Connected Car News: Panasonic, Fyusion, Continental, Diodes Inc. Aira, Nuvve, Tritium, Cipia & Toshiba.

In connected car news are Panasonic, Fyusion, Continental, Diodes Inc. Aira, Nuvve, Tritium, Cipia & Toshiba.

New UBMC from Panasonic

Panasonic Corporation will begin offering a new, cloud-based battery management service, known as the UBMC (Universal Battery Management Cloud) service, utilizing a proprietary AI-based technology that incorporates its battery expertise. The technology can ascertain the state of various types of batteries installed in electric mobility (e-mobility)^*1 vehicles in real time to ensure they can be used with peace of mind.

To cope with global warming and other issues, the electrification of mobility vehicles is gaining pace. However, the displays showing remaining battery charge on these e-mobility vehicles are not always accurate, and on occasion can lead to unexpected power outages. Also, with the inability to gauge battery changes over time, it is possible that battery replacement timing and other aspects will be missed.

In response, Panasonic has used the data and expertise it has accumulated through battery development, together with AI- and cloud-based technologies, to develop the UBMC service. The service can ascertain and quantitively analyze operating state, enabling real-time monitoring and visualization of the batteries in question. Utilizing this service will free operators from battery-based issues, and contribute to a society in which individuals can use e-mobility vehicles with peace of mind.

GMC Hummer Winter Testing

The GMC HUMMER EV has arrived at GM’s Milford Proving Grounds to continue validation tests and will head to northern Michigan to run through the team’s grueling winter testing process. We will document the journey and share updates in the coming weeks and months. The HUMMER EV’s development speed was enabled by extensive virtual testing, which will be a hallmark of GM programs moving forward and it will begin initial production in Fall 2021.

Fyusion Buys Torch 3D

Fyusion, which enables the creation of beautiful 3D images with deep AI understanding,  announced the acquisition of Torch 3D, a software company whose products make it possible for anyone to add 3D and augmented reality/virtual reality (AR/VR) elements to real-world e-commerce and automotive listings, without coding. With Torch 3D and Fyusion, auto dealers can do everything from adding 3D logos and rich media tags onto listings, allowing shoppers to virtually place a set of golf clubs in the trunk of a car to see how they fit inside

Studies indicate that 3D images increase user engagement and time spent on VDPs, which has been shown to increase car sales. Visualizing cars via 3D and augmented reality images also creates positive sentiment towards dealers by increasing trust and transparency.//

Real-Time Tire Tread Monitoring

Continental has successfully demonstrated real time tire tread depth monitoring in a pilot that entailed electric vehicles of carsharing provider SHARE NOW Denmark. In cooperation with its project partner and telemetry specialist Traffilog, the premium tire manufacturer connected information of tire sensors and telemetry data of the fleet’s cars with a proprietary algorithm in the cloud. As a result, Continental can predict tire tread depth in real time with an accuracy of below one millimeter. In future, smart digital tire solutions like this will be a key driver to enable need-based servicing of tires, instead of regular, scheduled servicing. ”With this pilot we are first in the market to offer significantly accurate tread depth monitoring via an algorithm. With an accuracy of below one millimeter our pilot has in fact set an industry benchmark in smart digital tire solutions”, said Tansu Isik, Head of Business Development and Global Marketing at the Continental Tires business area. He added: “We have worked very closely with our Continental Automotive Technologies colleagues as well as with our partner Traffilog to achieve this success.”

For fleet providers it is beneficial to have as accurate information as possible about the condition of their tires at any time. Tire wear and damage is an important cost driver for them. Moreover, intact and maintained tires have notable positive influence on other major cost positions such as fuel efficiency and wear of parts. “Real time, telematic based tire monitoring is a huge benefit for us. We can monitor and service our tires at any time and take actions proactively”, said Steen Herløv Andersen, Head of Operations at SHARE NOW Denmark. Benefits are more efficient fleet operations, minimized downtime due to repair, greater safety and reduced overall cost due to higher energy efficiency.

Continental has successfully demonstrated real time tire tread depth monitoring in a pilot that entailed electric vehicles of carsharing provider SHARE NOW Denmark. In cooperation with its project partner and telemetry specialist Traffilog, the premium tire manufacturer connected information of tire sensors and telemetry data of the fleet’s cars with a proprietary algorithm in the cloud. As a result, Continental can predict tire tread depth in real time with an accuracy of below one millimeter. In future, smart digital tire solutions like this will be a key driver to enable need-based servicing of tires, instead of regular, scheduled servicing. ”With this pilot we are first in the market to offer significantly accurate tread depth monitoring via an algorithm. With an accuracy of below one millimeter our pilot has in fact set an industry benchmark in smart digital tire solutions”, said Tansu Isik, Head of Business Development and Global Marketing at the Continental Tires business area. He added: “We have worked very closely with our Continental Automotive Technologies colleagues as well as with our partner Traffilog to achieve this success.”

For fleet providers it is beneficial to have as accurate information as possible about the condition of their tires at any time. Tire wear and damage is an important cost driver for them. Moreover, intact and maintained tires have notable positive influence on other major cost positions such as fuel efficiency and wear of parts. “Real time, telematic based tire monitoring is a huge benefit for us. We can monitor and service our tires at any time and take actions proactively”, said Steen Herløv Andersen, Head of Operations at SHARE NOW Denmark. Benefits are more efficient fleet operations, minimized downtime due to repair, greater safety and reduced overall cost due to higher energy efficiency.

Diodes 4-Channel USB Ports

Diodes Incorporated (Nasdaq: DIOD) today announced the automotive-compliant, AEC-Q100 qualified, and PPAP capable DPO2039DABQ 4-channel protection solution for USB Type-C® ports. DPO2039DABQ is targeted for use in applications including automotive head units, rear seat entertainment units, and in-car charging.

There has been increasing adoption of the USB Type-C interface, particularly by automotive manufacturers keen to provide future-proof ports for smart devices and other peripherals. As a result, many design engineers are now looking for simple but effective solutions to provide in-line protection for the data lines of USB Type-C ports.

Part of Diodes Incorporated’s Discrete Dataline Protection series, the DPO2039DABQ is used in line with the CC1, CC2, and D+ and D- or SBU signals of a USB Type-C port to protect the device from electrostatic discharge (ESD), faults caused by the presence of an excessive voltage or short circuit to VBUS on any of the four data lines, or an over-temperature event.

The DPO2039DABQ features low insertion loss, with an on-resistance of typically 300mΩ and equivalent capacitance of 50pF or less, meaning it has no negative impact on the bandwidth of the data lines. The DPO2039DABQ’s high level of ESD protection also removes the need for external transient voltage suppressors.

The DPO2039DABQ integrates high-performance MOSFETs, gate drivers, and control logic to isolate the data lines if a fault condition is detected. The typical overvoltage fault detection response time is 100ns. Thermal shutdown is preconfigured with a threshold of +150°C and +20°C hysteresis.

Aira Invests In Motherson

Aira, Inc. announced a strategic investment by Motherson Innovations Company Limited, the emerging technologies arm of the Motherson Group, a leading Tier 1 global automotive supplier. Motherson’s investment in Aira will further accelerate the development of FreePower^®, the company’s core technology, for integration in multiple applications including transportation, consumer electronics, and furniture.

Motherson and Aira aim to jointly develop, manufacture, and supply automotive-grade FreePower^® wireless charging modules for seamless integration into vehicle interiors.  Combining Motherson’s capabilities and Aira’s technology will create synergies that will help automakers in exercising more freedom in vehicle interior design by eliminating the precise alignment and static-positioning limitations of standard wireless charging solutions. This will also enable the mobility industry to provide the best-in-class user experience.

Nuvve Testing V2G for Con Edison

Nuvve Corporation, a San Diego-based, green energy technology company and a leader in vehicle-to-grid (V2G) technology, has begun using the batteries on five electric school buses (e-buses) to provide power to Con Edison’s grid, marking the first time in New York State history that electricity has flowed from buses into a utility’s grid.

The e-buses are from Lion Electric, a North American leader in heavy-duty zero emission transportation with which Nuvve recently announced a collaboration to provide V2G-enabled school buses. By day, these e-buses carry students to schools in the White Plains area, displacing their diesel-powered counterparts. E-buses have shown to provide a cleaner ride for kids and, with lower CO2 emissions, can help better the air quality in the Westchester County community.

The project began in 2018 as a partnership among Lion, Nuvve, White Plains School District, National Express and First Priority Group with 5 electric school buses. The charging and discharging takes place at a depot in North White Plains. When plugged in, Nuvve’s V2G platform determines the optimal time to charge according to when rates are lowest. On nights and weekends, when the buses are parked and not in use, the system reverses the flow of power – 10 kilowatts from each bus – into the grid.

The goal of the project is to explore the technological and economic potential of using e-buses on a wider scale to improve air quality and grid reliability. There are approximately 1,000 school buses operating in Westchester and 8,000 in New York City that could make a significant difference to the environment if converted to electric with V2G capability.

Tritium & ZEF Free Charging in MN ND & WS

As 2020 comes to an end, Tritium, a leader in DC fast charging, and ZEF Energy, creators of the ZEFNET managed charging network platform, are joining forces to spread some holiday cheer by providing free charging across the states of Minnesota, North Dakota, and Wisconsin. With electric vehicle (EV) sales in the US expected to increase by 70 percent in 2021, the two companies seek to implement DC fast charging infrastructure to support and accelerate the transition to e-mobility.

Eyesight Tech Goes Cipia

Eyesight Technologies, a leading provider of in-cabin computer vision AI solutions for the automotive industry, today announced that it has changed its name to Cipia. With Cipia’s unique market position, addressing the coming phases of advanced driver monitoring systems (DMS) and emerging occupancy monitoring systems (OMS) market, the company selected a name to support its vision for the future of automotive experiences – AI solutions that improve the safety and overall automotive experience by understanding the behavior and activities of the driver and passengers.

The name Cipia is inspired by our brain’s occipital lobe where humans derive meaning from the sense of vision. The occipital lobe ‘translates’ what we see into an understanding of the environment around us, and the name Cipia was born to reflect the company’s vision and its intelligent sensing capabilities. With the evolution of Cipia from its beginnings in classic computer-vision to today’s neural networks based technology and evolving algorithms, administering context and understanding to the environment, the name Cipia is not merely a cosmetic change, but also a name that pays homage to both the rich past of the company, as well as representing the promise of the future.

In 2018, responding to a growing need and emerging market demand, Cipia leveraged its computer vision AI expertise to pivot its focus to the automotive in-cabin sensing market. The shift to become an automotive company was accompanied by the development of new capabilities pertaining to higher levels of analyzing human factors. The combination of advanced computer vision AI and introduction of meta-analysis, enabled Cipia to evolve and create AI based solutions that not only see the driver, but also understand the state of the driver and occupants.

“We are on a continuing journey to push the boundaries of computer vision AI and deliver cutting edge solutions to our customers,” said David Tolub CEO of Cipia. “Our technology has evolved, taking its inspiration from the neural networks and the higher level logic of the brain, and we decided that our name must encompass the breadth and richness of our journey as a company. We look forward to continuing to work with our partners to provide state of the art solutions for automotive experience.”

Cipia also announced the start of production with a China-based OEM. The OEM selected Eyesight Technologies’ Driver Sense driver monitoring system (DMS) to be integrated into their new car model. The production of the model began as of November 2020 with the first cars expected to be on the roads starting later this month.

CSP New Honey-Style Battery Enclosures

Continental Structural Plastics (CSP), along with its parent company Teijin, today unveiled an innovative honeycomb Class A panel technology and an advanced, multi-material EV battery enclosure that can be molded in any number of CSP’s proprietary composite formulations. These component technologies were developed at the company’s new Advanced Technologies Center located on Harmon Road in Auburn Hills, Michigan. This Advanced Technologies Center is CSP’s second R&D facility in the city.

Following Teijin’s acquisition of CSP, the Advanced Technologies Center began transitioning to include broader R&D capabilities. The first of these projects is the new honeycomb manufacturing process which produces ultra-lightweight Class A panels. Considered a “sandwich” composite, these panels use a lightweight, honeycomb core, clad with natural fiber, glass fiber, or carbon fiber skins that are wetted with PUR resin. This process enables the molding of complex shapes and sharp edges, and results in panels that offer very high stiffness at a very low weight.

Multi-material Battery Enclosure

CSP is currently in development and production of more than 34 different electric vehicle battery box covers in both the US. and China. However, to expand their offering and provide customers with a superior battery enclosure, CSP and Teijin have developed a full-sized, multi-material battery enclosure featuring one-piece composite cover and one-piece composite tray with aluminum and steel reinforcements.

Automakers face a number of challenges with current multi-piece steel and aluminum EV battery enclosures, including the overall weight of case (typically more than 1,000 pounds), and the need for multiple welds, fasteners and bolts which can ultimately result in leaks. By molding the cover and the tray each as one piece, CSP has created a system which is easier to seal and can be certified prior to shipment. The company has two patents pending for its innovative box assembly and fastening systems.

The company also developed a mounting frame utilizing a structural foam for energy absorption. This enables a reduced frame thickness and weight, while improving crash performance. Additional benefits of the multi-material battery enclosure include:

• Non-conductive
• Can be molded in complex shapes
• Less complexity in tooling
• High strength
• Dimensional stability
• Mold-in sealing features
• Ability to mold-in shielding, including EMI and RFI protection
• Corrosion resistance
• Reduced tooling cost

All told, the CSP multi-material battery enclosure is 15% lighter than a steel battery box. Although it is equal in weight to an aluminum enclosure, the CSP enclosure offers better temperature resistance than aluminum, especially if the phenolic resin system is used. Additionally, the one-piece design for the tray has no through holes, so no sealing or sealant are required. This not only eliminates the chance of leaks, it reduces overall production costs and complexity.

Materials Make it Possible

Many of these benefits could not be achieved without the superior composites chemistry developed by CSP’s materials R&D team. This assortment of advanced composites allows customers to select the formulation for the cover and/or base that best meets their specifications. CSP’s battery enclosure materials options include:

• Traditional high-fill polyester/vinyl ester ATH system that uses conventional SMC chemistries, is easily adapted to existing tools and will give excellent baseline performance in the right design.
• Intumescent system utilizing similar chemistry to traditional SMC, but with better flammability and thermal runaway performance.
• Phenolic system which is ideal for high temperature applications where parts must meet fire safety, smoke emission, combustion and toxicity requirements. A phenolic system will have excellent flame retardance, heat and chemical resistance, and electrical non-conductivity characteristics.

Each of these chemistries can be adapted utilizing different fiber types or formats (e.g. glass/carbon/blended/other, chopped and/or continuous), and any can be formulated to achieve the most stringent VOC requirements.

“The work being done at the Advanced Technology Center, combined with the materials advancements being achieved at our R&D facility at headquarters, is enablin

Continuing Cipia’s commitment to the future.

Toshiba DC Motors