| AUGUST
2001
A new in-car
TV receiver from Delphi, the Gen II Diversity, aims to give clearer pictures
while on the move. Two multiple video antennae and an independent audio
system seek out the best signals, and a scanning system continually looks
for alternative frequencies to ensure uninterrupted reception. Picture quality
should match that on domestic TVs.
The MCC Smart Coupe and Convertible are environmentally friendly
in more ways than one. Apart from low CO2 emissions of just 118g/km, the
French assembly plant of Hambach has a heat recovery system and a biological
water purification unit. Nearly all components are made on site, cutting
down on transport by 95 percent, while powder coating the chassis produces
no solvents, sludge or effluents and 85 percent of the finished car can
be recycled.
US firm Solutia has developed a new type of sunscreen to protect
vehicle interiors and occupants from the ravages of UV radiation. Enhanced
Protective Glass (EPG) sandwiches a layer of polyvinyl butyral (PVB) between
two sheets of glass. Independent tests have given it an ultraviolet protection
factor of 45 (out of 50). It’s now standard on the Audi A8.
JULY 2001
A crucial component common to all petrol-engined cars has just celebrated
its 25th birthday. The oxygen sensor mounted in front of a three-way catalytic
converter monitors oxygen in the exhaust and instructs the engine management
system to adjust the mixture. Bosch sold a million units a year following
its 1979 debut, but now produces a whopping 33 million per year.
An automated manual transmission suitable for anything from a small
car to a heavy truck is being demonstrated by Sachs. It is already in use
in the Smart and BMW is adopting a version for the M3 (above).
Supercomputer builder NEC has just launched a variety of new car
technologies. They include a front-seat airbag system - to be adopted by
Honda - that will refuse to fire if it detects children. Other innovations
include a prototype adaptive cruise control system, an automatic lane correction
system using multi-beam radar and lane pattern recognition software, and
NightSight, a night vision system similar to that already offered by General
Motors. |
