Energy, environment, engineering

The drive toward energy security and environmental responsibility is leading many automakers, Chrysler Group included, down a variety of technological avenues-diesels, biofuels, and hydrogen fuel cells among them.

It was not yet spring when various news outlets began reporting analysts' predictions of impending U.S. gasoline prices that would top $3/gal just in time for summer. Such news is sure to affect the purchasing decisions and driving habits of potential and current vehicle owners. But this possibility should not come as any great surprise to anyone-consumers and automakers alike-seeing as the $3/gal threshold has been looming ever since that boundary was breached in 2005 and again last summer.

“It's not like this is a shock and we've been doing nothing. We have been prepared,” said Mark Chernoby, who, as Vice President of Advance Vehicle Engineering for Chrysler Group, knows more than a little about the energy and environmental pressures facing the auto industry-as well as the technology solutions that can help alleviate them.