Vehicle Manufacturers Research Articles

Environmental consequences of Japan's ban on sale of new fossil fuel-powered passenger vehicles from 2035

Despite the recent increase in vehicle electrification, the transport sector remains a major contributor to the rise in global CO2 emissions. Using dynamic product lifecycle (LC) models, we analyzed the relationship between LC-CO2 emissions and the proportion of electric vehicle (EV) sales in Japan, where the introduction of EVs could increase LC-CO2 emissions. We considered the contributions of vehicle fuel efficiency and vehicle lifetime to LC-CO2 emissions under three scenarios—changes in sales, improvements in fuel efficiency, and changes in vehicle lifetimes. Our findings show that promoting EVs and decarbonization in the electricity sector will decrease CO2 emissions during the driving phase. However, even if the energy mix follows the net zero emission target, emissions from the vehicle manufacturing phase will largely remain, and the manufacturing emissions from electric will account for over 50% of the total emissions in 2050, even when the vehicle lifetime is extended by 5 years. Although the decarbonization of the power sector and vehicle electrification are important steps toward reducing LC-CO2 emissions, they are insufficient. Thus, to reduce LC-CO2 emissions, including those from the manufacturing phase, the Japanese government needs to focus on decarbonizing the supply chain and extending vehicle lifetime, especially that of EVs, as well as reducing driving phase emissions.

Импортоемкость регионов российской экономики

In the pre-sanction period, foreign economic relations in Russia were growing in importance. While the country’s gross domestic product increased by 1.75 times in 2013 compared to 2000, imports increased by 5.7 times in comparable prices during this period. Despite actual and potential effects of comparative advantages, the growing dependence on foreign markets also had negative consequences. The study assesses the demand for imported goods, considering the existing interindustry relations in the Russian economy. The paper describes the first stage of comparison of direct and total costs for the Russian economy and presents mathematical tools used to calculate indicators of its import dependence. In the future, we are planning to extend this approach to examine the spatial economy of two macrozones, namely, the European and Asian parts of Russia. Statistics show that the direct import intensity of the Russian economy is approximately 6 %, which is less than the global average. The vertical specialisation index of about 11 % indicates a relatively low dependence of the export of domestic goods on imports. In 2014–2020, total import costs reduced the most in the pulp and paper industry (-5 %) and vehicle manufacturing industry (-3 %) mainly due to a decline in their import intensity. In general, the impact of forced import substitution turned out to be negative for most regions after 2013. The proposed methods can be used to forecast the trade balance and consequences of implementing various import substitution policies. Since that intermediate consumption flows are included in indirect and total costs, it is advisable to develop a methodology accounting for investment goods.

Comparative Insights: Untangling IoT Success Factors in Traditional vs. Electric Vehicle Manufacturers

Comparative Insights: Untangling IoT Success Factors in Traditional vs. Electric Vehicle Manufacturers

Patent priority examination under mission orientation: can speed and quality coexist?

Under the backdrop of mission-oriented innovation, the rapid implementation of innovative achievements depends not only on research and development activities, but also on the patent examination process. Striking a balance between improving examination speed and ensuring the quality of granted patents poses a challenge. This paper delineates two pivotal mission categories—grand challenge (climate change) and major emergency (COVID-19), utilizing the conceptual framework of “urgency” that has been constructed. We primarily focus on the impact of the patent priority examination institution on examination period and patent quality under the two missions. Based on data from over 300,000 patents belonging to the fields of vehicle manufacturing and medicine in China, difference-in-differences and survival analysis are used to conduct empirical tests. The research results indicate that under certain missions, both climate change and COVID-19, the “green channel” could shorten the examination period without compromising the quality of authorized patents. Through further analysis, we also find that, patent examination acceleration is mainly manifested by alleviating the authorization lag (rather than publication lag). Additionally, the prioritization institution has changed the impact of applicant characteristics (organizational and country attributes) on the patent examination period.

Machine learning-based surrogates for eVTOL performance prediction and design optimization

<p>Predicting the performance of different electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) vehicle designs is paramount to vehicle manufacturers and hobbyists. These vehicles' maximum flight time (endurance) and maximum flight distance (range) depend on design and operational parameters relating to their structure, propulsion system, payload, and mission profile. In recent years, sophisticated physics-based models have been developed to estimate and optimize their aerodynamic, propulsion, and electrical performance. Integrating and simulating those models can closely estimate a vehicle's endurance and range. However, this demands advanced knowledge of different subsystems utilized and extensive computational resources limiting the wide-scale utilization of such models. This paper showcases the development and implementation of a framework to train simpler machine learning-based surrogates. The surrogate models are trained on a limited number of eVTOL performance estimates generated by physics-based models and can mimic them accurately. Forty-seven thousand eVTOL vehicle designs were simulated to generate the training data for various machine-learning models. These include several decision tree models, K-nearest neighbor models, linear regression models, and a multi-perceptron neural network model. Vehicle design and operational parameters such as propeller size, payload mass, drag coefficient, velocity, and motor and battery parameters are used as features, and vehicle endurance and range estimates are used as targets. Compared to the alternative approaches, these surrogate models are computationally very efficient and easy to understand and use. Testing on hold-out datasets shows excellent performance, with multiple models having a mean average percentage error of less than 2% in estimating vehicle endurance and range.</p>

The CO<SUB align="right">2 management decision problem in tactical sales planning of light commercial vehicle manufacturers in Europe

The CO<SUB align="right">2 management decision problem in tactical sales planning of light commercial vehicle manufacturers in Europe

The Emerging Geography of Electric Vehicle Production in North America: Revolution or Evolution?

The Emerging Geography of Electric Vehicle Production in North America: Revolution or Evolution?

ML-Pipeline for the Quality Assessment of Screwdriving Processes

Current quality assessment methods of screwdriving processes evaluate the final torque-angle combination only. Consequently, anomalies and errors during the screwdriving process may remain unnoticed. Furthermore, the cause of an error cannot always be determined. We present an ML-pipeline for the assessment of screwing operations based on time series data of the entire process. The analysis is performed using the publicly available AURSAD dataset. The transfer onto screwdriving processes of the commercial vehicle production is likewise discussed. We find that the ML-pipeline performance is highly dependent on the combined consideration of preprocessing methods and model training.

Study of the efficiency of the transport support of forage harvesters when harvesting corn for silage in the conditions forest-steppe zone

In the article, the authors presented methodological approaches and the results of a study of harvesting corn for silage. It has been established that the actual performance of high-performance forage harvesters during harvesting is significantly lower than the ideal one. The main problems were identified - the partial or complete lack of positioning, monitoring and logistics means of vehicles involved in the maintenance of forage harvesters, which leads to downtime and additional costs. Increasing the efficiency of all links of the harvesting and transport process can be achieved by using positioning to lay rational routes for moving machines on the field using the multi-link tractor and road trains. Furthermore, forecasting places and times to replace a vehicle for loading can reduce combined harvester downtime by up to 30% and increase vehicle productivity by 25% due to reduced idle runs across the field.

Hydrogen Internal Combustion Engine: A Neglected Technology for Decarbonizing Motor Vehicles

As one of the most promising green energy sources in the 21st century, hydrogen energy, combined with the automotive industry, can accelerate the realization of carbon peaking and carbon neutrality goals. In January ~ April 2024, Center for Automotive Strategy and Policy Research of CATARC carried out industry research. More than 10 vehicle and internal combustion engine companies such as China FAW, DongFeng, Shaanxi Automobile, GAC, Cummins, Weichai Power, etc., are actively developing vehicle products that provide driving power for direct combustion of hydrogen (referred to as hydrogen fuel vehicles). The preliminary consensus is that hydrogen internal combustion engine technology and natural gas engines have similar structures and low transformation costs, and have obvious advantages in terms of cost economy, reliability, and adaptability, and have become a new choice for carbon reduction technologies for motor vehicles. However, as an emerging product, the product attributes of hydrogen fuel vehicles have not yet been clarified, the relevant policies and regulations are not prepared, and the lack of accurate development expectations have led to conservative investment by supporting enterprises and sluggish industrialization process. It is recommended to build a system of policies and regulations, encourage demonstration applications, and promote key technological innovation.

CFD Analysis of Sloshing in the Fuel Tank of a Heavy Vehicle with Emergency Braking System

Liquid sloshing, which occurs in all accelerating and liquid-carrying vehicles, is of great importance, especially in the automotive and aerospace industries. Large-scale fluid sloshing causes both operational and safety problems in vehicles. In this study, the fuel tank of a heavy vehicle with an emergency braking system is designed in three dimensions, and liquid sloshing in the fuel tank is investigated by CFD analysis meth-od. VOF solution method, k-ԑ turbulence model, and PISO solution algorithm are used in the study. In the analysis of liquid sloshing, it is assumed that the vehicle is traveling at a certain speed, decelerates and stops with emergency braking, and remains station-ary for a while. The braking scenario and boundary conditions are based on test data from a heavy vehicle manufacturer. The designed fuel tank with a capacity of 207.6 li-ters was analyzed at 25%, 50%, and 60% diesel fuel filling levels in 6 different cases with and without anti-slosh baffles. Four virtual sensors were placed on the side wall of the fuel tank in the direction of vehicle movement, and time-dependent pressure changes were analyzed for all cases. In addition, the fuel volume ratio in all cases is visualized and presented for specific time steps. With the use of anti-slosh baffles, the maximum pressure, the rate of pressure increase, and the liquid sloshing were reduced by a factor of 2-3 for different cases. With the design of the fuel tank using anti-slosh baffles, instantaneous interruptions in the fuel system are prevented. Reducing the im-pact pressures on the tank walls is expected to positively affect noise, vibration, and stability problems.

Review on Recent Laser Welding Trend in Electric Powered Vehicle Production

In this study, we summarize the state-of-the-art laser welding used for welding copper and aluminum alloys, which are key materials for electrified powertrain components. Extensive research on laser beam modulation, power control, beam control, and process monitoring to improve welding reliability and to solve the challenges of dissimilar welds are reviewed and summarized. Furthermore, various techniques for real-time behavior of the weld pool and weld quality monitoring are presented. Along with various techniques to improve spatter and weld pool instability during welding, we have also included research results on process monitoring using artificial intelligence and deep learning techniques. Moreover, computer simulation helps understand various welding phenomena. The research results on improving the quality of welded products through laser beam dynamic control are also included.

Optimum Material Selection for Battery Carrier System in Electric Buses

European Union has started to encourage countries to use public transportation in order to reduce air pollution and carbon emissions. Decreasing fossil fuel reserves make energy supply difficult. Vehicle exhaust emissions increase air pollution day by day. In this period when global warming is increasing in the global world, the transition to zero-emission electric vehicle production in public transportation has begun. Electric buses provide a clean, efficient and sustainable transportation alternative to diesel vehicles. One of the most important issues to consider in electric buses is the SoC (State of Charge) value of the battery, which is the range it will get from 0 to 100 when fully charged. Reducing weight in electric buses is one of the factors that increases the range value. For this reason, in the study, finite element analysis was carried out on the currently used battery carrier frame material EN10025 S355JR, alternatively aluminium 6061-T6, aluminium 7075-T6 and carbon fiber reinforced PEEK materials to lighten the vehicle weight. As a result of the analysis, 65.54% and 73.07% lightness were achieved with aluminum 6061-T6 and carbon fiber reinforced PEEK materials, respectively. When the analysis results were compared in terms of cost, manufacturability and lifetime, the most suitability for mass production was evaluated.

전기자동차 제품 품질이 고객 만족도 및 고객 충성도에 미치는 영향

This study conducted an empirical analysis on the effect of electric vehicle product quality on satisfaction, electric vehicle brand and loyalty to consumers who have purchased and used electric vehicles in the Chinese electric vehicle market, and analyzed the mediating effect of customer satisfaction between electric vehicle product quality and customer loyalty.
 Garvin (1984) reviewed prior research using the eight components of the proposed product quality and established questionnaires on the eight components, and conducted a 12-day survey from August 07 to 18, 2023. The actual questionnaire collected the results of a total of 266 people, excluded 41 copies without experience in using electric vehicles, 18 invalid questionnaires, and analyzed the relationship between customer satisfaction and customer loyalty using 207 valid questionnaires.
 According to the results of the analysis, it was confirmed that core functions, appearance characteristics, reliability, aesthetics, and cognitive quality had a positive (+) significant effect on customer satisfaction in the product quality model, and core functions, reliability, consistency, and cognitive quality had a positive (+) significant effect on customer loyalty. In addition, customer satisfaction had a positive (+) effect on customer loyalty. In addition, customer satisfaction has a mediating effect in the relationship between core performance, reliability, cognitive quality, and customer loyalty of electric vehicle product quality. Finally, core performance, reliability, and cognitive quality, which are components of electric vehicle product quality, have all been shown to have a positive (+) effect on customer satisfaction and customer loyalty, so it is necessary to increase core performance, reliability, and cognitive quality to improve customer satisfaction and customer loyalty.

Response time of mixed platoons with traditional and autonomous vehicles in field trials: impact assessment on flow stability and safety

This study investigates the response times of autonomous vehicles (AVs) equipped with adaptive cruise control (ACC) and traditional human-driven vehicles (TVs) in mixed traffic scenarios. The primary objective is to assess how these response times impact the stability and safety of mixed traffic flow, considering the growing prevalence of ACC technology in vehicles worldwide. Utilising a trajectory dataset from OpenACC totalling 3389.70 s, this research introduces a response time estimation framework that combines cross-correlation and partial autocorrelation techniques. The study calibrates Gazis, Herman, and Rothery's (GHR) car-following model to evaluate mixed traffic flow stability and employs a modified time-to-collision (MTTC) surrogate for safety analysis. The study also delves into the influence of vehicle manufacturer diversity on study outcomes. Key findings reveal that the AVs exhibit significantly longer response times, ranging from 1.10–3.20 s, compared to the 0.30–1.90-second range of traditional vehicles (p value < 0.005). These extended response times in AVs contribute to prolonged traffic flow instability and increased traffic conflicts. Moreover, the type of lead vehicle does not significantly affect the response times of either AVs or TVs (p value > 0.005). The study also highlights that vehicle manufacturer diversity does not substantially affect these response times. Additionally, the examination of fitted GHR parameters underscores AVs’ heightened sensitivity to spacing and relative speed, providing insights into AV dynamics in the presence of mixed traffic.

Results and review of IASF-2023

On 18–19 October 2023, the annual International Automobile Scientific Forum (IASF-2023) “Ensuring Competitiveness of Russian Automotive Industry until 2035” took place, dedicated to the 105th anniversary of FSUE “NAMI”. The event format assumed both offline and online participation. The issues of providing technological sovereignty of the Russian automotive industry and development of the domestic component base, technical and technological developments in the field of innovative land vehicles and systems were discussed during the Forum. Within the Forum, an exhibition of technical achievements of FSUE “NAMI” and manufacturers of automotive vehicles and components was held dedicated to competitiveness of the Russian automotive industry. Components of electric, hybrid and intelligent vehicles, electronic control units, assemblies and aggregates of powertrains, electric traction vehicles and hybrid vehicles with additional power sources were also presented. There was a competition held in two categories: “Best Student Scientific Paper” and “Best Graduate Student and Young Specialist Scientific Paper”. 20 applications were filed for the competition from the educational, scientific and production companies and organizations.

Current Situation and Consequences of Environmental Information Disclosure in China's Automobile Manufacturing Industry --Taking SAIC Motor Corporation Limited as an Example

A sincere commitment to establishing a community of human destiny is made through achieving carbon peak and carbon neutrality. Following the pace of affluent nations, China has incorporated carbon peak and carbon neutrality into overall economic and social development. Environmental information disclosure is the most basic and major part of environmental accounting, following the sustainable development strategy because of daily accounting supervision and accounting. In this research, a case study of SAIC Group's environmental information disclosure in China from 2019 to 2022 is chosen, and analyzes SAIC Group's operating capacity, profitability, solvency and development capacity by combining information asymmetry theory and stakeholder theory. This paper investigates the roots of environmental information disclosure in the automobile manufacturing industry, chooses a representative SAIC Group to summarize its environmental information disclosure, assesses the current level of corporate environmental information disclosure, and provides relevant departments with pointers and relates for the development of an environmental information disclosure system for enterprises in this industry. Finally, optimization recommendations are offered for the growth of listed businesses' environmental information disclosure in China's vehicle manufacturing sector.

The Supply Chain Advantages and Challenges of BYD in the New Energy Vehicle Industry: Implications for the Future

The new energy vehicle supply chain is evolving rapidly to meet growing market demand, and innovations in battery technology, motor manufacturing, and charging infrastructure, among others, are driving progress in this sector. This paper explores the supply chain strengths of BYD, a major new energy vehicle manufacturer in Chinas automobile manufacturing industry, and related issues. Through an in-depth analysis of BYDs history, the companys current status, and its innovative initiatives in the supply chain, the paper identifies its supply chain strengths in intelligence, sustainability, and innovation. However, some of the challenges BYDs supply chain faces, such as delivery issues, data security risks and low collaboration with suppliers, are also raised. Finally, the paper offers some recommendations, including actively collaborating with high-quality suppliers, strengthening data processing and management capabilities, and adhering to supply chain innovation. These recommendations can guide BYDs development and provide useful references for peer companies supply chain optimization.

АВТОНОМНЫЕ АВТОМОБИЛЬНЫЕ ТРАНСПОРТНЫЕ СРЕДСТВА: ПРАВОВОЙ ОПЫТ ЯПОНИИ

The purpose of the work is to study the law-making and implementation practices in the field of legal regulation of public relations related to the production and operation of autonomous vehicles in Japan. This country occupies one of the leading positions both in the Asia-Pacific region and around the world in terms of technologies and innovations in the field of autonomous driving. Legal acts of this state allowed driving of level 4 autonomy for the first time in 2023. The article reveals the content of the Act of Japan on Amendments to the Road Traffic Act, published on April 27, 2022 and entered into force on April 1, 2023. Intensive work is underway in the Russian Federation to create a draft Federal Statute on highly automated vehicles, which is planned to be submitted to the Parliament of the Russian Federation in 2024. In order to improve the regulatory framework for highly automated vehicles in the Russian Federation, it would be useful to study the legal experience of Japan, accumulated in the field of highly automated vehicles creation and operation. The author analyzes the data presented in the Autonomous Vehicle Readiness Index 2020 and the current situation in the field of autonomous driving in Japan, and comes to the conclusion that Japan has done a lot in recent years to take into account all its mistakes and correct the shortcomings noted in this Index. The study provides an analysis of points of view on the issue of subjects of legal liability in the situation of causing harm as a result of the operation of autonomous vehicles.

Integrating Production Scheduling and Vehicle Routing Decisions at the Operational Decision Level: A Review and Discussion Extension

As a method of reducing costs and enhancing service quality, companies integrate production and distribution scheduling to improve performance. Thirty-two articles published between 2017 and 2022 are classified based on a review methodology as a continuation of a literature review of the integrated production and distribution scheduling problems at the operational level that was published in 2016. The characteristics of mathematical models and the solution algorithms used are discussed in order to identify gaps and determine future research directions. Through the review, it was found that some real-life characteristics still need further study. Future research may need to consider uncertainty, stochastic elements and evaluating different heuristics and metaheuristics in different production environments. Finally, additional research is necessary to determine under what conditions integration is most effective.