Vehicles: Page 207

Massive changes coming in computer engineering

The computer industry always moves fast, but the pace is picking up even more in Detroit as Ford Motor Co. implements a massive change in its companywide product development processes and Silicon Graphics Inc. (SGI) announces plans to merge with legendary -- but troubled -- supercomputer producer Cray Inc.Neither event comes as a surprise to industry insiders, but the Ford move in particular represents

By Drew Winter • April 1, 1996

Tire tech: it’s a balancing act; engineers struggle with compromise.

Tires may be among the last items put on a vehicle at the assembly, plant, but they certainly aren't an afterthought in the development process. In fact, tire suppliers are brought into platform discussions two to five years before launch, the same as other component vendors.The reason? Tires have as much of an impact on how a car handles and rides as nearly any vehicle system. They are, after all,

By Tim Keenan • April 1, 1996

Gender’s not a job issue for mother/daughter engineers

It's early March and meeting time at Ford Motor Co.'s Enfield Plant in London. The plant supplies instrument clusters and fuel-delivery modules to European and North American vehicle assembly plants.The meetings, held in several sessions two to three times a year, bring all employees of the 3-shift plant together with the Plant manager to discuss the state of the plant, view upbeat videotapes and

By Ferris, Deebe • April 1, 1996

Is there a fuel cell in the automobile’s future?

A major challenge facing the Automotive Industry is the development of an affordable "Supercar" that has drastically lower fuel consumption. One of the goals defined by the Partnership for a New Generation of Vehicles (PNGV) calls for a production-prototype car that has comparable range, performance, utility and safety with today's midsize sedan and yet obtains up to three times higher fuel economy

By Borroni-Bird, Chris • April 1, 1996

Chrysler’s ‘Mr. Inside:’ designer Trevor Creed sets pace for interiordesign.

Chrysler Corp. might still be selling cars with boxy, sharp-edged interiors and the Dodge Ram big pickup might look like any other truck if Bernard Creed had ignored the suggestion of a perceptive headmaster at a school his son Trevor never attended.The scene: near Birmingham, England, in the early 1960's. The Beatles were preparing to invade America. But of more immediate concern to his precocious

By Gardner, Greg • March 1, 1996

GM’s ‘hands-on’ engine whiz: Tom Stephens grew up with grease under his fingernails.

There's neither a nick, scar or speck of grease on Tom Stephens' hands these days, but that wasn't always true.If the term "hands-on" engineer fits anyone, it's Thomas G. Stephens, vice president and general manager-engineering Operations for General Motors Corp.'s Powertrain Group: He literally grew up taking apart cars and re-assembling them with his own hands -- always tweaking the engines to get

By David C. Smith • March 1, 1996

Delco’s dream machine

It's the manifestation of every automotive electronics manufacturer's "what if ... ?" dream: A vehicle with every imaginable bell and whistle, working together to offer perhaps the safest, most secure and most communicative vehicle ever built. It's Delco Electronics Corp.'s SSC sport/utility demonstration vehicle.Unveiled recently at auto shows in Detroit and Los Angeles, the SSC (short for Safety,

By Tim Keenan • March 1, 1996

GM’s VLEs: looking Sharpe; former Buick engineer guides new product-development process

It's a big, bright talented pool to choose from: The engineers and designers who make it happen in the U.S. auto industry. On this and the following five editorial pages, Ward's Auto World recognizes five men who are making a difference on the industry's technical side, starting with General Motors Corp.'s Dave Sharpe, who recently received a new title: Executive-in-charge of GM's Vehicle Line Executive

By Gardner, Greg • March 1, 1996

Innovation stations: SAE exhibits inform and entertain showgoers

Anyone strolling past DuPont Automotive's SAE booth during the last eight years has "interfaced" with the robot that patrols the perimeter hawking Dupont materials, flirting with the ladies and ambushing unsuspecting foreign engineers.Crowds gather across the aisle from DuPont when FRW Corp. demonstrates its airbag system, complete with a startling "kaboom." Expect more of the same at the late-February

By Tim Keenan • March 1, 1996

Achtung, ya’all: Mercedes AAV represents a sea-change in ‘German engineering.’

A well-equipped sport/utility vehicle with a high-tech 4-wheel-drive system, side air bags and lots of other goodies in the mid-$30,000 range -- from Mercedes?Journalists and competitors heard that and shook their heads in disbelief as Mercedes-Benz AG executives unveiled the All Activity Vehicle (AAV) concept during January at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit.If introduced today

By Drew Winter • March 1, 1996

What’s the best alternative fuel

The alternative-fuel debate has carmakers and lawmakers struggling to meet the challenge of improving air quality with automotive technology that is both affordable and convenient for consumers.Not only does controversy swirl around the likely high costs, but there is also rampant misunderstanding because of conflicting goals. For example, the most vocal environmentalists in the U.S. all seem to be

By Polz, Harald • March 1, 1996

Global engineering is a great idea - sort of: survey of engineers leaves some doubts.

It makes perfect sense if you're a bigshot, bean counter or number cruncher: You source parts globally to get the best quality at the lowest cost. You put factories all over the world to be close to foreign markets, avoid currency shocks and take advantage of low labor rates. You move your small-car engineering programs to Europe, because more people drive small cars over there; or you divide the

By Drew Winter, Tim Keenan • March 1, 1996

To bag or not to bag

Air bags have been touted as the greatest automotive safety devices since seat belts. But as more drivers gain experience with these life-saving systems and the number of air bags installed in vehicles rises, questions crop up.Companies that develop air bag system components are starting to address the concerns, which include the safety of children in rear-facing child seats and how to prevent deploying

By Tim Keenan • Feb. 1, 1996

Ten best engines: long-term report

We weren't overjoyed about the Millenia S's base price, a robust $3,600 more than the Miller-cycle equipped Millenia cost when launched as a '95 model. A testimony to the still-strengthening yen, yes, but the Millenia S at least still looks to be a decent value once the standard-equipment list is scrutinized: dual air bags, antilock brakes, full-speed traction control, leather-trimmed upholstery,

Feb. 1, 1996

T&N to make PM in India

T&N plc is establishing a joint-venture company to make powder metal transmission and engine components in Rajasthan, India. The new facility will be built on a greenfield site near New Delhi. Production is scheduled to begin in the second half of 1996. Named Brico Goetze (India) Ltd., the company will manufacture parts primarily for the Indian automotive industry, but about 15% of production is expected

Feb. 1, 1996

Impact-based EV hits showrooms this year

DETROIT--Just when we all thought we couldn't bear another word regarding the seesaw battle over California's electric vehicle (EV) mandate, General Motors Corp. abruptly steps up to announce at the North American International Auto Show that it has a market-ready EV all prepped for sale. As in right now, this year--not 1998.The vehicle is the EVI, a "consumerized" version of the sharp-performing

Feb. 1, 1996

This is no way to treat a lady, but....

Sitting on a bench with her Sinead O'Connor haircut, her bright blue vest, pink longjohns and nearly new white aerobics shoes, SID-IIs has no idea she is about to be slammed from the side by a body-in-white sled moving at 15 mph (24 km/h).She is even more oblivious that her suffering will yield valuable information that should enable engineers to develop more effective side air bags.Welcome to the

By Gardner, Greg • Feb. 1, 1996

Guts & glory: ten best engine awards

It isn't until one starts comparing engines that similarities emerge. Similarity -- following what the other guy does -- is both the foundation and the folly of the automobile business.There's an internal combustion engine in every wheeled passenger vehicle sold by the world's volume automakers. Some automakers produce expensive vehicles, so one expects the parts that make them run to be equally extravagant.

By Bill Visnic • Jan. 1, 1996

Growing modular: suppliers hope winning bigger pieces of vehicle interiors will spur revenue growth.

Interior component suppliers have been consolidating for years, but when automotive seating giants Johnson Controls Inc. and Lear Seating Corp. both acquired major companies last summer, tongues started wagging: Was the long-predicted trend toward supplier-developed interiors finally happening? Were big first-tier suppliers going to buy up all the second tier so they could just drop-ship whole interior

By Drew Winter • Jan. 1, 1996

Shocking developments: Monroe doesn’t want to make ‘commodities’ anymore

PHOENIX -- Most folks tend to deal with the greasy bits underneath their vehicles with apprehension. Someone tells them a part needs replacement, a part gets replaced. To the typical owner, that's all it is: a part.The cagey execs and engineers who run Monroe Auto Equipment Co., a unit of Tenneco's Automotive Div., noticed that the aftermarket -- and to a large degree the automakers -- were taking

By Bill Visnic • Jan. 1, 1996

Missing link: jockeying for position in vehicle communications.

Many companies are developing products to improve driver safety, security and convenience via communications between vehicles and their electronic systems and remote locations. Much of the work may have to be refined depending on the standards for a national intelligent transportation system (ITS), which aren't expected for several months.The bandwagon, nonetheless, is filling up. The latest entrant

By Tim Keenan • Jan. 1, 1996

GM engine family goes global

General Motors Corp. reportedly will assemble its new twin-cam, all aluminum L850 engine family at three facilities around the globe. The powerplant, expected to appear in every small GM car in Europe and North America, will roll off three production lines: Tonawanda, NY; Aspern, Austria; and Port Melbourne, Australia. Production is expected to fire up in late 1997, press reports indicate. Both gas

Dec. 1, 1995

Stomping on ABS

Industry engineers have expounded the virtues of skid-free antilock braking systems (ABS) since their mid-'80s U.S. production-car debut. High-performance driving instructors and other vehicle-dynamics experts admit that ABS can make what is perhaps the most difficult of vehicle-control maneuvers -- achieving maximum braking at the threshold of wheel lockup -- a no-brainer for even average drivers.Trouble

By Bill Visnic • Dec. 1, 1995

Strong engine, tight chassis, make for a tight package

The point, we believe, is valid. So we decided the only real answer to these durability/reliability concerns the accelerated aging process of a long-term test. From the 10-engine group of 1995's Best Engines winners, we flagged two for long-term evaluation.Choosing two engines from our original 10 Best Engines of 1995 was difficult, but in the end we decided on one domestic and one imported engine,

Nov. 1, 1995

Invisible technology in the ‘96s: OBD II, multiplexing test engineers’ mettle

They perhaps have been automotive engineers' biggest challenge over the last several years. They could be the most important technologies on 1996 model year vehicles. But they won't be featured in any Super Bowl television commercials and nary a customer is likely to walk into a dealership and ask about on-board diagnostics or multiplexed wiring.Despite their lack of glamour, on-board diagnostics

By Bill Visnic, Tim Keenan • Nov. 1, 1995