I N D I A ’ S N O . 1 M A G A Z I N E F O R A U T O M O T I V E N E W S , V I E W S & A N A LY S I S
Auto Monitor
Vol. 12 No. 33
www.a mo n l i n e .i n
8 October 2012
FOCUS
24 Pages
` 50
AUTONOMICS
MACHINING
‘Changing dynamics of Indian steel prices’
Pg 10-14
Pg 9
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Bosch evaluating diesel systems for two wheelers Nabeel A Khan New Delhi
B
osch has plans to further develop its fuel pump, meant for one-litre single cylinder diesel engines, to be suited for twowheeler applications. Currently, the engine is being used in small utility vehicles. The company is looking to leverage its learnings in diesel fuel injection systems segment to offer solutions for two wheeler manufacturers. “We have seen a sustained growth in the two-wheeler market in India, so we are trying to take this opportunity to further strengthen our presence in the two wheeler segment,” Head of Diesel & Gasoline system for two-wheeler business, Bosch, Prabhu Panduranga told Auto Monitor. The company hopes to see the diesel powered bikes on road within a year or two. In a bid to upgrade its
two-wheeler technology, the company is aggressively pitching for its Electric Fuel Injection system (EFI). It will take some time, but hopes that in the coming year, EFI will take over carburetor systems in India. Bosch claims that better performance, cold-start and lower emissions will compensate for the higher cost of the EFI technology. It has supplied this EFI system to Bajaj and the KTM Duke in India. The company is also developing a smaller ECU for the bike looking at the future requirements of the rider. “Today in the age of communication, riders want to be connected with smart phones and other personal gadgets and the ECU will help in realisation of this changing trend,” Panduranga said. The size of the ECU has been reduced by more than one third and the company is continuing to refine it. Once ECU is installed in the two-
The company will manufacture ECUs and ABS at its Chakan plant for the passenger vehicles as well as two-wheeler. The ECUs for passenger vehicle is slated to start by next year
wheeler it will have better safety and can have gadget like navigation device attached to the bike. The company will manufacture ECUs and ABS at its Chakan plant for passenger vehicles as well as two-wheelers. The ECUs for passenger vehicles are slated
to begin by next year. “The company will start manufacturing Gen-9 products in India which will make safety products like ABS and Airbags even cheaper. They will be lightest, smallest and most cost effective,” a company official told
Auto Monitor. The ABS which weighed around six kilo in late 1970 now weighs around 1.1kg (for cars). While the latest ABS for twowheelers weigh around 700 grams. Bosch is also looking at manufacturing ESP locally by next year. Currently the ESP market in India is very small. These investments are part of the Rs 2,200 crore plan unveiled during the Auto Expo held early this year.
New Bajaj 100cc commuter bike coming by December Anand Mohan Mumbai
B
ajaj is developing a new 100cc commuter bike that is likely to be launched by December and will possibly carry the Discover moniker. President – Motorcycle Business, Bajaj
DATA MONITOR Top 5 CV Makers Company
Aug-11
Aug-12
Change
TML
38,122
38,330
0.55% 16.08%
M&M
10,139
11,769
ALL
6,168
8,728
41.50%
VECV EICHER
3,407
3,712
8.95%
FML
2,025
1,840
-9.14%
Top 5 CV Exporters Company
Aug-11
Aug-12
Change
TML
3,908
3,571
-8.62%
M&M
1,412
2,141
51.63%
ALL
1,050
704
-32.95%
VECV Eicher
235
197
-16.17%
FML
44
25
-43.18%
* Source: SIAM/ ** Excluding exports/ *** all sub segments considered/ ^ excluding MRPL
Auto, K Srinivas stopped short of announcing the Discover name for the new motorcycle at a recent press conference but said, “Around December, we will launch the world’s most advanced 100cc bike and it will also be the most expensive 100cc motorcycle.” Considering that Bajaj is taking Hero MotoCorp’s Splendor range head-on with the Discover line-up, a 100cc commuter bike sharing commonalities with the Discover will be the ideal product to launch an offensive. Bajaj claims that the Discover’s sales have overtak-
“Around December, we will launch the world’s most advanced 100cc bike and it will also be the most expensive 100cc motorcycle” President – Motorcycle Business, Bajaj Auto, K Srinivas
en the Splendor in September 2012 clocking 122,968 units to the Splendor’s 121,018 units of cumulative domestic and exports numbers. This, according to the company, was possible due to the excellent response received to the recently launched Discover 125ST, that sold 35,000 units last month. “When we launched the Discover in 2004, the brand that we wanted to attack with it was the Splendor and I think that after eight years, we have got very close. So we have got the charge and we still haven’t tapped the full potential of the Discover yet,” said Srinivas. Bajaj is expecting 1.4-1.5 lakh unit sales of the Discover next month. That’s around 20 percent over the month of September. The company says that the response during Ganesh Chaturthi has been positive with a six to seven percent growth over the same period last year. Over the years, the motorcycle manufacturer said that the response during Diwali around India is directly proportional to the figures during Ganesh Chaturthi in the relevant states. By the end of this financial year,
the company w ill expand capacity to 5.7 million units. Srinivas said, “The expansion isn’t very big investment for us since 80 percent of the capacity ramp up happens at the vendor’s side.” The company will begin a small batch of exports of the Discover 125 ST and the Pulsar 200NS nex t month.
Boxer Discontinued Weak sales of the Boxer have forced the company to pull the plug on the commuter bike just a year after its launch. Vice President, Marketing, Bajaj Auto, Sanjay Saraswat said, “The dated styling wasn’t well received and mileage was also a concern for prospective buyers.” The Boxer was positioned as a more powerful commuter bike
targeted at the rural market. The old-school styling let it down and the 150cc engine consumed more fuel than rivals in the commuter segment. Customers in this segment want efficient motorcycles, a need that the model could not cater to, according to company officials. The African continent has a demand for this segment so Bajaj will continue to export the Boxer.
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EDITORIAL ‘Tailormade’ Solutions
T
he crowded compact segment is likely to get even more so, in the coming months, as car makers ďŹ rm up their plans for newer offerings in the segment. Customers are already bracing up for new offerings in the compact segment from Maruti Suzuki, Nissan and Fiat. Nissan, for one is looking to offer a slew of options in the compact segment under the Datsun and the Nissan badge to revive its fortunes in India. Few other manufacturers too are in the process of chalking out strategies for additional variants or newer offerings in the segment. But the moot point is that is it sufďŹ cient to focus on compact segment in order to gain marketshare in ‘emerging’ automobile market like India. Indians tend to equate a car with prestige and social standing. A cars’ utility and affordability may not be sufďŹ cient to entice buyers as seems to be the common perception among most car manufacturers. One of the more challenging aspects of developing a car for India is assessing the need of signiďŹ cantly large or sizeable segment of the population and offering a product at a competitive cost. The task becomes more challenging with rising aspirations. Car manufacturers are still grappling with issues like pro-
viding vehicles to suit different needs for diverse population segment in the country. Meeting such diverse needs, like offering a diesel powered car under ďŹ ve lakh with spacious seating position for tall individuals, catering to the speciďŹ c safety and comfort requirements of senior citizens, families with pets, continues to be a major challenge. It may be a while before car makers begin to segregate and target customer with well deďŹ ned offerings. It would be the next interesting phase of growth and maturity of car market in India. Comments can be sent to am.editorial@network18publishing.com
QUOTES Andy Palmer, Nissan’s Executive Vice President of Product Planning on the Leaf sales
“We’re a little disappointed. ‌ The uptake isn’t as strong as we first hopedâ€?
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Dr Martin Winterkorn, Chairman, Volkswagen AG
“We have the right vehicles at the right spot�
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Views and opinions expressed in this magazine are not necessarily those of Network18 Media & Investments Ltd (Network18)*, its publisher and/or editors. We at Network18 do our best to verify the information published but do not take any responsibility for the absolute accuracy of the information. Network18 does not accept the responsibility for any investment or other decision taken by readers on the basis of information provided herein. Network18 does not take responsibility for returning unsolicited material sent without due postal stamps for return postage. No part of this magazine can be reproduced without the prior written permission of the publisher. Network18 reserves the right to use the information published herein in any manner whatsoever. Printed by Mohan Gajria and published & edited by Lakshmi Narasimhan on behalf of Network18 Printed at Infomedia 18 Ltd, Plot no.3, Sector 7, off Sion-Panvel Road, Nerul, Navi Mumbai 400 706, and published at Network18, ‘A’ Wing, Ruby House, J. K. Sawant Marg, Dadar (W), Mumbai - 400 028. AUTO MONITOR is registered with the Registrar of Newspapers of India under No. 67827/98. Views and opinions expressed in this publication are not necessarily those of Network18. Network18 reserves the right to use the information published herein in any manner whatsoever. While every effort has been made to ensure accuracy of the information published in this edition, neither Network18 nor any of its employees accept any responsibility for any errors or omission. Further, Network18 does not take any responsibility for loss or damage incurred or suffered by any subscriber of this magazine as a result of his/her accepting any invitation/offer published in this edition. No part of this publication may be reproduced in any form without the written permission of the publisher. All rights reserved. *Ownership of this magazine stands transferred from Infomedia18 Ltd (Infomedia18) to Network18 Media & Investments Ltd (Network18) in pursuance of the scheme of arrangement between Network18 and Infomedia18 and their respective shareholders and creditors, as approved by the Hon’ble High Court of Delhi and the necessary approval of Ministry of Information and Broadcasting is being obtained.
CONTENT MACHINING Turning light on heat transfer
10
An experimental/numerical comparison has been successfully achieved for a simple prototype of a lamp, showing good agreement and perfect energy balances
10
GLOBAL WATCH Upgraded MPS model heads new Mazda3 line-up
15
Mazda3 MPS will be injected with heightened visual appeal as it arrives at the top of the revised Mazda3 line-up
Using less gas and oil to get where you’re going
12
New technology is set to lower the high cost of filling up your car, by enabling combustion engines to consume two to three percent less gas and significantly less oil
CORPORATE Cost vs lean: Auto Supply Chain Forum
08
Supply Chain Forum brought together SCMs from the automotive industry to discuss ways to improve logistics and increase information exchange between suppliers & OEMs
08
Hyundai’s unveils hydrogen-powered ix35 fuel cell
18
Hyundai will begin commercial rollout of zero-emission vehicles, with 1,000 units delivery to public and private fleets taking place between 2013 and 2015
ZF looking to cut sourcing cost, reduce number of suppliers
08
ZF Friedrichshafen AG is reorganizing its production materials purchasing to save half a billion euros together with its suppliers
City Safety lowers insurance rating for all-new Volvo V40 Motor Insurance Repair Research Centre concluded that Volvo’s AEB’s effectiveness at preventing low speed accidents should taken into insurance pricing consideration
20
Auto Monitor
8 OCTOBER 2012
C O R P O R AT E
8
ZF looking to cut sourcing cost, Cost vs lean: Auto Supply Chain Forum consolidate supplier base Anand Mohan Mumbai Our Bureau Mumbai
T
Z
F Friedrichshafen AG is reorganizing its product ion mater ia ls purchasing. In the next two years, the Group wants to save half a billion euros together with its suppliers. It is looking to cut down the number of suppliers and bundle purchasing volumes. The company is aiming at sales growth of over Euro 20 billion by 2015 from Euro 15.5 billion currently. “In order to be able to meet the strong customer demand, we have to make substantial investments into new plants and production facilities,” explains ZF’s Chief Executive Officer, Dr Stefan Sommer, who is also in charge of Corporate Materials Management. “These considerable advance payments put our results under more pressure – and this pressure has to be passed on moderately to our suppliers.” Owing to the healthy growth at ZF, the volume of manufactured products is rising – and, for the suppliers, this also increases the purchasing volumes. “Here, economies of scale take their effects, and they must be reflected in our purchasing prices as well,” according to Sommer. Lower prices for production materials are just one lever ZF wants to use. Standardised supplier and cash management is another one. To this end, the previously decentralised negotiation of purchasing conditions will be standardised throughout ZF. As a result, purchasing at the ZF Group follows the company’s realignment. Early in 2011, five divisions
Dr Stefan Sommer, CEO, ZF
and several independent business units were merged into four ZF Divisions, and the number of contacts for the customers was significantly reduced. Instead of having several decentralised purchasing contacts, the suppliers now have standardised purchasing conditions and one central negotiation partner each. This also includes consistent payment terms that have varied considerably in the past. The company is looking to enrol suppliers are capable of delivering worldwide, i.e. production materials can be supplied in the same quality not only within Europe but also in Asia or North and South America. “When selecting our suppliers in future, we will pay more attention to their global approach,” says Sommer. “In the context of reorganising our supplier relations, we will also clearly reduce the number of our suppliers.” ZF is a leading worldwide automotive supplier for Driveline and Chassis Technology with 121 production companies in 27 countries. In 2011, the Group achieved a sales figure of about EUR 15.5 billion with more than 72 000 employees.
he second annual Auto Supply Chain Forum recent ly conducted in Mumbai brought together Supply Chain Managers (SCMs) from the automotive industry to discuss ways to improve logistics and increase information exchange between suppliers and OEMs for better performance. In tough market conditions, when the auto industry is trying to be as prudent as possible, the supply chain too has to respond to the situation by keeping logistics costs to a minimum. Aware of this fact, the main theme of this year’s forum was finding a middle ground in the cost vs lean challenge. Top SCMs at auto majors and leading logistics solution providers stressed on the fact that being frugal did not just mean staying lean by reducing costs. Director-Purchasing and Demand Chain, SKF Asia said, “When we look at lean vs cost, we focus on lean as a way to reduce cost. Our thinking model should be - lean as a way to reduce waste. Costs will automatically stay in check.” SCMs were of the opinion that information exchange between suppliers and OEMs need to improve too. Chief Executive Officer, TCI Supply Chain Solutions Ltd, Jasjit Sethi said, “Information flow between OEMs and suppliers has been growing.” General Manager, Supply Chain, Maruti Suzuki India, R Hari Kumar commented, “Information flow is very important in the automobile industry. We are working with 6,000 parts at a time at Maruti and all parts need to be ready when required
and all these parts need to be moved in sequence.” This information has to go automatically to suppliers and as a result of this, Kumar added, “Information Technology is emerging as a very important factor in the automobile industry. IT will decide the flow of materials in the future and how lean the process works.” TCI’s Sethi was of the opinion that a lot of unnecessary processes can be avoided. Computerisation will save costs on manpower and simplify the planning process. “We are a paper heavy country. We need to change the mindset by trading a piece of paper for a computerized process,” he said. Successf ul new model launches and growing sales numbers have posed challenges for Mahindra SCMs. Vice President, Demand Chain Management, Mahindra and Mahindra (Automotive Division), SK Krishnan said, “We cannot keep our customers waiting for too long so when there is higher demand for a particular prod-
uct than expected, we relax our inventory norms to address the situation.” Krishnan won the Supply Chain Visionary of the year award for 2012. While for the most part, the forum dealt with logistics from the OEM’s and tier I and tier II supplier’s points of view, the event also covered the supply chain from an aftermarket supplier’s standpoint. Senior General Manager, Demand Planning and Logistics, Automotive Aftermarket, Bosch, Vijay Kumar V said, “the focus for Bosch is the Independent Aftermarket share since 92 percent is supplied to this segment.” From six plant locations across the country, Bosch has to plan logistics to 5,000 outlets. This involves procuring 55 percent material from their own plants and 40 percent traded parts from vendors. A small share of two percent is imported but since over half of the materials are supplied from the company itself, the process works smoothly for Bosch.
8 OCTOBER 2012
Auto Monitor
AUTONOMICS
9
Changing dynamics of Indian steel prices
T
Swati Rajde Associate Director, CRISIL Research
Ajay D’Souza Director, CRISIL Research
With the gradual recovery in production, Crisil Research expects average coking coal prices in 2012-13 to be $190210/tonne, about 30 percent lower year-on-year
he amount of steel consumed by a country has a strong correlation with its GDP growth and is a sound indicator of its stage of economic development. Numerous studies that reveal far greater per capita consumption of steel in developed countries compared with developing countries corroborate this. India is no exception to this phenomenon. In the past decade, the rapid growth in GDP has been reflected in an equally vigorous increase in steel consumption. There were some exceptions, however, to this generally buoyant trend: demand slumps were seen in 2008-09, due to the global financial crisis, and more recently in 2011-12, again due to the global economic slowdown, which, in turn, had an adverse bearing on domestic GDP growth. Consequently, in 2011-12, domestic steel demand grew at 5.5 percent, a far cry from the strong double-digit growth experienced in the five years prior to that. Due to lingering uncertainty over the pace of economic recovery in the short-to-medium term, Crisil Research reckons that domestic steel demand will grow by 3-5 percent in 2012-13 compared with 2011-12. This means that demand for flat and long steel products is likely to rise only marginally during the year. Long steel is a critical input in construction, both industrial and residential, whereas flat steel is used, for example, in cars and other consumer durables. So, what does this projection of demand portend for steel prices? Something interesting — hitherto unseen, at least over the past few years — is on the anvil in
domestic steel prices in 2012-13, due to a combination of disparate patterns in raw material prices and pick-up in demand. Long and flat steel products In the past few years, up to 2010-11, prices of long steel and flat steel products have always moved in tandem. But, the trend reversed in 2011-12 and we expect this trend to continue in 2012-13. During 2012-13, although international HRC prices are expected decline sharply, domestic HRC prices are likely to remain relatively flat. A weak rupee is expected to keep the landed cost of imports high. Consequently, domestic prices of flat steel products are likely to remain unchanged during 201213, in line with the landed price of imported flat steel products. By contrast, prices of long products are poised to rise by 3-4 percent. The key contributing factor to this is the dichotomy in prices of coking coal and non-coking coal. The price of coking coal, which is used as an input in the manufacture of steel by large producers, shot up to historical high of $330/ tonne in the early part of 2011-12 due to the floods in Queensland, Australia (which is the world’s dominant exporter of coking coal) in January 2011. But with the gradual recovery in production, Crisil Research expects average coking coal prices in 2012-13 to be $190210/tonne, about 30 percent lower year-on-year. Hence, for large producers, the cost of production of steel will decline in 2012-13 compared with the previous year. On the other hand, the cost of production will go up for small and mid-size steel producers, who use non-coking coal as an input.
In India, noncoking coal has, historically, been cheaper than coking coal because Coal India Ltd (CIL), the only domestic supplier of coal, kept domestic prices of non-coking coal lower than international prices. Because of this, small and mid-size steel producers were able to produce steel at lower cost compared with large producers. In 2011-12, however, prices of non-coking coal spurted by 30 percent as CIL hiked prices to narrow the difference between domestic and global prices. This increased the cost of production in 2011-12 for small and mid-size producers by about 22 percent, although they still enjoyed a cost advantage because of high coking coal prices due to the floods in Australia. In 2012-13, non-coking coal prices are expected to remain firm due to healthy demand and domestic coal shortage, which will necessitate continued imports. Hence, for small and mid-size producers, the cost of production will continue to either remain firm or even rise further in 2012-13. The higher cost of production will force small and mid-size producers to increase the prices of long products, to provide a cushion to their operating margins. Their dominant presence in the long products market and negligible imports will enable them to pass-through the entire increase in the cost. Small and mid-size producers account for about 60 percent
of the domestic production of long products, catering largely to a fragmented base of small, regional construction and infrastructure companies. Large producers, too, will follow suit with price increases in long products. By contrast, prices of flat steel, made in India by large producers, will remain unchanged in 2012-13. The price of the other critical input, iron ore, too, is expected to be firm in the domestic market in 2012-13 as supply constraints continue to plague the market. Also, the ban on mining in Karnataka, coupled with the government’s drive to close illegal mines, will continue to support high domestic iron ore prices. The net effect of all this is that constructing homes, dams and power plants will become costlier, while car and consumer durables manufacturers will benefit from a decline in the price of flat steel. (Please note that the views expressed here are those of CRISIL Research and not of CRISIL’s Ratings division. CRISIL Research operates independently of and does not have access to information obtained by CRISIL’s Ratings Division.)
Auto Monitor
8 OCTOBER 2012
MACHINING
10
Turning light on heat transfer Flavio Cimolina Andrea Menottib Lucia Sclafanic
T
he design of rear lamps for the automotive industr y is turning extremely challenging: the best compromise between lightness and resistance to heat loads needs to be achieved, in order to let it become an actual style component of the vehicle. A complete CFD methodology for the thermo-mechanical simulation of a lamp is presented, which involves a comprehensive modelization of both convection and radiation heat transfer, with source of power from the filament and transparency effects on the bulb and eventually other objects inside the lamp. An experimental/numerical comparison has been successfully achieved for a simple prototype of a lamp, showing good agreement and perfect energy balances. The case of a lamp inside a ventilated oven has been analyzed too, in order
Cross Section
While the use of thinner and lighter materials allows the designers to reach really innovative configurations in terms of elegance and style, on the other hand the problem of highlighting the thermally most critical zones becomes everyday tougher to fully reproduce the setup for the testing conditions.
The problem When designing an automotive lamp one of the major issues to take care of is its thermal behaviour: strong heat loads could be responsible of severe plastic deformations of both the body and the external lens,
Experimental Prototype
resulting in a global damage for the whole optical component. While the use of thinner and lighter materials allows the designers to reach really innovative configurations in terms of elegance and style, on the other hand the problem of highlighting the thermally most critical zones becomes everyday tougher. Prior to accept a newly developed rear lamp, it must come through a series of tests representing its behaviour in the worst thermal conditions (heat, rain, wind or moisture loads). As
Mesh
an example, consider the case of switching on and off the light at cycles of 5 minutes, leaving the lamp inside a ventilated oven set at a working temperature of 55 °C for 90 minutes. A robust and complete methodology for simulating the thermo-mechanical behaviour of rear lamps has been established by means of Star-CCM+, taking into account all of the heat transfer mechanisms, i.e. conduction, convection and radiation.
Setting up the model An automotive rear lamp can be seen as a thermo-mechanical system in which the stresses acting on the components hinge on the heat transfers between the same. The source of power is the filament, which can reach temperatures of about 3500 °C and emits energy in form of radiation. Part of this radiation is absorbed by the transparent bulb, which warms up till 400-600°C thereby starting to radiate by itself, while the other portion directly heats the body or the other objects inside the lamp. The “Surface To Surface” radiation model
Thermography
together with the introduction of transparency effects in agreement with Kirchhoff’s law of thermal radiation allow us to fully reproduce this fundamental phenomenon. Although radiation is the dominant heat transfer mechanism, the high temperature differences between the bulb and the body of the lamp are responsible of a recirculation of the air inside the lamp. This phenomenon is called “natural convection” and is another really important issue to be taken into account, since it is responsible for the highest temperatures of the lamp, which are usually located in the zone directly above the bulb. The inclusion of natural convection can be achieved by activating the gravity forces on a laminar flow modeled by means of a temperature-dependent equation of state (e.g. ideal gas law) or with the Boussinesq approximation. In case of considering the flow external to the lamp too, a turbulence model like the Realizable k- should be included for a prop-
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Auto Monitor
8 OCTOBER 2012
MACHINING
12
Using less gas and oil to get where you’re going
A
quick pit-stop at the gas station is enough to put a good dent in your wallet. New technology is set to lower the high cost of filling up your car, by enabling combustion engines to consume two to three percent less gas and significantly less oil, while eliminating a step in engine production. An engine without oil will not survive for very long. Pistons need plenty of lubricant in order to be able to move within the cylindrical sleeves in the engine block. Two things are known to raise the resultant level of friction. The first is attributed to distortion of the cylindrical bore hole when the cylinder head is attached, which is known as static distortion. The second occurs when the engine is running and temperatures warp the bore hole. The extent of this thermal distortion depends on prevailing engine temperatures and the specific engine model. In reality, the piston does not follow a perfectly smooth up and down motion, but instead touches at points within the bore hole. This results in the engine requiring a great deal more oil as well
Researchers have integrated small Piezo actuators into the tool which alter its shape and expand the diameter as required as more gas. Automakers are already able to compensate static distortion. During the final machining stage, honing, technicians mount a honing liner to the engine which simulates the cylinder head that will later be mounted. Only then the work on the bore hole is completed. Thermal distortion, on the other hand, presents difficulties since it has not been possible to compensate for this effect until now. This problem has now been solved by researchers at the Fraunhofer Institute for Machine Tools and Forming Technology IWU in collaboration with a car manufacturer and a machine tool producer. “Our technology
makes it possible to compensate for both static and thermal distortion. This can lead to a fuel saving of two to three percent in combustion engines, and remove one step in their production,” says IWU head of department André Bucht. This clever technology is based on a tool that can adapt its own shape. Researchers start by working out how an engine block is likely to become distorted: they determine the level of static distortion by unscrewing the cylinder head and measuring the extent to which the bore hole has been warped. They then simulate thermal distortion that occurs in each engine series, using an operating temperature of 90 degrees Celsius as their reference. The honing tool adjusts its shape based on these calculations, thereby altering the profile of the bore hole so that motions of the piston are perfectly smooth later on when the engine is running, preventing excessive friction. Researchers have integrated small Piezo actuators into the tool which alter its shape and expand the diameter as required. “This is how we can incorporate
any ‘imperfections’ in the otherwise perfectly round shape of the finished bore hole,” says Bucht. A prototype of the tool already exists. The researchers have put it to use to prove that they can achieve the surface accuracy required without slowing down production – there being no more than 20 to 30 seconds for the assembly of each engine. Research is currently being performed on the test rig in collaboration with auto manufacturers. This is where an engine produced using the
tool is put through its paces. Researchers are examining to what extent piston friction and fuel consumption are reduced, and how the lifespan of the engine might be affected in comparison with engines manufactured using conventional tools . The tests are scheduled to be completed by the end of the year. Researchers then plan to design the tool and the production process so that they can be adopted by manufacturers. (Courtesy: Fraunhofer Institute)
Tape Laying gets closer to series production
I
ncreasingly, metals in cars and airplanes are being replaced by fiber-reinforced plastics. Producing these materials using tape laying offers several advantages. Scientists are now working on readying this technology for use in series production. New approaches are needed for vehicle construction. While vehicles to date have mostly been built using metals such as aluminum and steel, the approaching era of electromobility will require light-weight construction. That means that new materials must be found. Fiberreinforced plastics offer significant potential. These are fibers that are impregnated with a plastic matrix and are utilized as composite materials. These materials offer a rigidity similar to that of metals. In conventional processes, the patterns that are necessary for the component are cut from textile semi-finished goods – predominantly from woven materials. This process is often wasteful, generating clippings of the valuable reinforcement material. One alternative is tape laying. This process is still too slow, however, for high-volume component series such as those needed by automobile manufacturers for compact-class models. Scientists at the Fraunhofer Institute for Chemical Technology ICT in Pfinztal, together with their colleagues from the Augsburg ICT Project Group, plan to bring tape laying a lot closer to series production. The two systems used by the scientists are products made by the Coriolis and Fiberforge companies. “We are developing further process-control technology around these systems,” says Benjamin Hangs, a scientist at the ICT. “This includes, on the one hand, optimizing the systems in cooperation with the companies, and on the other hand, continuing to develop the process chain. It comprises fiber placement, reforming, functionalization and post-processing. For example, we are developing new material formulae, optimizing production parameters and developing prototypes.” Automotive manufacturers and the aerospace industry are very willing to take the next step here because, in addition to lower wastage, tape laying offers added benefits over semi-finished textile products. The fibers can be oriented so that they can absorb a maximum of the stresses to which they are subjected. By contrast, in the case of semi-finished textiles combinations of angles of 0 and 90 degrees are predominantly used instead. The process enables the material to be used more efficiently. Since it is even sturdier as a composite, thinner material layers outperform semi-finished textiles.
Auto Monitor
8 OCTOBER 2012
MACHINING
14
Turning light on heat transfer....... Contd. from page 10 er modelization. An average complex rear lamp, eventually with more than one bulb inside the body as well as other optical or screening-related components, together with internal air, can be discretized into a mesh of 300.000-500.000 cells. When external air is considered too, the number of cells can reach 2-3 millions, leading to several hours of multi-processor computation already for the steady state simulation.
Numerical Results
Numerical-experimental comparison The verification and validation of the approach have been assessed by means of both theoretica l considerations and experimental investigations. When considering really simple geometries, the radiation heat transfer between the filament, the bulb and the body of the lamp can be directly computed by means of Stephan-
Boltzmann law together with energy conservation, with perfect agreement between the numerical and the theorethical results. Even when considering a very complex lamp configuration in external air, the energy balance between the power dissipated on the filament(s) and that exiting the system is well satisfied. In order to perform a validation of the methodology, a cubic prototype of a lamp was
Bulb Temperature
Heat Extraction by the Oven
considered and experimentally investigated by means of infrared thermal camera images and thermocouples. The numerical simulations of the cubic box in external air showed fairly good agreement with the experimental measures, with an overall error less than 5% on the body of the box (see Figure 3-4). Numericalexperimental comparisons are fundamental in order to correctly calibrate most important physical parameters of the model, such as the emissivity, reflectivity and trasmissivity coefficients on different surfaces, or to exactly calculate the heat transfer coefficient on the external boundary of the lamp.
Advanced issues The above investigations lead to a confident applicability of the CFD methodology to real industrial cases, with more and more complex geometries. The modelization of the ventilated oven test is important to highlight the variations on the heat transfer coefficient associated to the air fluxes inside the oven, as shown in Figure 12. Another important issue to deal with is the case of open lamps, in which the heat transfer associated to natural convection gains a really high influence on the overall thermal field. The case of unsteady simulations is important in complex
Internal Temperatures
multi-bulb lamps in which the tests are performed by turning on and off different lights at different scheduled times. The application of a standard unsteady simulation would require an extremely high amount of CPU resources, often resulting in unfeasibility. However, a smart alternation of the solvers associated to energy and flow (by means of the “Freeze Flow” and “Freeze Energy” options) can result in a dramatic CPU time reduction, turning the simulation from unfeasible to feasible.
The application of a standard unsteady simulation would require an extremely high amount of CPU resources, often resulting in unfeasibility Conclusions The developed CFD methodology for the thermo-mechanical simulation of optical devices has been shown robust and capable of assisting the design of rear lamps, thus improving their overall quality.
Streamlines Oven
8 OCTOBER 2012
Auto Monitor
VIEWPOINT
15
Paris show belies gloom in Europe
Mark Carbery
T
he Paris show may be the biggest on the planet in terms of visitors but the number of vehicles they’re buying might well be a record low. The chaos in the Euro Zone means that Europe is the dustbowl of the global recession. Even healthy carmakers are operating unprofitably against a backdrop of sales down 25 percent since 2007 and chronic overcapacity, and France’s domestic brands are facing the worst of it. If tumbleweed had blown across any of their lavish Paris show stands no-one would have batted an eyelid. Paris alternates with the Frankfurt show, and is similarly dominated by domestic brands, so the pain being experienced by Renault and PSA PeugeotCitroen was front of mind at the show. Not that a newcomer would notice. Peugeot has been pilloried by the French government for mismanagement and planned job cuts, and at the show PSA CEO Philippe Varin gave the press a blunt assessment that 2015 will not look very different from 2012, but its Paris presence was fizzing. Its current range has dramatically better styling and quality, and the new 208 super-
mini, displayed in Paris in iconic GTi and new Super-Lux guises, is the right model at the right time. Among 40 cars on a vast 3900 sq ft stand was the 2008, a concept for a supermini-SUV crossover, an emerging trend, and Peugeot’s offering will go into production next year. Peugeot’s other concept car was a traditional showstopper. The Onyx, a supercar study, comes out of the company’s Design Laboratory in the mould of Porsche Design, which is clearly having a great time – this rakish, Lamborghini-like creation is a study in use of materials like copper-tint alloy, and it was joined by a futuristic bicycle and motorbike in the same finishes. Peugeot even found space for an ultra-modern take on a grand piano. Sister brand Citroen’s Numero 9 concept was a great show car, like a latter-day SM, but the brand’s future lies in persuading people into everyday vehicles which have added panache. It has been busy launching premium variants of humdrum models under the DS tag in the last few years, but it was still remarkable to see an atelier on its stand, with leather being worked using traditional tools. You could have been at the Bentley factory. Renault showed its new Clio, which is vital to the company because it’s the biggest-seller in the range. It’s smart, and sports the new corporate nose, but it is neither original nor oozes the confidence compared to the understated new VW Golf rival also revealed in Paris, with its evolutionary styling featuring large, signature Golf B pillars. It can’t be mistaken for any-
The 2012 show had the distinct feeling of autumn, with a hard winter to follow. Things may not be better next Spring, but they had better be by the next show in 2014 thing else; put a SEAT badge on the Clio and it would sit happily in another brand’s line-up. For Renault, it was significant that it had no concepts to unveil, and the stand was a Clio car park: the company needs to sell cars, and it starts here. Tellingly, Renault’s budget brand Dacia unveiled a new version of its Sandero small hatchback including an SUV variant called Stepway, which together received almost as much attention as the Clio. At least the Renault group can meet the increasing demand for ‘austerity’ cars. Like Renault, V W focused almost exclusively one model, the Golf, and Opel did the same with its new Adam. The Adam isn’t just any new small car – it needs to single-handedly turn around Opel’s brand image in Europe by taking on the Mini, Fiat 500 and Citroen DS3 in the growing market for premium mini vehicles offering personalised specifications including wacky colour schemes. In the Adam’s case Opel is claiming that one million colour, trim and engine combinations are possible. The other big player, Ford, had a more prosaic new car in the form of the new Mondeo upper-medium car. With its Aston Martin-style grille
it’s a good-looking beast but this is a dying segment of the market in Europe. Despite apparently having a different car for every day of the year, Audi’s astonishing diversification continues and in Paris it showed the Crosslane Coupe concept, a roof less two-door crossover. Officially a showcase for an aluminium and carbon-fibre spaceframe, don’t be surprised if a coupe crossover finds a place in the Audi range. BMW also had a significant concept. The Active Tourer looks like a production vehicle, a compact mono-space form which could become the third vehicle in the company’s electric range or simply a smart way of providing a front-wheel drive offering that doesn’t jar with the rear-drive brand ethos running through the three-box designs. However, the star brands at the show were neither the French nor the other major mainstream brands but the British - or should that be Indians? The most eagerly anticipated and talked-about car was Jaguar’s new F-Type, touted as the spiritual successor the iconic E-Type. It will sit between the Porsche Boxster and 911 in size and price. Supercharged V6 and V8 engines will provide up to 186mph and acceleration from 0-60mph in less than 4.5 secs. This is an enthusiast’s car but one which fulfils a real business case for Jaguar. Volumes will be small but it will bring many new customers to the brand and offers emotional appeal which Jaguar’s premium German rivals would love to have. It’s an extremely important model - Jaguar without a sports car would not be Jaguar.
Jaguar’s sister brand Land Rover debuted the new Range Rover, which will simply continue the phenomenal success of the current model - the order bank is already full going well into 2013. All-round improvements, unmistakably Range Rover styling and contemporary interior, and the growing demand for SUVs - especially in the emerging markets and the US - mean that makers of conventional luxury sedans are under increasing pressure. Tata Motors has an extraordinary brand in its portfolio. Jaguar and Land Rover were in the same hall as McLaren in a sort of British engineering collective. This being Paris, McLaren’s unveiling of its P1 supercar, the much anticipated spiritual successor to the landmark F1 supercar of 20 years ago, was given the death slot at the end of the day. The French manufacturers were rather more sniffy about Kia and Hyundai however. The country’s trade minister marked the opening of the show by saying that the Koreans are dumping product in Europe and urging French consumers to boycott them. That’s not the answer of course; the answer is good product to get them through the protracted recession. For all their Paris glitz, the French are deeply worried, but so are all European carmakers – even the premium makes. The 2012 Paris show had the distinct feeling of autumn, with a hard winter to follow. Things may not be better next Spring, but they had better be by the time Paris comes around again in 2014. (Author is a freelanc journalist)
Auto Monitor
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8 OCTOBER 2012
G L O B A L WAT C H
Seat Toledo range to start at £12,495
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eat is looking to offer the new Toledo at the entry price of £12,495. With a cabin capable of seating four tall adults in comfort, a huge 5 50-litre boot, and stylish looks in line with the rest of the SEAT range, the Toledo is yet another extremely compelling reason to head to a SEAT dealership. Despite its compact exterior dimensions and low price, both comparable to the supermini segment, t he Toledo boasts a luggage capacity that even the majority of large family cars cannot match. And for added practicality, it’s accessed via a large hatchback opening. This five-door layout takes the fourth generation Toledo back to the extremely successful formula of the original car. More than 22,000 of 1990’s Toledo Mk I were sold in the UK before the car ceased production in 1998; total Toledo sales in the UK across three generations have eclipsed 33,000 units.
Ecomotive Tech includes a Start/Stop engine system, which preserves fuel by cutting power when the car is at a standstill and in neutral, and an Energy Recovery system to capture brake energy otherwise lost as heat, storing it “The combination of price and packaging that the Toledo offers is second to none,” said SEAT UK Product Manager Simon Bradley. “Very few cars, if any, offer the same combination of space, flexibility, affordability, value and style as the new Toledo. “We’ve positioned the range so that it offers something for everyone, with the entry-level E model providing exceptional value in terms of the space on offer for the price, while the SE
specification car is loaded with useful equipment. “Whatever version is chosen, every Toledo customer will enjoy outstandingly low running costs because of the car’s excellent fuel economy and low CO2 emissions across the range, as well as very reasonable insurance groupings, and BIK ratings as low as 14%. All-in-all, the Toledo is a car that
makes sense whichever way you look at it,” he added. Both the 1.6 TDI 105 PS diesel and the 1.2 TSI 105 PS petrol versions feature Ecomotive Technology. This includes a Start/Stop engine system, which preserves fuel by cutting power when the car is at a standstill and in neutral, and an Energy Recovery system to capture
brake energy otherwise lost as heat, storing it to help power the car’s electrical systems. Together, these give quantifiable fuel savings: in the case of the Toledo with the 1.6 TDI 105 engine, they reduce Co2 emissions by 8g/km, while average economy improves by 6.4mpg. It comes with standard fitments including 15-17 inch steel wheels,
The quantifiable fuel savings: in the case of the Toledo with the 1.6 TDI 105 engine, reduce Co2 emissions by 8g/km, while average economy improves by 6.4mpg black door handles and wing mirrors, front electric windows, MP3 CD player with AUX-in, four speakers, Electronic Stability Control (ESC), driver and front passenger airbag, passenger airbag disconnect, front side and curtain airbags, front seatbelt reminders, ISOFIX points with top tether. SEAT is the only company in its sector with the full-range capacity to design, develop, manufacture and market cars in Spain. A member of the Volkswagen Group, the multinational has its headquarters in Martorell (Barcelona), exporting 80 percent of its vehicles to 75 countries. In 2011 SEAT had a total number of more than Euro five billion, with overall deliveries amounting to 350,000 units. SEAT Group employs more than 14,000 professionals at its three production centers in Barcelona- Zona Franca, El Prat de Llobregat and Martorell, where it manufactures the highly successful Ibiza and Leon, amongst other models. Additionally, the company produces the Alhambra in Palmela (Portugal), the Mii in Bratislava (Slovakia) and the new Toledo in Mladá Boleslav (Czech Republic) at Volkswagen Group plants. The Spanish multinational also has a Technical Center, a “knowledge hub”, bringing together more than 900 engineers whose goal is to be the driving force behind innovation for the number one industrial investor in R&D in Spain. In line with its declared commitment to environment protection, SEAT undertakes and bases its core activity on sustainability, namely reduction of CO2 emissions, energy efficiency, as well as recycling and re-use of resources.
8 OCTOBER 2012
G L O B A L WAT C H
Upgraded MPS model heads new Mazda3 line-up
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rom this month, the 155mph high-performance Mazda3 MPS will be injected with heightened visual appeal as it arrives at the top of the revised Mazda3 line-up. It retains the previous model’s exceptionally responsive handling and performance, and highlights the stunning exterior design by sporting new gunmetal finish for the 18-inch alloy wheels, whilst the inner roof spoiler (beneath the unique MPS wing), door mirror housings and lower rear bumper trim are finished in a sleek Black Mica finish. Each Mazda3 MPS is fitted with the immensely powerful and responsive 2.3-litre MZR DISI Turbo petrol engine. It generates maximum power of 260ps and 380Nm of torque (at just 3,000rpm) and drives the front wheels via a six-speed manual transmission with wider spaced gear ratios and a Limited Slip Differential. The dual exhaust pipes deliver a suitably sporty rasp at low revs, but give a 10dB noise reduction at engine speeds over 5,000rpm for improved levels of comfort when driving on open roads. For enhanced ‘active’ safety appropriate for a high-performance model, the Mazda3 MPS comes with Bi-Xenon headlights with swivel-type Adaptive Front Light System (AFS), front fog lamps, a radar-based rear vehicle monitoring (RVM) system and larger, 320mm diameter ventilated front disc brakes. The upgraded Mazda3 MPS will be available in a choice of four metallic/mica/ pearlescent colours - aluminium silver, black mica, crystal white pearlescent and velocity red.
As well as upgrading the Mazda3 MPS, Mazda is rationalising and re-naming its new line-up of seven Mazda3 models on sale from this month. Two special edition models (Tamura and Venture) now join the permanent range, offering extremely generous specification and equipment at great value prices. The 1.6-litre MZR petrol Tamura and Venture models benefit from fine-tuning which improves fuel economy by 1.4 percent and cuts emissions by 2 percent resulting in reduced BIK for company car drivers. The revised range now starts with three generously equipped ‘Tamura’ models priced from £15,995-to-£17,495 (OTR). Two ‘Venture’ models with 1.6-litre MZR petrol or diesel engines cost from £17,495 and £18,995, feature additional kit such as light gunmetal alloys wheels, a unique rear spoiler, privacy glass, 5.8-inch Sanyo TomTom navigation, Bluetooth® hands-free, automatic lights and wipers, cruise control and heated front sports seats.
17
Fifth consecutive record month for Kia
K “Visual upgrades to the Mazda3 MPS compliment its strikingly bold design, which boasts a dynamic, aggressive and assertive look, that sets it apart from the rest of the Mazda3 line-up and encapsulate the ‘defy convention’ philosophy of our brand,” comments Peter Allibon, Sales Director, Mazda UK. “Mazda3 MPS delivers a combination of exhilarating driving fun and everyday compact car practicality. Its distinctive bonnet air-intake, gunmetal 18-inch alloy wheels and large rear wing with the new inner spoiler create a muscular, athletic appearance. Delivering sensationally spirited performance, the Mazda3 MPS boasts ‘stand out’ looks which give it a great road presence, plus exquisite handling and incredible dynamics. It is the ultimate expression of driving excitement and Mazda’s defy convention attitude, in a sophisticated super-hatch. Alongside sensational performance it provides all the accessibility, practicality, reliability and build qualityofitsMazda3sistermodels,” adds Allibon.
Auto Monitor
ia has continued its best-ever year by posting a fifth consecutive record month’s performance in the UK new car sales market by delivering 11,608 new vehicles to customers in September - a 19.3 per cent increase on 2011. September’s record figures took Kia Motors (UK) Limited’s total sales for 2012 to date to 52,899 vehicles - representing an increase of 22.3 per cent over 2011. This represented a total market share for September of 3.23 per cent - up from 2.93 per cent in 2011 - with significant gains in both retail and fleet market shares to 3.32 per cent and 3.14 per cent respectively. The year-to-date market share saw even stronger growth rising to 3.26 per cent in total - up from 2.78 per cent in 2011. During the same period the retail market share rose to 3.44 per cent, up from 3.31 per cent, and the fleet
market share increased to 3.11 per cent, up from 2.39 per cent. Commenting on the performance Michael Cole, Managing Director, Kia Motors (UK) Limited said: “2012 continues to be a very strong year for us - September was our fifth record-breaking month in a row and our second best ever - and is testament to the appeal to UK motorists of all the new models that we’ve launched in recent months. “With a quarter of the year to go we have already surpassed the total sales volume we achieved in 2009 and are on track for our best ever year in the UK, as well as in other markets across the globe. Our success has been spread across the range, with New cee’d, Picanto, Rio and Sportage all performing strongly, which, with the introduction of further exciting new products this year and in 2013, bodes well for both the brand, and our dealers, in the future,” he added.
Auto Monitor
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8 OCTOBER 2012
G L O B A L WAT C H
Hyundai’s unveils hydrogen-powered ix35 fuel cell
H
yundai UK offered the chance to drive its ix35 Fuel Cell, as the European Hydrogen Road Tour passes through the UK. Supported by a host of organisations and other car makers, the European HydrogenRoad Tour has visited several European cities, including Hamburg and Hannover in Germany, Bolzano in Italy, and Paris. In addition to Cardiff and London, the Tour is visiting Bristol and Swindon, where hydrogen refuelling infrastructure is already in place. The ultimate aim of the road tour is to reach politicians, industry leaders, media and the public to help promote investment in hydrogen infrastructure across Europe. Hy undai’s updated ix35 Fuel Cell was unveiled at the Paris Motor Show at the end of September and is the halo vehicle in Hyundai’s ‘Blue Drive’ sub-brand which comprises low-emissions versions of the
The ix35 Fuel Cell can reach 62 mph in 12.5 seconds, attain a top speed of 100 mph and travel up to 365 miles on a single tank of hydrogen. The only tail-pipe emission from the car is water vapour company’s models. Hyundai will produce 1,000 examples of the car, making it the first global car maker to begin commercial rollout of zero-emission vehicles, with delivery to public and private fleets taking place between 2013 and 2015. Hyundai is committed to bringing the car to full production from 2015, with a goal of producing 10,000 units. Hyundai has been develop-
ing fuel cell vehicles since 1998 and the latest refinements give the ix35 Fuel Cell cars attending the Tour true real-world viability. The ix35 Fuel Cell can reach 62 mph in 12.5 seconds, attain a top speed of 100 mph and travel up to 365 miles on a single tank of hydrogen. The only tail-pipe emission from the car is water vapour. Furthermore, externally and internally, the ix35
Fuel Cell is almost identical to its conventionally-powered sibling. Tony Whitehorn, President and CEO of Hyundai Motor UK commented, “Hyundai is committed to being the industry leader in eco-friendly mobility. We have previously given ix35 Fuel Cell vehicles to the European Parliament to use for test-drives, and we have also
taken part in numerous zeroemission events and tests across the continent, proving their practicality, safety and usability. The European Hydrogen Road Tour now enables us to give the public a great opportunity to test these incredible cars, which we believe can help create a society with sustainable energy supply and zero-emission mobility.”
Wider Lexus CT 200h range starts with new 87g/km S grade
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exus widens the appeal of full hybrid CT 200h luxury compact hatchback with an increased model range and new equipment features Lexus has introduced a new entry-point S grade to the range, making the CT 200h accessible to even more customers, but with no compromise in the luxury, sophistication and advanced technologies that distinguish all Lexus models. And thanks to being fitted with new 15-inch five-spoke alloy wheels and a larger rear spoiler, the new CT 200h achieves even lower CO2 emissions - 87g/km.
The entire Lexus CT 200h model range has been significantly revised for 2013, with an increase to five model grades
The entire Lexus CT 200h model range has been significantly revised for 2013, with an increase to five model grades, extending the appeal of the market’s only fully hybrid luxury compact hatchback to an even greater number of customers.Some small, but attractive equipment changes have been made with the realignment of the grade structure: Premier (replacing SE-L Premier) gains a DAB digital tuner and electric front passenger seat adjustment. F Sport likewise adds an electric passenger seat control plus Smart Entry and Start. Luxury (replacing SE-L) adds power-folding door mirrors and Smart Entry and Start. And SE (replacing SE-I) benefits from power-folding door mirrors. All these models come with a revised front armrest with additional soft padding. The satellite navigation system that is available as an option for SE, Luxury and F Sport models and is standard on the Premier grade, now comes with a DAB digital tuner and single-disc DVD player.
Auto Monitor
20
8 OCTOBER 2012
G L O B A L WAT C H
City Safety lowers insurance rating for all-new Volvo V40
T
h at c h a m’s Motor I n su r a nc e Repa i r Research Centre, put Volvo’s own version of Autonomous Emergency Braking (AEB), known as City Safety, fitted as standard on the V40, through its testing procedure. It concluded the technology was so effective at preventing low speed accidents that it should therefore be taken into consideration when deciding the insurance group. Depending on model, the V40 range will now be given an insurance rating two to three groups lower under the new criteria. Following the extensive testing, the Association of British Insurers, which has authorised Thatcham to undertake all AEB testing to validate the effectiveness of individual systems, has now introduced AEB into its group rating calculations. It is the first time this has happened so soon after a technology’s emergence on the market and is
a testament to the industry’s confidence in the system’s potential to significantly reduce accident damage and personal injury. Volvo’s City Safety low-speed collision avoidance system operates at speeds up to 31 mph on the V40 (currently 19mph on other Volvo models), keeps an eye on traffic in front and automatically brakes if the driver fails to react in time when the vehicle in front slows down or stops - or if the car is approaching a stationary vehicle too fast. The award-winning* technology was first fitted as standard to all Volvo XC60 models, when the model launched in 2008, in a world first. Following its success in reducing accidents and injury, Volvo took the decision to fit City Safety as standard to all subsequent new models reflecting the brand’s commitment to developing the safest vehicles across its range. Thatcham has highlighted AEB technology as the most
significant new active safety innovation in the automotive industry today with the potential to dramatically cut the number and severity of accidents. Studies from the USA have already shown an overall crash frequency reduction of 27% in vehicles equipped with the system. At a press briefing held in conjunction with Volvo Car UK at the Madejski Stadium in Reading, Volvo Car Corporation’s director of governmental affairs Anders Eugensson commented: “Safety remains very much at the heart of Volvo’s design and technology ethos and we are delighted that Thatcham has selected our V40 model equipped with City Safety which is our AEB feature. Unlike our rivals, whose AEB technology is either an option or featured on models higher in the range, City Safety is standard on the V40 and, indeed, across most of the range and will be standard on all new and enhanced models.”
The test procedures have been proposed for use by Euro NCAP (European New Car Assessment Program), and RCAR (Research Council for Automobile Repairs). Euro NCAP will include AEB in their assessments from 2014, which will help encourage vehicle manufacturers to fit AEB systems. The procedures have also been adopted by the UK Group Rating Panel for vehicles with AEB fitted as standard from trim
level, as long as the system is passive (ie. is on with ignition cycle and can only be deactivated with three discrete actions of system control). Such vehicles will qualify for testing and subsequent reduction in their insurance group rating from October 2012. Currently, only the V40 has been tested although the majority of Volvo models, with the exception of XC90, C30 and C70, fit AEB as standard.
Hyundai welcomes new Aftersales Director
H
yundai announced the appointment of Nick Tunnell as the manufacturer’s new Aftersales Director. Nick, who currently holds the position of Aftersales Commercial Manager at Hyundai, replaces Graham Lightfoot who has taken up a new role at Porsche Cars GB. Starting on October, Nick will oversee all of Hyundai Motor UK’s operations in Aftersales, Commercial, Technical, Customer Services, Warranty and the Aftersales Field Team. Nick said, “Hyundai has grown rapidly into a genuine mainstream automotive manufacturer and I am looking forward to developing and enhancing the quality of Hyundai’s aftersales operations, particularly around the customer experience.”Nick will
Nick will be based at Hyundai Motor UK’s head office in High Wycombe, Bucks. and will report directly to Tony Whitehorn be based at Hyundai Motor UK’s head office in High Wycombe, Bucks. and will report directly to Tony Whitehorn. Established in 1967, Hyundai is ranked as the world’s fifth-largest automaker since 2007 and includes over two dozen auto-related subsidiaries and affiliates. Employing over 75,000 people worldwide, Hyundai Motor sold approximately 4.1 million vehicles globally in 2011. Hyundai Motor UK Ltd has been named Best Car Manufacturer 2011 by Which? magazine and Car Franchise of the Year by Motor Trader in 2010 and 2011.
Auto Monitor
8 OCTOBER 2012
CLASSIFIEDS
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Tej Control Systems Pvt Ltd Plot No.329/331, Road No.25, Wagle Industrial Estate, Thane(W) - 400 604. Tel. +91 22 2583 8191 to 98, Fax: +91 22 25838199 Email: tivs@tejcontrol.com, vision@tejcontrol.com Website: www.tejivs.com
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Ace Micromatic Group
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Advertiser’s Name & Contact Details Fox Solutions
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Agie Charmilles
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G W Precision Tools India Pvt Ltd T: +91-80-40431252
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Productivity Buzz 12
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Guhring India Private Limited
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Safexpress Private Limited BIC
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Ferromatik Milacron India Pvt Ltd
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Rohan Standox Autolack
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Ecocat India Pvt Ltd
Network 18
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Dhoot Transmission Pvt Ltd
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