Magazine Articles - SAE Mobilus
Researchers discover texts, phone calls, military communication, internal corporate networks all easily eavesdropped on using off-the-shelf equipment. University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA With $800 of off-the-shelf equipment and months' worth of patience, a team of U.S. computer scientists set out to find out how well geostationary satellite communications are encrypted. And what they found was shocking. Close to half of the communications beamed from satellites to the ground that the researchers were able to listen in on were not encrypted. This included sensitive data including cellular text messages, voice calls, as well as sensitive military information, data from internal corporate and bank networks, and the in-flight online activity of airline passengers.
Space vehicle and satellite development programs are driving demand for new small- and medium-sized satellites across commercial and defense imaging, data collection, and other space-based applications.
There's a well-known video from San Francisco in 1906 that comes up repeatedly in mobility discussions here in the 21st Century. If you haven't seen A Trip Down Market Street, it depicts the absolute bonkers variety of transportation methods used on Market Street back then: cable cars, horsecars, streetcars, pedestrians, automobiles and more. Past is prologue in a world that is adding scooters, delivery robots and other last-minute delivery vehicles to our streets. At the 2026 New York International Auto Show in April, Honda displayed its latest option in the form of the Fastport eQuad Prototype. The eQuad was originally unveiled at Eurobike 2025 and technically comes from Fastport, a micromobility venture from the Honda New Business Innovation Lab that was established to work on projects with global logistics companies. Jamie Davies, chief of operations for Fastport, called the group a kind of startup within Honda. “Three years ago,” Davies told SAE Media in New York, “a small group
Volvo Trucks' revised VNR brings updated safety tech, improved fuel economy and driver comfort features to the regional haul segment. Volvo Trucks has continued its rollout of new models for every sector of the commercial truck market. The redesigned VNR is the latest model to see the spotlight. The new VNR naturally carries all of Volvo's latest safety tech, but also prioritizes maneuverability, fuel efficiency and configurability for a wide variety of fleet uses. “The VNR is an incredibly versatile truck,” said Maddie Sullivan, product marketing manager. “There are so many different configurations to meet our customer's needs. We offer four different cab sizes, three different axle configurations and two different chassis configurations.”
Using an inexpensive electrode coated with DNA, MIT researchers have designed disposable diagnostics that could be adapted to detect a variety of diseases, including cancer or infectious diseases such as influenza and HIV.
Sealing systems in space applications must perform reliably under demanding conditions in engineering: cryogenic temperatures, vibration, leakage control, ultra-high vacuum, ionizing radiation, abrasive particulates, and repeated thermal cycling. Each factor strains conventional sealing technologies. In combination, they can rapidly cause failure in systems where margins are unforgiving and maintenance is impossible. As spacecraft architectures evolve toward longer operational lifetimes and broader mission profiles, sealing requirements continue to tighten. Launch vehicles, satellites, and exploration platforms now operate across wider temperature ranges and in contact with more aggressive propellants and media. As a result, both metal seals and engineered polymer alternatives are evaluated-and selected-against increasingly specific, measurable performance criteria.
Researchers at the University of California, Irvine, and New York’s Columbia University have embedded transistors in a soft, conformable material to create a biocompatible sensor implant that monitors neurological functions through successive phases of a patient’s development.
Healable spacecraft structures could soon be possible thanks to cutting-edge composite technology. Swiss companies CompPair and CSEM, and Belgian company Com&Sens have partnered with the European Space Agency (ESA) to modify their self-healing carbon fiber product for use in space transportation.
Researchers at Cornell University, working with collaborators, have created an extremely small neural implant that can sit on a grain of salt. Despite its size, the device can wirelessly transmit brain activity data from a living animal for more than a year.
Two of the biggest hurdles to adoption of hydrogen fuel cells are still the availability of hydrogen and its affordability. Now Bosch has taken what is a small step toward addressing availability at its Farmington Hills, Michigan, engineering center, where the company just unveiled its new electrolyzer, which uses electrical current to split water into oxygen and hydrogen to power fuel cells.
German startup Blackwave is building carbon parts for rocket tanks. Technical University of Munich, Munich, Germany Carbon fiber has become indispensable in high-performance industries such as automotive engineering and aerospace. It's lightweight, extremely durable, and can be shaped in almost any way. The start-up Blackwave, founded at the Technical University of Munich (TUM), specializes in this versatile composite material. What began with custom components for sports cars and aircraft has evolved into the development of high-pressure tanks for space applications. As is so often the case in engineering, a small detail determines technological progress. In the case of rockets, it is the high-pressure tanks that are specially designed for the fuel systems. As rockets are designed to be as light as possible, they lose structural stability when the fuel tanks, known as primary tanks, are emptied. A trick is used to counteract this: alongside fuel combustion, noble gases are released
Kubota introduced the new SVL110-3 compact track loader at CONEXPO 2026 in Las Vegas. The SVL110-3 delivers 112.7 gross horsepower (84.0 kW), an increased torque output of 279 lb-ft (378 Nm) compared to previous models and a rated operating capacity of 3,700 lb (1,678 kg). The SVL110-3 is capable of 45 GPM (170 L/min) of auxiliary flow while operating with the same traveling speed and compact footprint as its predecessor, the SVL97-3. Kubota states that this increase in auxiliary capacity enables contractors to operate high-demand attachments like trenchers, cold planers and skid cutters at full performance without compromise.
How to ensure off-highway combustion systems operate with sufficient control to meet tightening emissions standards and evolving fuel landscapes without sacrificing reliability. Off-highway equipment is being asked to do more with less. Less margin for emissions, less tolerance for downtime and less room for inefficiency, while operating under some of the most demanding duty cycles in the transport sector. Tier 4 and Tier 5 emissions standards have reshaped engine calibration strategies. Renewable diesel and biodiesel blends are entering worksites and farms at scale. At the same time, construction, mining and agricultural machines are expected to run for 20-25 years, often at sustained high load and far from service infrastructure. In this environment, combustion systems are far from being phased out.
As satellites take on more onboard processing - from Earth imaging to autonomy - spacecraft computing designers are pushing for higher performance under tight thermal and radiation constraints. Here's how suppliers are approaching heat removal, radiation mitigation and production-scale space-grade computing for LEO and beyond.
ZF foresees hybrid powertrain technology becoming more popular for commercial transport in the coming years, and it's working earnestly to be a major player in that realm. The supplier unveiled the TraXon 2 Hybrid transmission to the North American commercial vehicle market at last year's ACT Expo and is now evaluating the technology in real-world conditions. The next-gen automated manual transmission (AMT) is optimized to improve fuel efficiency for plug-in and full hybrid heavy-duty trucks and coaches, as well as special applications such as medium- to heavy-duty mobile cranes.
The successful launch of the final GPS-III satellite into orbit makes 32 total satellites in the GPS-III constellation, and paves the way for production and launch of GPS-IIIF satellites. Space Systems Command, El Segundo, CA With the successful launch of the 10th Global Positioning System III satellite on April 21 from Cape Canaveral Space Force Base, Space Systems Command is celebrating the start of a new era for the world's premier GPS constellation. “This milestone satellite launch completes GPS Block III,” said Erin Carper, Acting Portfolio Acquisition Executive for Satellite Communications and Positioning, Navigation, and Timing (PNT) at SSC. “Providing critical military and civil signal accuracy 24/7, GPS continues to underpin global military operations for our warfighters.”
High-temperature hydraulic control in a Formula 1 drivetrain requires dimensional stability, controlled sealing force, and resistance to wear under sustained pressure cycling. Inside the limited-slip differential, the sealing architecture plays a defined mechanical role in maintaining consistent torque management under race conditions. In Formula 1, drivetrain reliability and performance are closely linked. The limited-slip differential (LSD) governs torque distribution between the rear wheels, allowing controlled transfer of power to the wheel with greater available grip. By limiting speed difference across the rear axle, the differential contributes directly to traction and cornering behavior, particularly where grip levels vary across the vehicle. At the center of this assembly is a hydraulic actuator that clamps a friction clutch inside the differential. The actuator modulates clutch engagement to redirect torque as grip levels change through corner entry, mid-corner load transfer
Aerospace and defense systems demand materials capable of maintaining performance under extreme environmental and operational stressors, including wide thermal cycling ranges, exposure to hydrocarbon fuels, vacuum conditions, and repeated mechanical strain. Silicone-based materials have become essential in these environments because they can retain elasticity, stability, and functionality where many traditional materials fail. Silicones are widely used as coatings, adhesives, sealants, and elastomers in aircraft and spacecraft applications. Their chemical structure enables resistance to both high and low temperatures, while also providing durability against solvents and fuels such as jet fuel. In contrast, many conventional elastomers degrade under prolonged thermal exposure or become brittle at cryogenic temperatures.
Though the U.S. EPA has rolled back many emissions regulations surrounding the mobility industry, its HD rules remain intact, meaning manufacturers must hit the world's most stringent NOx requirement. It was clear at a panel of industry experts that the new rule was still causing confusion among operators and fleet owners. The EPA's new limits are set at 0.035 grams per horsepower-hour during normal operation, 0.050 grams at low load and 10.0 grams at idle. A panel immediately following revealed how companies have hit the tough target, which goes into effect in January of 2027.
Researchers from CompPair and the European Space Agency have developed a new composite material for spacecraft with an embedded healing agent. European Space Agency, Paris, France Healable spacecraft structures could soon be possible thanks to cutting-edge composite technology. Swiss companies CompPair and CSEM, and Belgian company Com&Sens have partnered with the European Space Agency (ESA) to modify their self-healing carbon fiber product for use in space transportation. Project Cassandra - an abbreviation for Composite Autonomous Sensing and Repair - includes sensors and a heating element within a composite carbon-fiber material, allowing spacecraft to autonomously repair initial stages of damage.
OEMs, integrators and suppliers must continuously process, assess and identify platform vulnerabilities to prioritize and implement updates that protect systems from cyberattacks and data breaches. Security researchers have demonstrated that the control systems in vehicles and machines are open to attack. In 2010, researchers from the University of Washington and the University of California, San Diego demonstrated that by gaining physical access to a vehicle, they could manipulate critical systems like brakes and engines. Just a few years later, security researchers Charlie Miller and Chris Valasek remotely compromised a vehicle over the internet, controlling steering, braking and acceleration, leading to a 1.4 million vehicle recall. In 2024, researchers at Colorado State University successfully demonstrated a wireless drive-by hack by exploiting vulnerabilities in common electronic logging devices (ELDs). In their proof-of-concept test, they achieved remote control over a truck by
Moog Inc. introduced its new adaptive electrification management system (AEMS) at a press conference during CONEXPO 2026 in Las Vegas. Moog states that this system offers a path to electrify, automate and digitalize construction machinery more efficiently and cost-effectively. “End users in the off-highway market are demanding that their machines have higher productivity and a lower total cost of ownership,” said Dr. Nate Keller, Moog strategic business manager. “OEMs are working to solve this problem, and one of the particular ways is through electrification.”
In the two months since Microvision bought Luminar and acquired key tech and talent, the sensor company has been busy. In that time, they've merged key lidar units from each company and created a perception software stack to run it in a convincing demo of its ADAS and autonomous capabilities. The company is also pushing innovative lidar tech into the defense drone and antidrone markets, already working with a German defense supplier that works with NATO member countries.
Kenworth's new C580 vocational truck made its debut at CONEXPO 2026. The C580 is the replacement for the long-serving C500 and aims to build on that truck's legacy thanks to new tech, more muscle and improved interior amenities. According to Kenworth, the C580 rides on the C500 platform, but has been endowed with Kenworth's latest cab, which brings modern comfort and technology features. Truck & Off-Highway Engineering was in attendance for Kenworth's introductory press conference for the C580 in Las Vegas.
Precision agriculture, also known as smart farming, was once reserved for early adopters or large-scale operations, but is now an expectation within the farming industry. Across various regions and farm sizes, smart farming techniques are changing the way crops are planted as well as how they are monitored and harvested. However, farmers today are under increasing pressure to reduce labor, decrease chemical inputs, conserve water and operate in tighter windows. Couple this with factors such as narrow seasonal windows, productivity demands and safety considerations, and the need for smarter decisions becomes imperative. Going one step further, global food demands and environmental pressures are further increasing demand for precise, accurate and intelligent farming solutions.
Harbinger revealed its HC Series Cab during Work Truck Week 2026 in Indianapolis, Indiana. The HC Series is a new line of medium-duty, low cab forward vehicles available as both an electric and plug-in hybrid model. Harbinger states that the HC Series' hybrid powertrain uses a range-extended hybrid platform with a gasoline engine to recharge the truck's batteries, extending range up to 500 miles (805 km), depending on upfit configuration and drive cycle.
We hear it often at industry events, in keynote speeches and during expert panel discussions: There is no silver bullet. Peter Voorhoeve, president of Volvo Trucks North America, says as much in this issue's Q&A (page 44). “Electric is one solution, but biodiesel is another solution, and hydrogen is, too. So we have these different fuel solutions to get to better sustainability.”
Sustainability needs to be practical. That was a point Peter Voorhoeve, president of Volvo Trucks North America, made clear at CONEXPO 2026 in Las Vegas. “We're running a business, so we are focusing a lot on efficiency and uptime,” he said, referencing the up-to-10% improvement in fuel efficiency with the new VNL. “That helps our customers to run their operations at a better pace and a lower cost, but at the same time we have a very positive impact on the climate.” Voorhoeve also teased the launch of a new vocational truck. “We are strong in long haul. We are a leading sleeper manufacturer, very strong in regional haul, and we now have renewed focus on vocational,” he said. “In August we will launch a new truck specifically for the vocational segment that's built on the same platform as the VNL and VNR.” (See page 22 for our feature story on the new VNR.)
The convergence of highly capable edge AI models and advanced commercial-off-the-shelf (COTS) edge AI accelerators is reshaping how computation is deployed across defense, aerospace, and commercial platforms. Mission-critical decisions increasingly must be made at the edge, onboard vehicles, satellites, and infrastructure nodes, where latency, connectivity, and power availability are constrained.
Today's defense operations are defined by mobility, speed and data. Whether coordinating ship-to-shore logistics, maneuvering ground forces, or enabling autonomous and semi-autonomous systems at the tactical edge, reliable communications are no longer a support function - they are mission-critical. Defense forces must operate across fixed and mobile environments while maintaining secure, high-bandwidth connectivity amid interference, jamming, and limited spectrum availability. Legacy approaches, typically optimized for either static infrastructure or limited mobility, struggle to meet these combined requirements.
On a clear afternoon over a contested airspace, a drone suddenly appears on radar. Within seconds, more follow, and they're small, fast, and unpredictable. For the U.S. Army's air and missile defense operators, every moment counts. The difference between mission success and mission failure is measured in milliseconds. During that brief window, sensors must connect instantly, embedded systems must process floods of data at the edge, and command links must hold steady even under electronic interference.
USC Viterbi researcher received Office of Naval Research's Young Investigator Program award with Study on dexterous robotics. University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA In dynamic, unstructured environments like ship decks and even home kitchens, robots today still struggle to perform precision tasks such as tightening bolts or handling wires. This makes critical ship maintenance tasks difficult. USC researcher, Erdem Bıyık, aims to advance robots' finger manipulation and integrate human feedback to enable real-time learning for robots in an upcoming three-year, $750,000 project funded by the Office of Naval Research (ONR).
MyDefence has officially opened its U.S. counter uncrewed aircraft systems (C UAS) manufacturing and innovation facility in Oklahoma City, marking a major step in the company's expansion of its North American production footprint. The latest MyDefence facility, which became operational in February, strengthens the company's ability to support U.S. and allied defense customers with domestically produced counter drone technologies while reinforcing supply chain resilience, regulatory compliance, and lifecycle support. The opening comes amid rapid growth in the scale, diversity, and technical sophistication of uncrewed aerial system threats. Advances in autonomy, range, payload integration, and - critically -radio frequency (RF) employment have increased demand for counter UAS solutions that can evolve as quickly as the threat itself.
Machina Labs recently closed its latest round of financing with $124 million, enough to develop a facility featuring up to 50 of its RoboCraftsman cells capable of producing thousands of complex structural assemblies for aerospace and defense customers - a list that already includes Lockheed Martin and the U.S. Air Force, among others. Founded in 2019, Machina Labs is a California-based company that seeks to reinvent metal manufacturing with a robot that uses artificial intelligence (AI) to rapidly form and assemble complex military grade structures directly from digital design files. RoboCraftsman is the company's manufacturing robot that leverages its proprietary “RoboForming” process to integrate multiple manufacturing processes - including metal forming, trimming, scanning, and heat treating - into a single containerized machine.
Researchers recently helped Skydio, the leading U.S. drone manufacturer, demonstrate compliance to the Federal Aviation Administration's rules for safe flights over people and vehicles. Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Blacksburg, VA Operators using a drone from the leading manufacturer in the U.S. can now conduct missions over people and vehicles much easier and with even greater confidence in their safety. In January, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) accepted a declaration of compliance for such flights for the parachute-equipped Skydio X10 drone from Skydio, a San Mateo, California-based company that supplies its drones to customers in public safety, utilities, and national security. The acceptance came as the result of working with Virginia Tech's Mid-Atlantic Aviation Partnership (MAAP) and Center for Injury Biomechanics to complete their FAA-approved means of compliance testing.
Army researchers recently developed a 3D-printable, easy-to-assemble drone designed to enhance intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance capabilities. Army Research Laboratory, Adelphi, MD Researchers at the U.S. Army Combat Capabilities Development Command, or DEVCOM, Army Research Laboratory (ARL) harnessed bottom-up Soldier innovation to develop an experimental 3D-printed small unmanned aerial system, or drone, that was demonstrated at the inaugural U.S. Army Best Drone Warfighter Competition in Huntsville, Alabama. Known as the Soldier Portable Autonomous Reconnaissance Transitioning Aircraft, or SPARTA, the drone was developed at DEVCOM ARL in collaboration with Soldiers. By incorporating Soldier feedback early in the design process and leveraging ARL's world-class research facilities, researchers developed a 3D-printable, easy-to-assemble drone designed to enhance intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance capabilities. ARL is actively working to partner the technology
Funding from Google and the U.S. Department of Energy helped a team of researchers develop an assortment of agentic AI-enabled tools to help optimize traditional aerospace design processes. Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Troy, NY A Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI) engineering professor, Shaowu Pan, Ph.D. and his team of students have integrated agentic AI into computational fluid dynamics (CFD) to optimize the aerospace design process and alleviate bottlenecks. Pan's advances address priorities outlined in Winning the Race: America's AI Action Plan, which emphasizes that “high-quality data has become a national strategic asset” and calls for “the world's largest and highest quality AI-ready scientific datasets.”
A lot can happen in 17 months — especially in the automotive industry. Just ask Ganaio.
Using waste to purify water may sound counterintuitive. But at TU Wien, this is exactly what has now been achieved: a special nanostructure has been developed to filter a widespread class of harmful dyes from water. A crucial component is a material that is considered waste: used cellulose, for example, in the form of cleaning cloths or paper cups. The cellulose is utilized to coat a fine nanofabric to create an efficient filter for polluted water.
Imagine a robot about the size of a toaster floating through the tight corridors of the International Space Station, quietly moving supplies or checking for leaks — all without an astronaut at the controls. Such technology could free up valuable time for astronauts and open new opportunities for robotics-based exploration. That sci-fi vision is coming closer to reality now that Stanford researchers have become the first to show that machine-learning-based control can operate aboard the ISS.
A soft, thread-like implantable bioelectronic device is designed to sense and stimulate tissues with minimal invasiveness. Roughly a quarter of a millimeter in diameter, the NeuroString fiber can incorporate hundreds to thousands of independent electronic channels capable of detecting neurochemicals, monitoring muscle contractions, recording single-neuron activity, or delivering targeted stimulation.
This will be my last column for SAE Automotive Engineering after an 11-year run. Don't worry, I'm not going anywhere, just taking a monthly column off my plate to enable more time to spend with my grandson and focus on other passions. While I have been a forecaster for nearly four decades, writing a column for an external publication was always an important outlet for ideas. An opportunity to outline a trend, event, or development that would change the fortunes of our industry, specifically for suppliers. While OEMs get the headlines and the accolades, supporting the unsung supply base has been Job 1 in my book.
In Marina, California, just north of the Monterey Bay, sits a small airport. In a previous life, it was a helicopter-focused military base. Currently, Joby Aviation is one of a handful of businesses occupying the space. The eVTOL (electric vertical take-off and landing) aircraft company is one of a few such companies that people have actually heard of and is still around. Established in 2009, Joby has been developing, building, and testing its eVTOL aircraft in Marina. During SAE Media's recent visit to the location, Joby showed off its latest aircraft but, more importantly, talked about how it's been able to leverage a nearly $900-million investment and partnership with automaker Toyota to build its eVTOLs.
Precise time synchronization is the backbone of today's connected world, keeping telecom networks, data centers, and financial systems running seamlessly. Without accurate timing, our digital infrastructure would quickly fall out of sync. Septentrio designs and manufactures world recognized Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) timing receivers for critical infrastructure and leading industry organizations. The Septentrio mosaic-T timing module delivers nanosecond-level precision for synchronization and is trusted by companies such as Meinberg, VIAVI, and Saab. Built-in AIM+ technology protects against intentional and unintentional GNSS jamming and spoofing, ensuring maximum system uptime even in challenging or hostile conditions.
Master Bond EP40 is a two-part, room temperature curing epoxy for bonding, sealing, coating, and encapsulating. EP40 bonds well to a variety of substrates, including naval steel, the primary structural metal used in the shipbuilding industry. Master Bond Inc., Hackensack, NJ To reduce its environmental impact and pollution, the shipping industry is investigating methods to construct more lightweight ships. One potential method is using adhesive bonding techniques to replace traditional welding and riveted joints on ships to fabricate lighter ships with smaller carbon footprints. However, adhesives age and deteriorate when exposed to moisture, high temperatures, and ultraviolet light. This makes it necessary to understand how they age in maritime environments to determine whether they can truly replace traditional welding techniques. To this end, researchers at Centro de Investigación en Tecnologías Navales e Industriales (CITENI) and Centro de Investigación TIC (CITIC) developed a new
Five-Axis CNC machines have become essential for creating the complex geometries demanded by industries such as aerospace and defense. These advanced machines offer superior part accessibility and minimize the need for repositioning, enabling shops to eliminate secondary set-ups and post-processing. However, for many machine shops, unlocking the full performance potential of five-axis equipment requires more than sophisticated motion control: it also demands higher spindle speeds. Traditional five-axis machines often top out at spindle speeds between 6,000 and 15,000 RPM. While this is sufficient for heavy roughing operations using large diameter tools, when it comes to finishing intricate features or micro-drilling, small tools require consistent spindle speeds of 40,000 to 90,000 RPM on the toolpath to function effectively. Without that capability, shops risk poor surface finishes, broken tools and unacceptably long cycle times. This is where governed high-speed air-driven spindles
Leonardo DRS has opened a new naval power and propulsion manufacturing and testing facility in Charleston, South Carolina, expanding its role in delivering next generation electric propulsion, integrated power systems, and high energy payload support for U.S. Navy surface and undersea platforms. The 140,000 square foot site consolidates advanced manufacturing, final assembly, and high fidelity testing for electric power conversion and propulsion systems, while also supporting naval steam turbine design, production, and subsystem integration for programs including the Columbia class ballistic missile submarine. A representative for Leonardo's Naval Power Systems business unit provided emailed statements with details about the type of advanced manufacturing the company will deploy at the new facility.
A newly developed tool could enable more control over how energetic materials function throughout manufacturing processes. Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN Much like baking the perfect cake involve s following a list of ingredients and instructions, manufacturing energetic materials - explosives, pyrotechnics and propellants - requires precise formulations, conditions and procedures to ensure they are safe and perform as intended. Because any small tweaks or environmental changes can dramatically alter how energetic materials function, Purdue University engineer Monique McClain is developing state-of-the-art tools and methods to control these materials' behavior throughout the manufacturing process and down to the particle level.
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