PSA Peugeot Research Articles

A Review on the Interface Design of Automotive Head-Up Displays for Communicating Safety-Related Information

Automotive head-up displays (HUDs) have the advantage of allowing drivers to keep their eyes forward while driving by superimposing visual information on top of the drivers’ forward field of view (...

Attractiveness of Foreign Direct Investment and Export Performance in Morocco: The Case of the Automotive Industry

<p><em>Thanks to its geopolitical position and its know-how, Morocco has established itself as a leader in the automotive sector on the continent. The Moroccan automotive industry has experienced remarkable growth in recent years. A dazzling progression that is not about to stop. Thus, Morocco has become the 28th largest car exporter in the world, first in North Africa and second on the African continent.</em></p><p><em>Its performance is particularly remarkable in terms of exports and job creation, for which the sector is growing at a double-digit rate with more than 80.000 people in 2016 compared to 39.131 in 2008. Cabling is the leading employer segment with nearly 69.5% in 2016, followed by seats and seat covers (9%) and automotive manufacturing (8.3%).</em></p><p><em>And with MAD58.8 billion in export sales in 2017, compared with MAD12.7 billion in 2007, the automotive sector is the leading export sector. This performance contributed to the overall evolution of Moroccan exports by nearly 36.7%. In 2017, the automotive sector became the country’s leading export sector for the fourth consecutive year. Its share rose to 23.6% in 2017 (5.5% of GDP) from 10.1% in 2007 (2.1% of GDP).</em></p><p><em>An analysis of Moroccan export markets by destination shows that France and Spain are Morocco’s main customers. Thus, cabling remains the main export segment to Spain. On the other hand, for France, Germany, Italy, Turkey and the United Kingdom, automotive manufacturing is the predominant branch in exports. Outside European countries, exports of vehicles produced in Morocco doubled to Algeria between 2016 and 2017, and have increased in recent years to Asian countries, mainly China.</em></p><p><em>Foreign direct investment income from the automotive industry rose sharply to MAD3.3 billion in 2017, up from MAD0.7 billion in 2010. France remains the leading direct investor in the automotive sector (82% in 2017), followed by the USA (8%) and the United Arab Emirates (UAE). Production and exports should continue to rise thanks to a MAD6 billion investment by PSA Peugeot Citroën, which will set up a plant in Morocco in the municipality of Ameur Seflia, in the Gharb Chrarda-Beni Hssen region, on the edge of the Atlantic Free Zone integrated industrial platform.</em></p>

Effects of non-driving-related tasks on takeover performance in different takeover situations in conditionally automated driving

Conditionally automated driving (SAE Level 3) relinquishes driver from monitoring the driving task and the traffic environment, permitting the driver to perform non-driving-related tasks (NDRT). Nevertheless, the driver must be available as a backup option. With this in mind, the current study aims at investigating the effect of the type of NDRT and takeover situations on driver performance. The NDRTs used were writing emails and watching videos, while the takeover situations tested were avoiding an obstacle on one’s lane and missing lane markings. Forty-four participants took part in a study carried in a dynamic simulator at PSA Peugeot Citroën Technical Center. Results showed that an effect of takeover situation on takeover time, with shorter times associated with obstacle avoidance, regardless of the type of NDRT. Measures of driver performance in the obstacle avoidance situation did not differ among manual and automated driving conditions, except for minimum time to collision. In the missing lane conditions, an effect of driving mode was observed on lateral and longitudinal control, as well as minimum time headway, regardless of the type of NDRT was observed. Our results suggest that the criticality of the situation had a distinct effect on takeover time and mental workload, while NDRT did not have a clear role. Furthermore, in line with previous research, drives’ need for control stabilization beyond takeover was documented.

Workplace unionism under decentralised bargaining in France: a case study of the CGT in the car industry

AbstractConsidering recent theoretical accounts on the trajectory of French unionism under localised bargaining, this article examines potential consequences for the country's traditionally largest radical union, Confédération Générale du Travail (CGT). Deploying a case study of CGT at PSA Peugeot Citroёn and Renault in the years since the 2008 automotive crisis, the article observes a persistent pattern of militant opposition within company and plant union sections. Company bargaining structure, interunion reformist collaboration and electoral considerations are identified as workplace mechanisms reinforcing CGT actions at this level.

Um curioso às voltas com uma curiosidade historiográfica

Este artigo versa sobre um turvo episódio da história da tradução do Brasil, referente às vicissitudes de Crime e Castigo, de Dostoiévski, na primeira metade do século XX, até o lançamento da tradução de Rosário Fusco em 1949. Seu método expositivo em tom informal, discorrendo sobre dúvidas, hipóteses, raciocínios e procedimentos do personagem pesquisador até chegar a suas conclusões, pretende mostrar didaticamente algumas facetas internas e processos mentais que acompanham o trabalho de elaboração historiográfica.

Business and Translation as Power Games: the automotive industry in Brazil

A tradução realizada pelas empresas representa um paradoxo para os Estudos da Tradução. Embora a institucionalização acadêmica da disciplina e a origem de muitos centros de treinamento de tradutores estejam claramente relacionados ao movimento de globalização, a pesquisa fundamental sobre a comunicação na área econômica continua pouco desenvolvida. As múltiplas consequências (em termos econômicos, de mão de obra e de prestígio) das operações internacionais, amplamente dependentes do multilinguismo e da tradução, constituem excelentes motivos para estudar o comportamento das empresas multinacionais, principalmente quando questões de língua e de poder se encontram. Assim, esse artigo retrata a atividade da PSA Peugeot Citroën no mercado brasileiro, procurando verificar como sua estrutura de poder transparece na sua comunicação externa. Por meio de métodos descritivos, analisamos os comunicados de imprensa publicados no site corporativo brasileiro em 2013, comparando-os com aqueles publicados nos sites argentino e internacional, no intuito de verificar em que medida questões de poder podem explicar modificações textuais. A análise demonstra a autonomia da filial brasileira e as relações que constrói com outros setores da empresa. Esse estudo de caso pode ser considerado uma ilustração da maneira como a tradução nas empresas leva rapidamente a temáticas essenciais para os Estudos da Tradução.

RQP1: Heat Treatment System Survey and Quality Control*

Abstract RQP1 defines the quality requirements applicable to heat treatment on mechanical parts intended to be used mainly in the car manufacturing industry. It provides a reference for quality audit and for inspection of heat treatment workshops, whether these are integrated or belonging to subprime contractors. This document may also be used as basis for discussion and development of specifications. RQP1 has been written by a French working group managed by the CETIM (French Technical Center of Mechanical Industry) and composed by contractors and subcontractors of automotive industry (PSA Peugeot Citroën, Renault, Faurecia, Valeo, SKF, NTN-SNR, Delphi) and by heat-treaters (Bodycote, Thermi Lyon, Metatherm, Hacer). Thus, it is in agreement with the industrial reality of the heat treatment. At the instigation of contractors and following the very favorable feedback from the RQP1's users, this document has been transcribed in a French standard (NF A 02-053) published in 2014. In October 2014, France made a new ISO standard proposal on “control of quality of heat treatment”. A draft, based on French standard NF A 02-053, has been proposed for the development of this new standard and the establishment of an ISO working group is expected for the end of 2016.

Experimental and numerical analysis of thermal striping in automotive brake discs

AbstractIn the present study, thermal striping development on friction bands of brake discs is investigated through an experimental and numerical analysis. A test consisting of a series of several hundred severe brakings was carried out on a specific bench at PSA Peugeot Citroën. The experimental observations of the crack network evolution and a numerical analysis of a brake disc with a single crack helped to propose a macroscopic criterion capable of predicting the criticality of the network, namely its ability to lead to the complete failure of the structure. In addition, a numerical analysis of the crack shielding process is developed, whose results are compared with experimental findings.

Applying Quality Tools for Managing the Production of Automotive Parts

The paper presents a frame for applying the core tools for managing the production of automotive parts, supplied to the Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEM). Those core tools and another quality management tools and procedures are required to be applied by the automotive customers, according with the OEM’s requirements. The requirements in discussion are condensed within the PPAP (Production Part Approval Process) documentation. The study presents a way for starting the design and implementation of such a procedure for a tier 1 automotive supplier, according with the appropriate various Customer Specific Requirements (CSR). The study is useful especially for those ones that supply simultaneous for several global automotive OEM (BMW, Chrysler, Fiat Group Automobili, Ford Motor, General Motors, PSA Peugeot Citroen, Renault).

Fatigue Tests for Automotive Design: Optimization of the Test Protocol and Improvement of the Fatigue Strength Parameters Estimation

Despite of continuous improvement of numerical computations, experimental fatigue tests are still of prior concern for high safety level parts, in particular for the automotive industry. Destructive fatigue tests are required in order to prove to authorities an effective fatigue design by highlighting the weakest link and its failure mode, and possibly taking account for the manufacturing process influence. Actually, experimental tests need for expensive means (i.e. rigs and specimens) and fatigue phenomenon is expected to take long time to get a crack issue. Thus, cost and delay time reduction always calls for more effective methods.Within this framework, we address here some recent improvements dealing with, respectively: a) the optimization of the fatigue test protocol, i.e. how the load time history is applied to the specimen in order to minimize the overall fatigue test duration; b) the reliability of the fatigue strength estimation, i.e. how the experimental data are considered in a reliable statistical model. The first point let us focus on a so-called Locati fatigue test protocol, whereas the second point let us make use of Maximum Likelihood and Bayesian techniques.These improvements are currently and successfully applied to chassis system parts at PSA Peugeot Citroën.

Tactile stimulations and wheel rotation responses: toward augmented lane departure warning systems.

When an on-board system detects a drift of a vehicle to the left or to the right, in what way should the information be delivered to the driver? Car manufacturers have so far neglected relevant results from Experimental Psychology and Cognitive Neuroscience. Here we show that this situation possibly led to the sub-optimal design of a lane departure warning system (AFIL, PSA Peugeot Citroën) implemented in commercially available automobile vehicles. Twenty participants performed a two-choice reaction time task in which they were to respond by clockwise or counter-clockwise wheel-rotations to tactile stimulations of their left or right wrist. They performed poorer when responding counter-clockwise to the right vibration and clockwise to the left vibration (incompatible mapping) than when responding according to the reverse (compatible) mapping. This suggests that AFIL implements the worse (incompatible) mapping for the operators. This effect depended on initial practice with the interface. The present research illustrates how basic approaches in Cognitive Science may benefit to Human Factors Engineering and ultimately improve man-machine interfaces and show how initial learning can affect interference effects.

Environomic Design of Vehicle Integrated Energy System - Application on a Hybrid Electric Vehicle Energy System

With the increasing trend of mobility of the human population, vehicles have to face the problem of primary energy resources scarcity. The vehicles need higher efficiency and better adaptation to the alternative energy sources. The need to improve the efficiency of the vehicle energy system motivates to search for innovative solutions during the design process. The main design criteria for modern sustainable development of vehicle powertrain are the high energy efficiency of the conversion system, the competitive cost and the lowest possible environmental impacts. These objectives are most of the time antagonistic. To cope with this challenge the automotive engineers need a structured methodology. A multi-objective methodology is being applied as search for the best powertrain design solutions. This kind of approach named multi-objectives optimization is based on genetic algorithms, which are based on the process of natural selection. An innovative decision- making methodology, using this technic is currently under development at PSA Peugeot Citroen. The idea is to obtain simultaneously a population of possible design solutions corresponding to the most efficient energy system definition for a vehicle. These solutions are optimal from a technical, economic and environmental point of view. In this article the methodology is applied on a hybrid electric vehicle study in order to define the powertrain configuration of the vehicle, estimate the cost of the powertrain equipment and show the environmental impact of the technical choices on the lifecycle perspective of the vehicle. For that a physical model of a hybrid electric vehicle is made. This model is coupled with a cost model for the vehicle and life cycle assessment (LCA) technics are used for the environmental assessment. After multi-objective optimization, the outcoming solutions from the Pareto frontiers curve are analysed.

Ergonomic contribution of ABLE exoskeleton in automotive industry

In PSA Peugeot Citroen factories, high precision requirements of workstations make them being manual. One of the main goal of the car manufacturer is to minimize the pain of workers while maintaining high efficiency of production lines. Consequently, assisting operators with an exoskeleton is a potential solution for improving ergonomics of painful workstations while respecting industrial constraints. To determine ergonomic performances of an exoskeleton, human joint angles and torques, ground reaction forces, and duration of operations are analysed for eight subjects performing a representative screwing task. Experiments were performed using ABLE upper-limb exoskeleton, developed by the French Atomic Energy Commission (CEA), which has the functionality to compensate arm and tools loads. Results show a clear reduction of the sum of the joints torques, up to 38.9%, given by ABLE supply and invite to make concrete the use of exoskeletons in car assembly lines. Relevance to industryIn industries, workers performing manual operations are subjected to musculoskeletal disorders (MSD). The usage of robotic devices such as exoskeletons might then be a relevant solution to reduce workers pain and prevent MSD. The paper describes how to assess ergonomic performances of such robotic devices for a future usage in industry.

Automotive stamped part fatigue design

Fatigue design of automotive axle parts is of prior concern because of these are high safety parts and they are expected to drive the overall vehicle mass reduction. In this framework, the stamping process is widely used to form axle parts, before assembling them by welding. Consequently, the mechanical and physical characteristics of the blank sheet are modified, having a strong influence on the fatigue behavior. In this paper, we address the consequences of the stamped process on the fatigue design and how they may be effectively taken into account in the automotive industry. Actually, the coupling between the stamping process and the fatigue design is under development at PSA Peugeot Citroën Company since several years. Such an analysis deals with some major topics: thickness variation, plastic hardening and deformation, and residual stress. All of these ingredients result in fatigue criteria evolutions: it is important to stress that the stamping process can have advantageous or disadvantageous consequences on the fatigue design. This is here highlighted on some examples, dealing with front and rear axles.

Innovation Failure: Losing Sight of the Big Picture

The Case Study section of the International Journal of Entrepreneurship and Innovation serves two purposes. First, the case studies presented are concerned with problematical issues that are pertinent to students of entrepreneurship. Thus they constitute appropriate teaching and learning vehicles on a variety of postgraduate and undergraduate programmes. Each case study is accompanied by a set of guidelines for the use of tutors. Second, it is envisaged that those engaged in entrepreneurial activities will find the cases both interesting and useful. The case of PSA Peugeot Citroën's electric passenger car is an example of an innovation perceived as a failure because of its disappointing sales volume. Yet, by limiting our assessment of the electric passenger car to a short-term perspective, we may miss out on an essential part of its value. As part of a wider innovation process, the electric passenger car project is a significant step for PSA in its expertise regarding electric vehicles. Key learning outcomes: (a) to understand that innovation is a complex process with fuzzy frontiers, both in time and space; (b) to understand that innovation is a long-term investment with spillovers into other projects; (c) to be aware of the multiple perspectives that may be adopted when examining innovation; and (d) to be aware of the impact of labelling a project a failure.

GENEPAC : pile à combustible à membrane échangeuse de protons PEMFC

among the technologies for CO2-free transportation, the fuel cell constitutes an electric powertrain solution for the future. Complementary to batteries technology, it gives electric vehicle range comparable to ICE vehicle, while maintaining comfort and dynamic performances. Its current level of maturity leads the car manufacturers to launch their marketing over the next few years. In this context, PSA Peugeot Citroën and the Commissariat à l"énergie atomique et aux énergies alternatives (CEA) have worked together to develop a fuel cell adapted to the car constraints : the GENEPAC stack and the FiSyPAC system.

An empirical multiaxial high cycle fatigue criterion for automotive cylinder head design

PSA Peugeot Citroën uses for many year the Dang Van criterion for cylinder head high cycle fatigue design. If this well-known criterion is very efficient for a large number of solicitations, tests on engine bench showed it is very conservative for local stress state corresponding to biaxial tension with high mean stress. An experimental campaign conducted in collaboration with the LAMPA (Laboratoire Arts et Métiers ParisTech d’Angers), focused on equi-biaxial tensile tests, confirmed the inability of the Dang Van criterion to estimate the correct fatigue strength for such loadings. An empirical criterion was developed, based on the modification of one parameter of the Dang Van criterion with respect to the biaxiality rate and to the load ratio. This criterion was successfully tested on an important number of biaxial fatigue tests from the literature and on cylinder head simulations.

Data for the evaluation of hydrogen risks onboard vehicles: Outcomes from the French project drive

From 2006 to 2009, INERIS alongside with CEA, PSA PEUGEOT CITROEN and IRPHE were involved in a project called DRIVE. Its objective was to provide data on the whole reaction chain leading to a hydrogen hazard onboard a vehicle. Out of the three types of leakages identified by the consortium (permeation, chronic and accidental), the chronic leakage taking place within the engine was judged to be more problematic since it can feature a high probability of occurrence and a significant release flow rate (up to 100 NL/min). Ignition tests carried out within a real and dummy engine compartment showed that pressure effects due to an explosion will be relatively modest provided the averaged hydrogen concentration in this area is limited to 10 % vol/vol, which would correspond to a maximum release flow of 10 NL/min. This maximum concentration could be used as a threshold value for detection or as a target while designing the vehicle. Jet fire experiments were also conducted in the frame of the DRIVE project. It was found that pressure-relief devices (PRDs) might be unsuited to protect humans from the explosion of a tank caused by a bonfire. Other solutions are proposed in this paper.

Implementation of an experimental pilot reproducing the fouling of the exhaust gas recirculation system in diesel engines

The European emission standards EURO 5 and EURO 6 define more stringent acceptable limits for exhaust emissions of new vehicles. The Exhaust Gas Recirculation (EGR) system is a partial but essential solution for lowering the emission of nitrogen oxides and soot particulates. Yet, due to a more intensive use than in the past, the fouling of the EGR system is increased. Ensuring the reliability of the EGR system becomes a main challenge. In partnership with PSA Peugeot Citroen, we designed an experimental setup that mimics an operating EGR system. Its distinctive features are (1) its ability to reproduce precisely the operating conditions and (2) its ability to measure the temperature field on the heat exchanger surface with an Infra Red camera for detecting in real time the evolution of the fooling deposit based on its thermal resistance. Numerical codes are used in conjunction with this experimental setup to determine the evolution of the fouling thickness from its thermal resistance.

Notes From The Field: Transforming Europe's Second Largest Car Manufacturer: PSA Peugeot Citroën

Pierre Ianni is the General Manager of the PSA Peugeot Citroen production center in Vigo, Spain. He joined PSA Group in 1978 and has held a number of management positions in several countries in Eu...