The imperative for car companies to sharply adjust to rising fuel prices is far greater than energy companies moving to alternative fuels. As we know, the energy companies rake in huge profits when oil gets expensive. What GM hasn’t done for years, it’s beginning to do – make sharp cuts in production of gas guzzlers and aggressively move on schedules of fuel efficient cars. Today GM announced plans to shut down four truck and SUV plants and committed to bring the hybrid Chevy Volt into production. And it’s one of the most aggressive companies with respect to hydrogen fuel vehicles. It’s a remarkable series of moves for company known for lethargy and sacrificing its future for short term profits. For years, it refused to move away from gas guzzling trucks and broaden its portfolio with hybrids and vehicles that sip instead of guzzle gas. Following Ford’s cue with the Verve, GM also committed to doing a global car.
Make no mistake about it. Car companies are in a state of crisis across the board. For May, Ford reported a 16% drop in sales while perennial performer Toyota posted a 4.3 per cent decline. For the first time ever, the Toyota Camry and Corolla each outsold the aging Ford F-150 pickup, according to the Wall Street Journal. And for May, GM’s were in freefall, plunging 28%. It would seem large SUV production is headed into the car crusher.
Oil prices know no ceiling although the commodity is trading on fear, not on any marked shortfall in crude or refined products. It’s a sorry and scary state of affairs. The good news is that it has motivated car companies to do what they should have years. Now we just have to get the energy sector moving faster.
Almost every automaker has had to 'pick a side' when it comes to alternative fuel options and ways to divest from a reliance on gasoline. Fiat is looking to back compressed natural gas or liquid propane as an interim solution.
Plastic may not be the most beloved of materials to the more environmentally minded, but Plasti 2012 aimed to mold a different opinion of the material in people's minds.
The rare earth element market has become steadily more rational, and new sources coming online will continue to reduce costs. Still, it is unlikely that prices will drop to their former lows.
Against a backdrop of mounting product complexity and a need to keep a lid on development costs, companies are recognizing a need to make simulation a more integral part of the design process. In response, vendors in the CAD world are building out CAE functionality as part of their CAD suites while simulation vendors are building tighter integrations to leading CAD tools. Keith Meintjes, Ph.D., Practice Manager, Simulation and Analysis at CIMdata, Inc., joins Design News CAD Editor Beth Stackpole in this radio program to explore the new face of integrated CAD and CAE, how companies are benefitting from this tighter partnership between platforms, and how integrating CAE earlier in the development cycle pays off in optimized product designs.
To save this item to your list of favorite Design News content so you can find it later in your Profile page, click the "Save It" button next to the item.
If you found this interesting or useful, please use the links to the services below to share it with other readers. You will need a free account with each service to share an item via that service.
Tweet This
8 
