Wild, over-the-top concepts cars, exotic design studies, cutting-edge technologies that may never see the light of day, and more glitz and glamour than you’d see in Hollywood – for years, that’s what the biennial Tokyo Motor Show (TMS) has been all about. The 45th edition of TMS concluded in the last week of October this year and its tagline of ‘Beyond the Motor’ provided more than a hint of what to expect. Sure, the glitz, glamour and exotica was all there and accounted for, but this year, the TMS also mirrored the automotive industry itself, which is currently in a state of flux, undergoing massive changes.
As reported every day in the media, the automotive industry is gearing up for the post-IC engine era, readying itself for the next stage in personal mobility, which will be driven by electric power and advanced driver assistance systems, including fully autonomous driver. Earlier, at global motor shows, OEMs used to focus on showing beautiful, high-performance cars to driving enthusiasts, and wowing people with V12 engines, big horsepower and dramatic styling. Now, the V12 is a rarity (the V8 has sort of taken over, and soon, the hybrid V6 will be baying for its blood too!) and manufacturers choose to focus on lowering emissions, increasing efficiency and building better, more improved ADAS. This was also the primary focus at this year’s TMS and here we take a look at some key factors that were the primary drivers for this year’s event.
ELECTRIC POWERTRAINS
With the governments in various countries already announcing deadlines for ending the use of the IC engine, OEMs are now scrambling to ramp up the development of advanced batteries and electric motors that will progressively replace the IC engine over the next 10-20 years. With more compact, lighter, longer-lasting batteries in development, and highly efficient electric motors that produce relentless torque with zero emissions, motoring is in for a big revolution that’s coming soon.
This story is from the November 2017 edition of Auto Tech Review.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber ? Sign In
This story is from the November 2017 edition of Auto Tech Review.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Sign In
Sound Generation For Enhanced Road Safety
With an ever-increasing number of fully electric and hybrid vehicles entering the market, we are witnessing a change in the acoustic experience in and around the car. The silent nature of the electric powertrain means that other road users miss the familiar acoustic cues that warn them of an approaching vehicle. To remedy this situation, Harman is working on various noise management solutions.
OBJECTIVE ASSESSMENT OF THE SAFETY CONTRIBUTION OF TODAY'S AUTOMOTIVE HEADLAMPS
Good lighting makes a major contribution to road safety. In 2011, the International Commission on Illumination (CIE) presented an evaluation system for headlamps that can objectively assess the quality of illumination and glare limitation. New light sources like LEDs and lighting functions (glare-free high beam, partial high beam) have been available for several years, so that an extension of the proven CIE method is necessary, which takes into account, among other things, changed switch-on and service lives of new lighting functions and represents a generally understandable evaluation system. An evaluation system presented in the following by the Technische Uni versität Darmstadt, which was developed by an encompassing expert commission, is intended to provide representative data and enable an objective evaluation of headlamp performance.
RAPIDO RE-INNOVATES TO CATER TO POST COVID-19 LAST MILE CONNECTIVITY
The rapid pace of urbanisation in the country has witnessed cities expanding and subsuming surrounding villages and smaller towns, evolving into Tier II and III cities.
FUNCTIONAL SAFETY STANDARDS TOP PRIORITY FOR FUTURE AUTOMOTIVE DEPLOYMENT
Increasing levels of electronic content in vehicles result in a large amount of software that is required to run the scenes behind the mechanical aspects of a vehicle. Electronic systems in automobiles are part of every section, from the powertrain to comfort and convenience systems as well as all types of safety equipment. This makes electronics and the software running these systems a critical part of the equation for future mobility solutions. In addition, putting standards in place to measure methods of developing, testing and functioning of such electronic systems also becomes highly relevant.
“BYD'S EV STRATEGY TO ENCOMPASS MOST FORMS OF TRANSPORTATION NEEDS IN INDIA”
The country’s electric vehicle (EV) ecosystem is grappling with a plethora of challenges even as it is striving to wriggle itself out of the ‘nascent stage’ tag. In an exclusive chat with Auto Tech Review, Zhang Jie Ketsu, Executive Director, BYD India shares his perspective on the current EV scenario and how the company intends to progress faster in the Indian automotive industry
SAFETY IN ELECTRIC AND AUTONOMOUS CARS – SIMULATION OF COMPLEX CRASH SCENARIOS
Electric and autonomous vehicles allow for novel seating arrangements and packaging strategies, presenting new safety challenges. Physical crash testing must be supplemented with virtual simulation to ensure vehicle safety on shorter development cycles. With its Simcenter Madymo MBS software, Siemens provides improved runtimes and the Active Human model, enabling accurate and rapid occupant safety analysis in complex crash scenarios.
KIA SONET – A MIGHTY OFFERING IN THE COMPACT SUV SEGMENT
It wouldn't be wrong to say that Kia Motors India has taken the Indian market by storm in less than 12 months of its presence in the market.
NISSAN'S NEW DIRECTION: ARIYA ALL-ELECTRIC
Marking a key milestone in Nissan’s transformation strategy, Ariya ticks a lot of boxes highlighting the strengths of the global automotive giant.
BETTER SAFETY WITH EMERGENCY BRAKE ASSIST FOR MOTORCYCLES
Rear-end collisions with a slower vehicle suddenly cutting into the lane and intersection accidents with cross-traffic are among the most frequent motorcycle accident types. Continental is now developing an emergency brake assist, which detects an imminent collision with a vehicle ahead or with an obstacle, warns the rider and supports him during braking
ADAS WILL SERVE AS CATALYST FOR IMPROVED VEHICLE SAFETY
The automotive industry across the globe is increasingly focussing on safety.
