motors will soon offer a pickup truck box made of advanced composite materials that provides greater long-term durability than conventional steel truck boxes.

The new truck box, available on the 2001 Chevrolet Silverado, is the result of a six-year effort to build a box that would not scratch, rust, or dent. "We surveyed customers starting in 1993, and that's what they told us they wanted," says Thomas L. Jenson, engineering group manager for GM truck bodies.

Jenson says that GM engineers tried various steel alloys, steel coatings, claddings, thermoplastics, and bed liners before proposing a technology development program for a composite truck box.

The result is a truck box made from two different types of composites. The box's fenders and outer tailgate panel are made of reinforced reaction injection molded (RRIM) materials, chiefly polyurea with mica filler. The one-piece inner panel and inside of the tailgate are formed by use of a structural reaction injection molding (SRIM) process. They consist of a 50/50 mixture of urethane and glass fiber.

Jenson characterizes the two materials as "flexural" composites and "structural composites." The outer, RRIM material, is designed to flex and quickly distribute impact energy, while the inner SRIM is designed to be more rigid. GM refuses to divulge mechanical characteristics, such flexural capacity or tensile capacity, saying those figures are proprietary.

To demonstrate the materials, GM engineers strike the outer panels with a 16-pound bowling ball, swung from a distance of six feet. The ball does not damage the RRIM panel. In contrast, the same ball, swung from a distance of just one foot, makes a large dent in a steel panel. Similarly, a loaded 55-gallon drum can be dropped on the inner SRIM panel without causing damage.

Jenson says that toughness is more critical for a composite than for steel. "When steel fails, it dents," Jenson says. "But when a composite fails, it breaks. So we needed to be a lot tougher than steel."

A Volvo for all

By Rick DeMeis, Senior Editor

Snoqualmie Falls, WA-What better area to introduce Volvo's S40 sedans and V40 wagons than this beautiful area of the Northwest, most like the pine-treed, rugged, and equally scenic west of Sweden? Several hundred miles of mountain roads would show if Volvo engineers translated the handling and solid feel their cars are known for to these smaller Volvos.

The S40/V40 are aimed at more entry-level buyers than the company's traditional offerings and are thus about $10,000 cheaper. But these Volvos come equipped with many of the features customers want in the company's larger offerings. Standard are: Whiplash Protection System front seats that catch and cushion their occupants during rear-end impacts; side impact protection dual side airbags; and automatic electronic climate control. Also, with the four-wheel disc brakes, the standard Bosch 5.3 ABS system includes an EBD (Electronic Braking-Force Distribution) feature that differentially regulates the braking force on the rear wheels, depending on vehicle loading and driver brake input, to allow their full use without locking up. With such features, I would think that current Volvo owners will look to the 40 series as a second car as well.

Dynamic Stability Assistance is an option for reducing skidding and reacts in less than 0.02 sec to reduce engine torque to the front driving wheels until wheel slipping stops.

Styling-wise, the "boxy and boring" Volvo look is a thing of the past. The V40 resembles its muscular S80 sedan big brother, while the wagon takes some design cues from the legendary Volvo P1800 (driven by detective hero Simon Templar, The Saint), particularly with its blackened rear panel shape.

On the road again. Touring across Washington State first in the sedan, what strikes me most is that this car handles and rides like a larger car, except for a slightly higher noise level. The only time I realized I was in a smaller cabin was when reaching for the sun visor and noting how small it seemed. The multilink rear suspension includes anti-squat geometry for accelerating and there are anti-dive provisions in the front suspension for braking. The suspension is designed for a more supple but precise ride than the original European models. It's such a good combination of ride and control, Volvo will now make it standard on these cars in Europe as well.

Monica Gustafson, Volvo's technical project manager for the S40/V40, told me the design team had to tune many aspects of the car specifically to the American market. This includes regulatory considerations such as environment and safety, as well as technical features that govern ride, handling, and convenience. She specifically notes that highway speeds in the U.S. are lower than in Europe, thus the suspension on the 40 series cars was tuned to provide a less harsh ride at the lower frequency that road bumps would induce at such lower speeds.

Engine response is crisp thanks to the twin-scrolled turbocharger on the 1.9-liter, four-cylinder engine (the only engine offered for this series). Fed by two (hence twin) exhaust channels from two cylinders each, the turbocharger kicks in quickly.

An afternoon in the wagon shows equally good road habits.

The S40/V40 is produced at NedCar, the Volvo/Mitsubishi joint-venture in Born, The Netherlands, in a former DAF company facility. While the two partners share production capacity at the plant -- Mitsubishi produces its Carisma model there, which is not sold in the U.S.Erling Pedersen, S40/V40 project manager, is quick to point out that they are not the same car or even the same platform. He notes, "Of the 5,000 parts on the cars, 4,000 are unique to each. Of the remainder, 650 are produced by Volvo and 350 by Mitsubishi." For production efficiencies, the only other thing in common about the cars is their sharing of what Pedersen calls "global reference points," geometrical locations on the vehicle that the production robots and machinery refer to in assembling the cars in common facilities.