Curtin University researchers have developed a new technique to make glass water-repellent, a feature that could improve safety in vehicles, reduce cleaning costs for buildings and enhance filtration systems. The research, published in the prestigious journal Advanced Functional Materials, shows how an innovative and non-toxic process using ultrasonic sound waves can alter the surface of glass, making it either hydrophobic (water resistant) or electrically charged. Lead researcher Associate Professor Nadim Darwish, an ARC Future Fellow at Curtin’s School of Molecular…
The research reported findings that indicate electric vehicles generally produce less non-exhaust emissions No exhaust means no emissions, right? Not quite. It is commonly known that while electric vehicles do not produce tailpipe greenhouse gas emissions while driving, they do create debris from tire and brake abrasion. However, the degree to which they do and how that compares to internal combustion engine vehicles was largely unknown until the Virginia Tech Transportation Institute’s Hesham Rakha investigated it. In an article published…
The new method optimises the technical design with regard to classic objectives such as costs, efficiency and package space requirements and also takes greenhouse gas emissions along the entire supply chain into account The development of vehicle components is a lengthy and therefore very costly process. Researchers at Graz University of Technology (TU Graz) have developed a method that can shorten the development phase of the powertrain of battery electric vehicles by several months. A team led by Martin Hofstetter…
8,000 open source models for sustainable mobility. Designing new cars is expensive and time consuming. As a result, manufacturers tend to make only minor changes from one model generation to the next. With DriverAerNet++, researchers at the Technical University of Munich (TUM) and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) have now developed the largest open-source database for aerodynamic car design. More than 8000 models representing the most common vehicle types will make it possible to create more efficient designs with…
High-performance multi-material 3D printing techniques. Researchers at Tohoku University’s Institute for Materials Research and New Industry Creation Hatchery Center have made a breakthrough in a multi-material 3D printing technique, demonstrating the process for creating a lightweight yet durable automobile part. The process of metal 3D printing involves building objects by depositing metals layer by layer, using heat to bind them together. The precision of 3D printing allows for the production of unique, highly customizable shapes that often create less wasteful…
New machine learning methods are enabling better understanding and processing of crash test development data. The SAFECAR-ML project is developing an automated solution for documenting virtual crash tests based on artificial intelligence (AI). The aim is to simplify and enhance the efficiency of the design process. Shattering glass, twisted metal, and flying debris are rare sights in today’s automotive crash tests, as most crash simulations are performed digitally. However, documenting every modification in the design of virtual crash vehicle models…
… Aims to Enhance Safety in Autonomous Driving. Researchers from Jena have developed a cost-effective yet powerful infrared camera particularly suited for use in autonomous vehicles. The Fraunhofer Institute for Applied Optics and Precision Engineering IOF is presenting the innovative infrared camera at the International Suppliers Fair (IZB) in Wolfsburg. Fall is here, bringing rain, fog, and early darkness. For road users, this means heightened caution, as visibility conditions increasingly deteriorate. Thermal imaging cameras that can reliably detect people even…
New measurement technology enables high-speed 3D recordings for crash tests. The Fraunhofer Institute for Applied Optics and Precision Engineering IOF has been developing systems for the high-speed capture of 3D data for many years. With goCRASH3D, the Jena team is now presenting a new system that records 3D data during crash tests inside the test vehicle. It shows the deformation and movement of vehicle components during a collision in a way that was previously not possible or only possible to…
… could revolutionize EV market and energy storage. A multi-institutional research team led by Georgia Tech’s Hailong Chen has developed a new, low-cost cathode that could radically improve lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) — potentially transforming the electric vehicle (EV) market and large-scale energy storage systems. “For a long time, people have been looking for a lower-cost, more sustainable alternative to existing cathode materials. I think we’ve got one,” said Chen, an associate professor with appointments in the George W. Woodruff School of Mechanical Engineering and…
Calyo, Benedex Robotics and Cranfield University have joined forces to improve safety in self-driving vehicles. The new partnership, part of the DRIVEN BY SOUND project led by Calyo, will develop a functional safety sensing platform based on 3D ultrasound, capable of operating effectively in even the most challenging environmental conditions. The new technology allows autonomous vehicles to detect their surroundings in 3D in real time. It complements existing sensing and safety detection systems, providing an additional layer of safety and…
A systems change in automotive architecture. Modern cars are packed full of electronics. Managing all the computers and assistance systems is a complex task, and the cable harnesses increase the weight of the car. In the joint research project CeCaS, Fraunhofer researchers are working on a systems architecture based on the idea of managing all electronic components centrally from one computer platform. This will make it easier to construct highly automated, connected vehicles. The core element of this Fraunhofer technology…
Event brings together corrosion experts and automotive industry professionals. Southwest Research Institute will host its second Automotive Corrosion Symposium in Detroit April 11-12. The event, first held in 2022, is designed to foster communication among corrosion experts from within automotive original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) as well as material, paint and other automotive suppliers over a wide spectrum of industry-identified corrosion issues. “Corrosion is a concern within the automotive industry, not just for cosmetic reasons, but because it can affect functionality…
MIT chemists developed a battery cathode based on organic materials, which could reduce the EV industry’s reliance on scarce metals. Many electric vehicles are powered by batteries that contain cobalt — a metal that carries high financial, environmental, and social costs. MIT researchers have now designed a battery material that could offer a more sustainable way to power electric cars. The new lithium-ion battery includes a cathode based on organic materials, instead of cobalt or nickel (another metal often used…
A new study, modeling the potential of solar-powered vehicles in the urban context in 100 cities across the world, shows that solar energy provides a range between 11 and 29 km per day, reducing charging needs by half. Despite the rapid adoption of electric vehicles, the transport sector is still responsible for around a third of global carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions worldwide. Therefore, to achieve decarbonization targets, it is required to significantly decrease the emissions associated with mobility. Integrating photovoltaic…
Students from the Technical University of Munich (TUM) have developed the longest range electric car in the world. The team drove more than 2.573 kilometers on a single battery charge. As part of the IAA Mobility fair, the team competed for the new world record at the Munich airport and successfully brought the title home to Munich. The test lasted an entire six days, during which the team slept on cots in an airplane hangar. The TUfast Eco team faced…
World-class technology technology for a 2-liter class hydrogen engine (or a passenger car hydrogen engine) capable of running entirely on hydrogen has been developed for the first time in the country. Emissions of carbon dioxide and fine dust reduced by 99% and 90%, respectively. Amid the fierce competition throughout the globe to develop hydrogen mobility technologies to achieve carbon neutrality, a new technology for a 2-liter class hydrogen-fueled engine (a passenger car hydrogen engine) capable of running entirely on hydrogen…