In connected car news are Tesla, Google, CertTech, GKN, Epsilor, Karma Automotive, Zenuity, Veoneer and Volvo.
Tesla Shows Progress on Using Car Parts for Ventilators
Tesla is using Tesla car parts to build ventilator a device to help people breath, by forcing air into lungs. It uses a Model 3 infotainment center computer, a suspension air tank where oxygen and air mixes, goes through sensors and filter to inhale section with a similar process for exhale. It has the added benefit of a backup system with backup battery and oxygen tank. The screen shows hos the patient is breathing.
Google Reports on Mobility
Google is publishing COVID-19 Community Mobility Reports to provide insights into what has changed in response to work from home, shelter in place, and other policies aimed at flattening the curve of the Coronavirus pandemic.
The reports use aggregated, anonymized data to chart movement trends over time by geography, across different high-level categories of places such as retail and recreation, groceries and pharmacies, parks, transit stations, workplaces, and residential. We’ll show trends over several weeks, with the most recent information representing 48-to-72 hours prior.
In addition to other resources public health officials might have, Google hopes the reports will help support decisions about how to manage the COVID-19 pandemic. For example, this information could help officials understand changes in essential trips that can shape recommendations on business hours or inform delivery service offerings. Similarly, persistent visits to transportation hubs might indicate the need to add additional buses or trains in order to allow people who need to travel room to spread out for social distancing. Ultimately, understanding not only whether people are traveling, but also trends in destinations, can help officials design guidance to protect public health and essential needs of communities.
In addition to the Community Mobility Reports, Google collaborating with select epidemiologists working on COVID-19 with updates to an existing aggregate, anonymized dataset that can be used to better understand and forecast the pandemic. Data of this type has helped researchers look into predicting epidemics, plan urban and transit infrastructure, and understand people’s mobility and responses to conflict and natural disasters.
CertTech Buys WTI
CertTech, an expert in safety and mission-critical applications, announced that the company has acquired WTI (formerly Wineman Technology, Inc.), a leader in custom test system development, to further enhance end-to-end test and real-time simulation capabilities for clients worldwide. With this acquisition, CertTech can more comprehensively serve government prime contractors and leading Fortune 500 companies in highly regulated industries such as automotive, off-highway, rail, space, aerospace, defense, and medical devices.
The addition of WTI compliments CertTech’s core capabilities in electronics and software test systems with WTI’s deep expertise in electromechanical test cell applications, including hydraulic fluid power and dynamometer/rotating equipment applications, with a focus on hardware-in-the-loop (HIL) simulations. From requirements planning and test strategy to MIL, SIL, and HIL, to regulatory compliance and maintenance and support, CertTech provides complete support throughout the entire lifecycle.
WTI (formerly Wineman Technology, Inc.), a leader in custom test system development, today announced the company has been acquired by CertTech, an expert in mission-critical and safety applications, to further extend end-to-end test capabilities and regulatory compliance for clients worldwide. With this acquisition, CertTech/WTI can more comprehensively serve leading Fortune 500 companies and prime contractors in evolving industries such as automotive, off-highway, rail, space, aerospace, defense, and medical devices.
Fine Splines from GKN
Face spline” technology developed by GKN Automotive provides car makers, as well as independent repair shops, with a variety of lighter, more powerful driveline options.
Faced with strict emissions targets, downsizing demands, new high-torque turbocharged engines and electric-drive systems, an increasing number of vehicle manufacturers are making use of GKN’s patented face-spline technology to connect sideshaft joints to a vehicle’s wheel hubs, according to Frank Huerter, the company’s automotive aftermarket commercial director.
The GKN face spline:
- Is considerably less complex, as well as lighter and more compact than previous designs;
- Has a greater surface area than longitudinal shafts, which allows for torque transmission up to 50 percent greater than previously possible;
- Offers a zero-play connection to the wheel hub, simplifies assembly and is easier to maintain, and
- Has a new, space-saving membrane boot that enables articulation up to 25 degrees.
In the past, sideshafts usually were connected to a vehicle’s wheel hub with a splined longitudinal shaft. GKN has replaced the more traditional longitudinal spline with a spline on the face of the joint itself, hence the name – face spline. The spline on the face joint connects with a second spline on the wheel hub. A fixing bolt secures and connects the two parts.
GKN’s lighter, less complex face-spline design makes it particularly well suited for future powertrains. Weight savings at the wheel also noticeably improves ride characteristics by reducing unsprung mass by up to 20 percent.
In addition, GKN Automotive’s ST technology (twin ball sideshaft with s-shaped ball track) lowers the joint’s internal friction and contributes to even further improvements in fuel economy.
The sideshaft itself offers further potential for improved efficiency. GKN, for example, combines the face-spline joint with a hollow monoblock shaft that delivers exceptional stability and torsional stiffness with minimal weight to provide additional ride and fuel-economy benefits.
Epsilor’s Batteries Defendable
Epsilor’s line of Lithium 6T NATO batteries performed successfully in a series of bullet penetration tests, meeting US Army requirements and Israeli Defense Forces combat scenarios.
In a series of tests performed from December 2019 to March 2020, Epsilor’s 6T batteries achieved the following results:
- A lithium-ion LFP 6T battery packed in a metal container did not disintegrate or explode, and did not release particles after being penetrated by a 7.62mm armor-piercing incendiary bullet. In addition, a scaled-down 6T LFP battery that was exposed to an external temperature of 500°C entered a thermal runaway. The battery did not disintegrate and did not release particles containing the thermal runaway effect.
Brodmann17 & Jungo Partner
Brodmann17 and Jungo Connectivity announced their collaboration to bring joint driver monitoring and ADAS for fleet aftermarket devices.
With road and driver analysis capabilities running concurrently on the camera SoC, this collaboration enables TSPs and smart camera manufacturers to rapidly deploy smart cameras to the market. These features will include forward collision detection, lane departure, driver distraction, driver drowsiness and more.
The joint solution runs efficiently on common SoCs such as Qualcomm and Ambarella and is expected to increase road safety by reducing accidents and improving driving behavior.
Karma SiC Inverters
Karma Automotive, the Southern California-based high-tech incubator and creator of luxury electric vehicles, has entered the final stage of development for two new Silicon Carbide (SiC) Inverters to enhance electric mobility charging.
The new SiC traction inverters are engineered in-house by Karma’s Powertrain Power Electronics team, in collaboration with the Power Electronic System Laboratory at University of Arkansas (PESLA). Engineered to deliver enhanced efficiency and performance, the SiC traction inverters will be used in both future Karma vehicles and company partners. This flexible architecture design in a 400V system can be customized to fit various vehicle platforms and is also available in 800V power levels to leverage higher voltage for fast charging. The new inverters will also be compatible with a variety of industries including automotive, aircraft, train, agriculture and industrial applications.
At a time when many competitors are still developing their SiC inverters, Karma’s ready-for-market SiC traction inverters place the company at the forefront of this advanced technology. Prior to this, Karma also developed its own insulated gate bipolar transistor (IGBT) based traction inverter that currently supports its 2020 Revero GT and GTS luxury electric vehicles.
The development of Karma’s new SiC power inverters come at an important time for the company, who earlier this week announced their E-Flex Platform initiative, a series of highly versatile platforms that will offer new electric vehicle mobility solutions ranging from autonomously-driven utility vans, to ‘every-day’ driver vehicles, to high-performance supercars. The platform will allow manufacturers a fast-track into the electric vehicle market with greater speed and efficiency.
Splitsville for Volvo Zenuity &Veoneer Volvo
The automotive technology company Veoneer, Inc. , have following a strategic review, entered into a non-binding agreement with Volvo Cars to split their 50/50 joint venture Zenuity. </
The parties have agreed in principle that Veoneer will integrate and operate the current Zenuity business focused on the development and commercialization of advanced driver assistance system (ADAS) software for collaborative driving. Volvo Cars will setup a new stand-alone company to take over Zenuity’s current development and commercialization of unsupervised autonomous drive software (AD).
According to Veoneer’s estimates, in the next decade more than 90% of its available market will be for advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS). Veoneer’s strategy is to build a scalable ADAS system that addresses the needs of all parts of the light vehicle market. This system, including Zenuity developed software and functionality for hands-free driving, was successfully demonstrated at CES in Las Vegas earlier this year.
“The split will allow Veoneer to more effectively drive our business strategy. After successfully developing a strong software platform in Zenuity together with Volvo Cars, we are now taking the next steps in the development of collaborative driving and advanced driver assistance systems addressing the total light vehicle market. Veoneer will continue the development of automated driving in time for the broad commercialization of AD technologies”, says Jan Carlson, Chairman, President & CEO, Veoneer.
The plan is for Zenuity to become a passive IP-holding company retaining the current ownership structure. Both companies will have full access to Zenuity-owned technologies for all levels of advanced driver assistance systems and automated driving for the benefit of all potential customers. Veoneer will be able to freely use the intellectual property rights licensed to Zenuity by Volvo Cars at the time of formation of the joint venture.
Veoneer expects to bring more than 200 of the current Zenuity employees into its systems and software team. The Zenuity development centers in Novi, Michigan, and Munich, Germany will become part of Veoneer’s research and development organization. The development centers in Gothenburg, Sweden and Shanghai, China will become part will become part of a new stand-alone company wholly owned by Volvo Cars. Veoneer expects to achieve annual savings of around $30 – $40 million through the agreement. As part of the intended transaction Veoneer expects to receive a payment of around $15 MUSD, subject to final agreement.
The process to split the Zenuity joint venture starts now and is expected to be finalized latest during the third quarter 2020. Veoneer will take the necessary steps to ensure all customer commitments and deliveries are made as contracted with its customers.
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