Toyota has come up with a prototype engine for range-extending electric vehicles which uses a 'free-piston' system that cleverly incorporates the electricity generation element without requiring rotary movement or a crankshaft, writes Brian Byrne.
Part of the piston is a magnet through which the compression-expansion linear movement interacts with a coil around the cylinder to provide electric current.
A double bank of these units could provide range extending power to run a supermini EV at 120k/mh on longer journeys.
The concept has the advantage of being more compact and less complex than adapting a standard petrol engine.
A new generation of engines from Toyota is expected to offer fuel economy gains of up to 15 percent over the brand's current motors, writes Brian Byrne.
Using ultra-high compression ratios, improved intake systems, and incorporating the Atkinson Cycle system currently used in Toyota hybrid engines, the Japanese maker hopes to get 'a half step' ahead of its competitors in non-hybrids.
The new generation of technologies will spawn 14 new engines across the company's models by 2015. The first ones detailed are a 3-cylinder 1.0 and a 4-cylinder 1.3.
The Atkinson Cycle operates the intake valves differently, offering improved efficiency but with a reduction in power. In a hybrid that doesn't matter because the electric side of the engine package makes up for it, but Toyota say they have now successfully addressed the issue in the new petrol engines.
Honda has revealed details of a series of new turbocharged petrol engines which will bring the Japanese maker into line with technologies used by other major manufacturers, writes Brian Byrne.
The engines announced at the Tokyo Motor Show include a 1.0 3-cylinder, a 1.5 four and a 2.0 four. The 2.0 will debut in Europe as the powerplant for a Civic Type R and will have an output of more than 280hp.
The 1.5 is 15 percent more fuel efficient than the 1.8 petrol currently used in the Civic in various markets, and has substantially more torque. It may not come to Europe, as it is geared mainly for US and Asia markets where diesel is not favoured.
The 3-cylinder is expected in European models sometime in 2016 and is 20 percent more frugal than the 1.8 petrol, yet also has more torque.
Honda also revealed an 8-speed double clutch automatic transmission.
Technologies that will park your car by means of a key fob, from inside or outside, were demonstrated today by Ford Europe, writes Brian Byrne.
They brought to public debut technological elements which this writer was apprised of some time ago on a visit to Ford's Research and Advanced Engineering development centre in Aachen, Germany.
Today's showcase, at Ford's proving ground in Lommel, Belgium, included a Ford Focus test car equipped with prototype Fully Assisted Parking Aid system. The next-generation parking technology controls steering, gear selection and forward and reverse motion with the PowerShift transmission, to facilitate push-button parking that can even be operated by remote control.
They also showed a further development of the Traffic Jam Assist which I experienced in Aachen, as an Obstacle Avoidance technology in a Focus test vehicle which issues warnings first if it detects slow-moving objects, stationary obstacles or pedestrians in the same lane ahead. If the driver fails to steer or brake following those warnings the system will then automatically steer and brake to avoid a collision.
All good. The problem, though, is the legals. If any of this goes wrong in real life, who is responsible? It's already an iffy situation with existing automated parking systems, I think, waiting for the first case against a carmaker because the system didn't do what the driver thought it could do.
They're still suing companies because of unintended acceleration with automatic transmissions.
You can read the full Press Release after the advert.
A poll commissioned by BMW found that almost half of respondents in Germany would be interested in using Google Glass to help operate their car, writes Brian Byrne.
Still under development, the Google system uses special eyeglasses to 'enhance reality' for the wearer, providing them with eyeline access to internet-based information about the world around them.
The consultants suggest the wearable computer could help with driver distraction problems in dealing with all the potential information inputs for drivers these days.
We're not convinced. It sounds like it would 'enhance' distraction by a quantum.
Ford has passed the 2m mark in production of its EcoBoost range of engines, with a Ford Escape in the US powered by a 2.0L version of the power unit, writes Brian Byrne.
The EcoBoost technology was launched in 2009 and involves producing high output from smaller capacity engines, in the US providing V8 level power from a V6.
In Europe, the main engine sizes are 1.0, 1.5 and 1.6, with 2.0 and 3.5 capacities the primary ones in the US. Ford recently doubled 1.0 EcoBoost production capacity in Cologne, Germany, to more than 1,000 engines per day.
(Full Ford Press Release available below the Advert.)
Technology in an average car today is hugely advanced on what motorists would have encountered even just 10 years ago. And the pace of change is relentless and continuing.
Car technology has contributed hugely to improvements in road safety, but is the rush to provide motorists with all the trappings of the 'connected' world in their cars increasing the distraction potential for drivers? Are some high-tech developments taking over driving and emergency reaction from the driver, causing drivers to pay less attention to the road and driving conditions?
These and related questions will be debated at an upcoming Automotive Forum organised by the Irish Motoring Writers' Association (IMWA) and sponsored by Continental Tyres. The Forum, open to the public, will be held at the RDS in Ballsbridge Dublin on Friday morning, August 30.
The topic will be debated by two expert speakers: Dr Natasha Merat, Associate Professor at the University of Leeds-based Institute for Transport Studies; and leading car technology expert, Pim van der Jagt, head of Research and Development at Ford of Europe.
Pictured above are Tom Dennigan, Continental Tyres Ireland, and Gerry Murphy, Chairman of the Irish Motoring Writers Association discussing car technology at the launch of the IMWA Automotive Forum.
"Driving is the single most dangerous activity we engage in on a daily basis," says Gerry Murphy Chairman of the IMWA. "We say that safety is always paramount, but by loading cars with technology, are we reaching a tipping point in the level of distraction for drivers?Our expert speakers' discussion on this topic should be compelling listening for anyone interested in road safety or what is coming in automotive technologies.
"With Tyre Pressure Monitoring Systems becoming obligatory on all new cars from next year, even tyres are not exempt from the onward march of new technologies in the car," says Tom Dennigan of Continental Tyres Ireland.
The event is aimed at a broad range of audiences, including those interested in car technology development, road safety, and companies from the motoring sector. Admission is free but advance registration is required. For further information, email Dawn Burke at: dburke@cullencommunications.ie
The new Mercedes-Benz S-Class has enough camera and radar sensors on it to make it possible to self-drive at speeds of up to 60km/h, writes Brian Byrne.
However, it will take time for transport regulators to catch up with the technologies now coming on-stream, so it's not likely to be a big selling point just yet.
Daimler boss Dieter Zetsche said at the car's reveal that the objective is to take away the 'boring' side of driving.
Sensors to control braking, steering, speed and distance between vehicles are already available in Ford, Mercedes, BMW and Volvo cars.
The EU has already studied the issues around autonomous driving and is concerned about the effect of automation on the driver's concentration, information overload, and standardisation of automated vehicle control.
A number of US states have passed laws which allow for the experimental use of automated cars on public roads.
Audi is upping the headlights game in a refreshed A8 later this year by adding GPS management and selective dimming systems, writes Brian Byrne.
Using advanced LEDs which the carmaker was first to introduce to production cars, pedestrian detection will also be part of the package.
The adaptive lighting will vary direction and amount of light against oncoming traffic by individual management of 25 high-intensity LEDs built into the headlamp.
The link to the car's GPS system will allow the lights to begin to follow a turn before the driver turns the wheel.
The pedestrian detection element will flash LEDs directly on the person in the car's direction of travel.
Ford has shown off technology that can warn following cars of a traffic jam or an incident ahead of them, even if they are outside of visible range of the situation, writes Brian Byrne.
It's part of the growing emphasis on car-to-car communications, and is under development at the company's European Research Centre in Aachen, Germany.
The Obstacle Warning system was trialled in Frankfurt using Ford S-MAX vehicles and lights up a dashboard warning setup on following cars in the event of potential hazards being encountered. The technology also links with traffic management centres to warn of slow or gridlock traffic situations.
Audi and BMW are among the carmakers and automotive components suppliers who are working on technologies that will help cars to beat red lights, writes Brian Byrne.
In a trial in Berlin, Audi successfully piloted a system that connects by wireless to the central computer controlling traffic in the city.
By means of a SIM internet connection, the central data on red light timings, interlinked with the car's GPS navigation system, shows in a graphic on the dashboard what speed a driver should maintain in order to get to the next traffic lights when they are changed to green.
Audi hopes to incorporate the technology in upcoming cars, and there's been strong interest from cities in the US and Australia, among other countries.
It's not getting any more comforting for those who use phones while driving, writes Brian Byrne.
A new US-based study suggests that even using a hands-free system doubles the distraction potential, while those using speech-to-text are three times more distracted than a driver on their own just listening to the radio.
The research was commissioned by the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety, and involved drivers aged between 18-30 and with an average of 6.9 years of driving experience.
AAA President and CEO Robert L Darbelnet says bluntly that carmakers need to slow the development of in-car communication systems, 'particularly with the common public misperception that hands-free means risk-free'.
BMW Ireland will be offering its ConnectedDrive mobile connectivity system on a range of its cars from 1 July, writes Brian Byrne.
The system will be available at three levels, each offering a number of services. Pricing starts at €1,380, and there are short term options for some of the elements, from periods as short as a month.
The technology involves an embedded SIM and must be ordered at the time of ordering the car, as it cannot be retrofitted. It is operated through the i-Drive.
The base BMW Business package includes a Navigation system, Emergency Call service and BMW TeleServices, and it will come as standard on the 5 Series range and upwards.
The top level BMW Professional Multimedia includes BMW Online Services, Real Time Traffic Information and a BMW Apps interface, among others. It will be priced from €1,932. Prices will vary according to the VRT rating of the specific car.
The Online Services will include access to the Internet, and services from Google and other sites, integrating their information with the car's navigation system.
The Intelligent Emergency Call system includes precise vehicle location and detection of accident severity and offers more extensive functionality than will be required by EU law from 2015.
The US state of South Carolina is looking at using electronic licence plates which would indicate automatically if the car they were on was uninsured or stolen, writes Brian Byrne.
The so-called 'e-tags' would use an advanced version of the 'electronic paper' developed for the Amazon Kindle, and its developers are suggesting that SC pilot the system with state-owned vehicles.
The e-tags have been developed by SC company Compliance Innovations and would replace the traditional metal numberplate, and though currently some 20 times the cost, they could easily pay for themselves as South Carolina currently loses an estimated $150m a year with drivers using expired tags or without insurance.
Crashes involving uninsured drivers in Ireland cost the Motor Insurers Bureau of Ireland close to €60m a year, and it's estimated that one in 20 motorists are driving without insurance here.
The glass used in an estimated 1.5 billion smartphones may soon find a new application in cars, writes Brian Byrne.
The Gorilla Glass produced by Corning is expected to be introduced by at least one high-end carmaker within a year, according to a senior vice president of Corning, Jeffrey Everson.
Use of the lightweight but exceptionally strong glass could significantly cut the weight in a car, and arguably trim a few percentage points off the fuel consumption.
It would also lower the centre of gravity of a vehicle, making it more stable on corners.
The 'connected cars' concept will help motorists travel more safely because a car further along the road can send information about road conditions, including whether it is slippery, writes Brian Byrne.
That's the view from the man who invented GPS, Bradford Parkinson. While a military officer in the US he headed a team to develop the Global Positioning System as an aid to military precision.
As a former combat pilot he was aware of benefits which could come from more closely targeted bombing, including cutting so-called 'collateral damage'.
Parkinson recently commented on the increasing technology towards providing fully automated, or robotic cars, saying it will come through a combination of GPS, radar and other sensors.
California has already made legal provision for the licensing of self-driving vehicles. Google is among a wide range of companies, including carmakers themselves, putting a lot of resources into such cars.
When the first 'Manpack' GPS system was developed by the US military in the 1980s it was a backpack weighing 40lbs and cost $400,000. Now a GPS unit can be smaller than a fingernail and cost a little over a euro to manufacture.
It used to be that a tape deck was the ultimate technology in the radio part of a car's dashboard, but soon it will be a multi-source broadband router, writes Brian Byrne.
Computer industry giant Cisco is working with a number of car manufacturers to design in such a unit, which will automatically seek out the best broadband source at any moment, be it 3G or 4G or WiFi.
A proof of concept vehicle will be on the road in August, and Cisco says the system will be secure against any hacking attempts.
The network would also be able to work with the dedicated short range communication (DRSC) systems being developed for car-to-car communications.
Cisco says its system would also be available in aftermarket for DRSC, so that owners of current cars could upgrade to car-to-car.
Seven in ten cars are expected to have some form of embedded connectivity by 2017, according to some industry estimates.
That there's a growing interest in so-called 'driverless' cars is evidenced by the planned Driverless Car Summit in Detroit, USA, in June, writes Brian Byrne.
The event will bring together legislators, industry leaders and experts, and others involved in the developing technologies that could make driverless cars a reality.
Already, non-car companies like Google are showing the way with experimental additions to standard cars that allow them to travel with minimal input or supervision by the driver.
Auto companies too are researching heavily in the idea, increasingly adding technologies to their products like Active Cruise Control, Anti-Collision systems, and similar which take over many of the critical functions for automated driving.
This writer has already been in a Ford experimental car which drives itself in stop-go traffic situations.
The conference will focus on the three main areas which impact on the idea — legislation and liability, equipment, and software. It is being held on June 11-12.
Industry shifts towards more gearsVolkswagen is developing a 10-speed dual-clutch transmission as part of a suite of fuel-saving strategies.
This follows in the theme set by GM and Ford, who are collaborating on 9- and 10-speed automatic transmissions, also for fuel economy reasons. And Land Rover plans a 9-speed transmission for the Evoque.
Volkswagen will also be developing plug-in hybrids and more efficient diesel engines in the coming years, according to CEO Martin Winterkorn.
He was speaking at a major automotive conference in Vienna.
A new generation of engines from Toyota is expected to offer fuel economy gains of up to 15 percent over the brand's current motors, writes Brian Byrne.
