Measures to improve urban air quality are gaining traction in several countries where such schemes as pedestrianised city infrastructures, emissions taxes and incentives for EV ownership have had mixed success in curbing pollution. BMW’s eDrive Zones aims to further enforce the concept of electrically assisted city driving. Essentially applying technology similar to the geo-fencing preventing drones from operating in restricted airspace, the system automatically switches hybrid vehicles to electric power when entering pre-designated areas of a city. Geo-fenced areas are displayed on the vehicle’s sat-nav and the drivetrain management system will prime the car’s battery and charging measures accordingly. This technology will feature on all variants of the 745e, X5 xDrive45e and 330e plug-in hybrids. The system has shown promise in its initial rollout in 58 European cities and will no doubt expand into global markets as time and urban emission laws progress.
Chasing rays
Despite the automotive world’s increasing shift towards electrification, the application of photovoltaic solar panels is a rarity. We’ve seen the Nissan Leaf’s minuscule, roof-mounted example used to power the car’s ancillaries and several experimental vehicles with their entire body surface plastered with solar panels, but there’s little merit to the packaging adopted by these technologies at either end of the spectrum. That has not stopped US engineering firm Hyperion from exploring an alternative means to improve the efficacy of automotive solar panels. It is using its radical XP-1 hydrogen-powered hypercar to showcase its latest development. Integrated into the dramatic ribbon of bodywork that enshrouds the XP-1’s hindquarters are rib-like banks of articulated photovoltaic panels. Powered by an electric motor and overseen by camera sensors that track the position of the sun in relation to the car’s orientation, this system angles each solar panel to optimise its exposure to solar energy.
Strides in seating
A sedentary lifestyle – which includes the time we spend seated in our cars – is decidedly unhealthy, linked to any number of ailments including poor circulation and loss of muscle elasticity that can have a knock-on effect on back and joint problems. Many health professionals recommend a 30-minute daily walk as the best way to mitigate such health issues. It’s with this advice in mind that engineers at Jaguar developed a shape-shifting seat that simulates the action of walking while seated in your car. The system employs actuators in the cushions that manipulate the occupants’ hips and can be easily applied to seats with power adjustment. While it won’t have any cardiovascular benefits, the seat’s ability to simulate the pelvic oscillation associated with walking can improve muscle motility, leaving drivers more refreshed and flexible after a long journey.
Real-time wheel align
An Australian engineering firm has developed a wheel alignment system that doesn’t require any spanner-work or jacking your car on a service centre lift. The Doftek active wheel-alignment system (AWAS) uses electric actuators on the suspension mount to alter the angle of a car’s wheel while on the move. AWAS can be fitted to the front or all wheels of a vehicle to synchronise the adjustment of camber, toe and caster. This first-generation system allows for on-the-fly wheel alignment via a three-step program (Normal, Sport and Sport+), with corresponding camber adjustments of 0, -1,5 and -3,0 degrees to best suit driving conditions. In addition to a 29% improvement in handling characteristics, AWAS also improves vehicle NVH at high speeds, as well as realising 10% improvements in tyre life and rolling resistance. The latter is of particular importance to the EV market, where trimming range-reducing friction can markedly improve the operating range of an electric car.
By the numbers
COVID-19 could cause historic drop in carbon emissions
While the COVID-19 pandemic has had an untold negative impact on the global economy and health, the research from the Global Carbon Project has highlighted its contribution to perhaps the biggest drop in global CO2 emissions since World War II.
