Browse Topic: Vehicle styling
Wheel drag is generally known to be proportional to the wheel opening area. However, predicting wheel drag through opening area is still very difficult and inaccurate because there are many other factors that affect wheel drag. To more accurately and effectively predict wheel drag in the early styling design stage, we introduced the wheel average depth (WAD) parameter and developed S/W to calculate WAD. As a result of analyzing the correlation between WAD and wheel drag for HKMC's mass-produced wheels, the R2 value was greatly improved compared to the correlation between the existing wheel opening area and wheel drag, and the prediction accuracy was doubled
As Hyundai was starting design work on the new 2024 Kona in March 2020, the company decided to focus on making the youth-oriented SUV's design work for the EV version first, with the idea that, later on, the ICE and hybrid powertrains could be adapted to fit. “Normally, you look at ICE and you have an EV version,” said Kevin Kang, senior design manager for Hyundai Design North America. “The EV design is kind of an afterthought, but for the Kona, we decided to design it first as an EV model, and that really let us break free from the norm
As automakers keep rolling out new EV models, a kind of sameness has crept into the proceedings. Put a four-door sedan or crossover on a skateboard platform with a 90-kWh-or-so battery, a smattering of futuristic touches, and start shipping. Volkswagen says it is adding something unique to the mix with the 2025 ID.Buzz it will start delivering to the North American market in the second half of 2024. This three-rows-of-seating variant of the ID.Buzz is the “spiritual reincarnation of the Microbus reimagined for our electric future,” said Pablo Di Si, president and CEO of Volkswagen of America, Inc
With aviation-inspired design elements, new powertrains and a larger footprint, Lincoln's redesigned 2024 Navigator comes to showrooms early in 2024 to compete in the luxury midsize SUV segment crowded with conventionally powered, hybrid and EV models. With parent Ford promising to invest $30 billion on vehicle-electrification development by 2025, the new Nautilus offers a hybrid variant to be counted in that program. Previously on Ford's aged CD midsize architecture, the 2024 Nautilus moves to “a modified version” of Ford's ubiquitous C2 unibody platform - the foundation for current models such as the Ford Escape, Maverick and Bronco Sport - according to vehicle engineering manager Dan Boxeth. Despite moving from a “midsize” platform to what is regarded as a compact-vehicle architecture, the 2024 Nautilus grows in every exterior dimension: it's 3.2 in. (81 mm) longer at 193.2 in. (4907 mm) overall and its 114.2-in. (2901-mm) wheelbase is 2-in. (51-mm) longer than the outgoing Nautilus
The body stiffness plays a key role in vehicle performance, such as noise and vibration, ride and handling, durability and so on. In particular, a body D-pillar ring structure is the most sensitive affecting the body stiffness on vehicle with tail gate. Therefore, since D-pillar body ring structure for high stiffness and lightweight is required, an optimized design methodology that simultaneously satisfies the requirements was studied. It focused on a methodology that body engineering designers can optimize design parameters easily and quickly by themselves in the preceding stages of vehicle’s styling distribution and design conceptual planning. First, it is important to establish the body stiffness design strategy by predicting the body stiffness with the vehicle’s styling at early design stage. The methodology to predict body stiffness with the styling and body dimension specification parameters was introduced. Next, design parameters such as a cross-section area, material and
With crossover SUVs now the backbone of its North American sales volume, Mazda on Jan. 31 revealed the CX-90 SUV, a fullsize 3-row model to serve as the brand's flagship when it goes on sale this spring. Two hybridized propulsion options seem well-timed to help the new SUV transition customers to the electrified future - but without the worries regarding driving range or recharging infrastructure. At the same time, Mazda executives and engineers insist that the 2024 CX-90 will remain true to Mazda's promise of emphasis on engaging driving dynamics and expressive styling. “We design to a feeling, not just specifications,” said Jeff Guyton, president and CEO of Mazda North American Operations, in a presentation to media on January 31. Guyton went on to call the CX-90 a breakthrough vehicle in its segment. Program manager Mitsuru Wakiie said the vehicle's new architecture and propulsion choices represent engineering that will help the large SUV “maintain Mazda signature driving dynamics
Asahi Kasei's concept electric shuttle is a rolling showcase of the supplier's materials and electronics innovations, with a strong focus on sustainability. Dubbed the AKXY2, it is “a complete vehicle design - exterior and interior,” Michael Franchy, director of North American Mobility at Asahi Kasei America, told SAE Media in Detroit. The AKXY2 showcases 18 technologies, including two collaborations with startup companies identified by Asahi Kasei's corporate venture-capital arm. Fifteen of the Asahi Kasei technologies either are in production or production-ready. “Everything visible, touchable and interactable is made from Asahi Kasei original or collaborative technology,” Franchy said. The concept emphasizes three overlapping themes: sustainability, satisfaction and society
An undeniable technical achievement since its U.S. launch for the 2001 model year, Toyota's Prius never has been able to shake its weenie-mobile reputation. It's an image formed largely by the combination off oddball, aerodynamics-first styling and the pursuit of ultimate fuel efficiency via low-power propulsion. With EVs looming as the propulsion endgame and attention to the 20th-century concept of “fuel-efficiency” waning, Toyota's said “enough!” The 2023 Prius bodywork now is smooth, low and sleek, so different that there's virtually no visual connection to its trippy forerunners. Under the hood is a larger, powered-up 4-cyl. engine and similarly boosted drive motor that, combined, take the Prius to 194 hp (196 hp for AWD models) - a 60% jump over the wheezy 121 combined hp of its predecessor. Almost paradoxically, though, the 2023 Prius still sips gasoline at pretty much the same pace - up to a 57 mpg (4.1L/100 km) combined rating for the most-efficient LE trim in front-wheel drive
The design of the exterior body shape and structure of a solar-electric sports car which competed in the 2019 Bridgestone World Solar Challenge (BWSC) Cruiser Class is explored. A low-drag and low-lift aerodynamic shape with a coefficient of lift near zero and drag area of 0.16 m2 is developed as a primary focus around the constraints of a solar array, occupant space, and aesthetics. The maximally sized 5 m2 rearward tilted solar array capable of generating an expected event average power of 885 W influences the size and shape of the roof. The space for which two occupants are seated in the vehicle is developed to achieve a reclined occupant position that minimizes the vehicle frontal area. A carbon fiber-reinforced polymer (CFRP) and foam composite sandwich monocoque make up the structure of the vehicle at a mass of 59.53 kg. Factors of practicality and their compromises are also explored
The aerodynamic optimization process of cars requires multiple iterations between aerodynamicists and stylists. Response surface modeling and reduced-order modeling (ROM) are commonly used to eliminate the overhead due to computational fluid dynamics (CFD), leading to faster iterations. However, a primary drawback of these models is that they can work only on the parameterized geometric features they were trained with. This study evaluates if deep learning models can predict the drag coefficient (cd ) for an arbitrary input geometry without explicit parameterization. We use two similar data sets (total of 1000 simulations) based on the publicly available DrivAer geometry for training. We use a modified U-Net architecture that uses signed distance fields (SDF) to represent the input geometries. Our models outperform the existing models by at least 11% in prediction accuracy for the drag coefficient. We achieved this improvement by combining multiple data sets that were created using
Accelerometers are transducers, or sensors, that convert acceleration into an electrical signal that can be used for airframe, drive, and propulsion system vibration monitoring and analysis within vehicle health and usage monitoring systems. This document defines interface requirements for accelerometers and associated interfacing electronics for use in a helicopter Health and Usage Monitoring System (HUMS). The purpose is to standardize the accelerometer-to-electronics interface with the intent of increasing interchangeability among HUMS sensors/systems and reducing the cost of HUMS accelerometers. Although this interface was specified with an internally amplified piezoelectric accelerometer in mind for Airframe and Drive Train accelerometers, this does not preclude the use of piezoelectric accelerometer with remote charge amplifier or any other sensor technology that meets the requirements given in this specification. This SAE HUMS Accelerometer Interface Specification includes the
Recreational vehicles have a lot of potential consumers in China, especially the type C recreational vehicle is popular among consumers due to its advantages, prompting an increase in the production and sales volumes. The type C vehicle usually has a higher air drag than the common commercial vehicles due to its unique appearance. It can be reduced by optimizing the structural parameters, thus the energy consumed by the vehicle can be decreased. The external flow field of a recreational vehicle is analyzed by establishing its computational fluid dynamic (CFD) model. The characteristic of the RV’s external flow field is identified based on the simulation result. The approximation models of the vehicle roof parameters and air drag and vehicle volume are established by the response surface method (RSM). The vehicle roof parameters are optimized by multi-objective particle swarm optimization (MO-PSO). According to the comparison, the air drag is reduced by 2.89% and the vehicle volume is
Self-soiling or surface contamination is usual phenomenon observed during rainy season wherein dirt on road are picked by rotating wheel and later released in air as fine particles. These released dirt particles are further carried by airflow around vehicle and as a result stick on vehicle exterior surfaces leading to surface contamination. Surface dirt contamination is one of critical issues that need consideration during early phase of vehicle development as vehicle styling plays a critical role for airflow around vehicle and therefore settling of dirt on vehicle exterior surfaces. Non consideration of such aspects in design can lead to safety issues with likely non-functioning of parking sensors, camera and visibility issues through ORVM, tailgate glass etc. Hence it is important to understand physical as well as digital techniques for assessment of vehicle for surface dirt contamination. This paper looks at means for accessing the surface contamination through physical test which
IWMs can improve EV efficiency, dynamics, safety, and manufacturability - when unsprung mass is addressed in their design. Much of an IC engine-powered vehicle's ride, handling, sound and overall character derives from the engine. Some believe that electric vehicles (EVs), propelled by electric motors with no intake or exhaust sound and less gearing and NVH, limit the opportunity for vehicle differentiation. They argue that the powertrain will become a commodity and that competitive advantage will need to be achieved through other areas, such as styling and infotainment. I contend that the exception to this view is the in-wheel motor (IWM), a technology that enables quantum improvements in propulsion efficiency, ride dynamics, active safety, and vehicle design. IWMs enable “turn-on-a-dime” operation, a relevant feature for dense urban environments and safe vehicle entry/egress from the sidewalk. Moreover, the IWM has the potential to extend the revolution - started by the now
Aerodynamic technologies for light-duty vehicles were evaluated through full-scale testing in a large low-blockage closed-circuit wind tunnel equipped with a rolling road, wheel rollers, boundary-layer suction and a system to generate road-representative turbulent flow. This work was part of a multi-year, multi-vehicle study commissioned by Transport Canada and Environment and Climate Change Canada, and carried out in cooperation with the US EPA, to support the evaluation of light-duty-vehicle greenhouse-gas-emission regulations. A 2016 paper reported drag-reduction measurements for technologies such as active grille shutters, production and custom underbody treatments, air dams, ride height control and combinations of these. This paper describes an extension to that work and addresses vehicle aerodynamics in three ways. First, whole vehicle body-shaping changes were evaluated by adding older or newer generation models, representing distinct body style redesigns, of select vehicles of
Today, many car manufacturers and their suppliers are very interested in power-operated door handles, known as auto flush door handles. These handles have a distinguishing feature in terms of the way they operate. They are hidden in door skins and deployed automatically when users need to open the door. It is obvious that it is a major exterior styling point that makes customers interested in the vehicles that apply it. To make this auto flush door handle, however, there lie difficulties. First, because there is no sufficient space inside a door, applying these handles can be a constraint in exterior design unless the structures of them are kinematic optimized. The insufficient space can also cause problems in appearance of the handles when they are deployed. The purpose of this study is to establish the kinematic system of auto flush door handle to overcome the exterior handicaps such as the excessive exposure of the internal area on the deployed position. In order to resolve these
This report will introduce a new engine sound design concept and propose a design process. In sound design for automotive development of popular vehicles, it is common to seek to enhance the state of the existing marketed vehicle in order to meet further demands from customers. For standout models such as sports vehicles and flagship vehicles, sound design commonly reflects the sound ideals of the manufacturer’s branding or engineers. Each case has common point that the sound direction is determined by itself clearly. However, in this way, it is difficult to create abstract concept sound. Because it is no direction for the sound. Therefore, this paper examines ways to achieve a new sound that satisfies a sound concept based on an unprecedented abstract concept “wood”. The reason why sound concept is “wood”, it is the difficult to make as a new engine sound and good study to reveal usefulness of new sound design process. Therefore, the authors devised a new sound design process that
This SAE lab test procedure should be used when performing the following specialized weathering tests for wheels; Florida Exposure, QUV, Xenon and Carbon Weatherometer. In addition to these procedures, some additional post-weathering tests may be specified. Please refer to customer specifications for these requirements
This paper presents an overview of the aerodynamic development of the 2019 Chevrolet Corvette C7 ZR1. Extensive wind tunnel testing and computational fluid dynamics simulations were completed to engineer the ZR1’s aerodynamics to improve lift-to-drag efficiency and track capability over previous Corvette offerings. The ZR1 architecture changes posed many aerodynamic challenges including increased vehicle cooling, strict packaging demands, wider front track width, and aggressive exterior styling. Through motorsports-inspired aerodynamic development, the ZR1 was engineered to overcome these challenges through the creation of new devices such as a raised rear wing and front underwing. The resulting Standard ZR1 achieved a top speed of 212 mph making it the fastest Corvette ever [1]. Optionally, the ZR1 with the ZTK Performance Package provides the highest downforce of any Corvette, generating approximately 950 pounds at the ZTK’s top speed [1
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