Automotive News - March 17, 2008 - (Page 19)

MARCH 17, 2008 • 19 A U T O M O T I V E N E W S PA C E AWA R D S 23 finalists in running for PACE honors Here are profiles of the first six of 23 finalists in the 2008 Automotive News PACE Awards. What: Automotive News PACE Awards, honoring innovative automotive suppliers Co-sponsored by: Microsoft, SAP and Transportation Research Center Inc. Winners announced: Black-tie ceremony Monday, April 14 Where: Max M. Fisher Music Center, Detroit Other finalists: Will be featured weekly through the April 7 issue Dynamic headrest Lear Corp. Southfield, Mich. Category: Product For: ProTec PLuS Lear has created a seat mechanism that dynamically moves the headrest up and forward toward the occupant’s head while crash energy from a rear-end collision is being absorbed. By cradling the head in proper alignment with the torso, the injury potential from whiplash can be reduced. Federal studies show that more than 75 percent of adjustable headrests today are left in the “down” position by drivers; Lear engineers created their active system to increase safety without loss of comfort or the need for headrest manual adjustment. The system can meet new federal head restraint requirements scheduled for September 2009, as well as European Union EuroNCAP requirements. Better plug insulator Federal-Mogul Ignition Products Southfield, Mich. Category: Product For: Federal-Mogul SureFire Ceramic Spark Plug Insulator High operating temperatures and strong electric-field effects in modern engines are a challenge for spark plugs that must deliver their high-voltage spark without electrical loss. High voltages in modern engines can result in hightemperature plug breakdown. Federal-Mogul created a new insulator using an aluminum oxide ceramic with special glass composition and a small amount of zirconium oxide. Shunt resistance is greater than 2,500 megaohms at 500 degrees Celsius, more than 200 times that of traditional spark plug ceramics. First used in Champion-brand iridium and platinum spark plugs. Panorama process Webasto AG Stockdorf, Germany Category: Manufacturing Process and Capital Equipment For: Low Pressure InjectionCompression Process for Panoramic Polycarbonate Roof Module Webasto created a special low-pressure advanced injection-compression molding process to make the world’s largest lightweight optical-quality polycarbonate panels. The panels form a panoramic roof module. The cleanroom, automated process molds the clear part and flow-coats it with primer and hard coat without any pre- or postprocessing needed. The molding process preserves polycarbonate’s strength and optical clarity. The finished 1.2-square-meter panels have low internal stresses, excellent dimensional accuracy and excellent optical quality. First serial production started in January 2007 for the Smart ForTwo. Bird’s-eye view Xanavi Informatics Corp. and Sony Corp. Zama City, Kanagawa prefecture, Japan Category: Product For: Around View Monitor Giving drivers a full view of what’s around their vehicle can ease driving tasks such as parking or backing up and can improve safety. The Xanavi and Sony system combines images from front, side and rear cameras to make an easily understood view on an instrument panel screen. The system’s high-resolution, 1.3-megapixel cameras and ultrahigh-speed processing give up to four times the resolution of existing vision systems. First used on Nissan’s 2008 Infiniti EX35 crossover. Knowledge ready to use Tenneco Inc. Lake Forest, Ill. Category: Information Technology and Services For: TEN-KBME (Tenneco Knowledge Based Manufacturing & Engineering) Up to 80 percent of a design engineer’s time can be spent looking for background information. Lack of manufacturing knowledge adds to product costs and delays the introduction of products to the market. Hard-won experience from one project may be bypassed by designers working on a new one. Tenneco’s system, TEN-KBME, combines existing manufacturing and engineering knowledge with application tools including finite element analysis, computational fluid dynamics, and press shop and forming simulation. As a result, the background knowledge already developed within Tenneco is immediately available to the design engineer using tools from computer-aided design, manufacturing and engineering. This frees the engineer to quickly evaluate more Omnivorous fuel sensor Magneti Marelli Sistemas Automotivos Industria & Comercio Ltda. Hortolandia, Sao Paulo, Brazil Category: Product For: Tetrafuel This engine control system gives cars the ability to use any combination of gasoline, flex fuel, pure ethanol or compressed natural gas. The system uses two sets of fuel injectors and a single engine control unit that can switch fuel types seamlessly. In cars equipped with both a liquid and compressed natural gas fuel supply, the system switches to liquid fuel for powerful acceleration or to clean-burning compressed natural gas for cruising. A second innovation is a new digital knock sensor that optimizes ignition timing at each cylinder for the fuel type being used. First used on the 2006 Fiat Siena compact car in Brazil. alternatives than ever before, requires less CAD expertise or training time for proficiency and increases time spent on valueadded activities such as problem-solving and innovation. The system helps future products to be introduced efficiently, faster and at the highest quality levels.

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of Automotive News - March 17, 2008

Leases grow as alternative to long loans Toyota dealers balk at upgrades Up for grabs: China importer Testing Chevy's Camaro Escalade first vehicle to get full LED headlamps Hoops fans take a shot at China Toyota will cut Tundra, Sequoia production F-150's risk-reward strategy: Ramp up before the revamp As UAW, American Axle talk, CEO Dauch in Fla. Ex-GM purchasing executive indicted Court allows higher Plastech credit line Saab sticker prices rise as sales fall; will U.S.-built 9-7X offset losses? VW plant capacity in U.S.: 250,000 units Bad cruise control switch haunts Ford Continental plans to bring r&d in-house Rieter expects to increase its global footprint Stadler: Audi considers U.S. plant Another General charges into electric cars Toyota sees its first checkered flag as sign NASCAR's paying off A pickup may figure in Kia's future Analysts: Lampert no threat to AutoNation More likely to be spent to keep suppliers alive in '08 2 suppliers plan Alabama plants UAW seeks job guarantees to end American Axle strike Revolving door continues to spin at Nissan GM, top marketers to share research Electric power steering is grabbing the wheel Delphi completes sale of interiors unit to Renco Mercedes again is true-luxury king How electric power steering works It's time for dealer-factory collaboration Ford must close stores but remain open to diversity The small print Here's a question for Obama, Clinton Didn't you ever hear of a halo? Hurray for affordable performance cars Politics can age a car overnight Good for planet, good for GM What 'scientific consensus'? Lutz may be right but said it wrong Lutz had the courage to tell the truth Big Apple isn't very green 23 finalists in running for PACE honors Canada sales up 14.5% in Feb. RV shipments drop 7.1% in Jan. Wagoner: No sure thing on state air rules Conquest sales, Asia growth boost ADP Brockman: Reynolds focuses on service OEConnection links to ADP Geneva goings-on Judge: Dealer suit over transfer of GM franchise can proceed Honda will build Ridgeline in Alabama So who's running the show at Chamco? GM seeks Plastech tooling Federal-Mogul reports gains Chrysler sells plant to Fiat BMW's new sales boss Odell is named COO at Ford of Europe Strike dents GM truck output Tony Stewart blows a gasket Illingworth leaving — and staying with — Toyota A note to eager auto execs: Invaders sometimes get icy reception in Russia Hush, hush: Baby Nason on board For rent: Ford's PAG palace on the West Coast Chrysler cuts Calif. studio

Automotive News - March 17, 2008

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