ZF develops dual-lens camera for commercial vehicles; launches in 2020 with integrated ADAS technologies

ZF has developed the Dual-cam two-lens camera specifically designed for the commercial truck market and to be used in concert with other ZF ADAS technologies. The camera features ZF’s longitudinal and lateral vehicle control expertise combined with Mobileye’s advanced EyeQ4 processor.

Part of ZF’s S-Cam4 family of automotive-grade cameras, the Dual-cam is designed to help meet varying global regulatory requirements and delivers advanced functions such as Traffic Sign Recognition, Lane Keeping Assist and Centering and object and pedestrian detection to enable Automatic Emergency Braking (AEB).

ZF dual-cam image

To help ensure these technologies work effectively on commercial trucks a second lens is necessary for some of these advanced functions. For example, for pedestrian AEB in some instances a standard mono-camera with a 52-degree field can limit the ability to detect pedestrians or other vulnerable road users with enough time to actuate the brakes and help avoid or mitigate accidents for larger trucks in complex environments.

—Dan Williams, head of ADAS and autonomy for ZF Commercial truck applications

Having a second lens also enables redundancy for Level2+ functions—if one lens becomes blinded or non-functional the second lens helps ensure the camera can still operate due to multiple optical paths.

ZF’s camera technologies feature best-in-class optical performance and an enhanced fusion envelope. When combined with a full suite of the company’s ADAS technologies such as forward looking and corner radar, automated functions such as lane change assist, and traffic jam assist are enabled. These functions can form the basis for technologies such as truck platooning to make long haul trucking safer and more efficient.

ZF has a long history of commercial truck ADAS supply for major European truck makers, and will launch an advanced ADAS system for a major Japanese manufacturer in 2020. The launch will include ZF’s first application for its Image Processing Module where camera images will be processed in a separate unit from the camera housing.

Global BMW Group electrified vehicle sales pass 400K mark

In May, cumulated BMW Group electrified sales topped the 400,000 mark with a total of 406,756 fully-electric and plug-in hybrid models delivered to customers since the BMW i3 first went on sale in November 2013.

Five and a half years after it was launched, demand for the iconic BMW i3 continues to grow with global sales in May up 40.0%.

Overall sales of BMW Group electrified vehicles grew by 9.8% in May, as customers show increasing interest in low emissions mobility.

Deliveries of the plug-in hybrid BMW 2 Series Active Tourer quadrupled in May and sales of the electrified BMW 5 Series increased by 40.4%.

Sales of the plug-in hybrid MINI Cooper S E Countryman ALL4 in May were almost three times as high as the same month last year.

By the end of next year, the BMW Group will have introduced ten new or updated electrified models and by the end of this year, the company expects to have a total of half a million electrified vehicles on the roads.

Honda provides some detail on chassis and powertrain for Honda e EV

Honda’s new compact electric vehicle, the Honda e, is the first Honda to be built on a dedicated EV platform, designed from the ground up to deliver excellent Honda driving dynamics.

The Honda e platform has been developed with a focus on urban environments to offer a rewarding, responsive driving experience. The battery is positioned at a low level under the floor, and centrally within the wheelbase of the car, affording a 50:50 weight distribution and low centre of gravity for optimal handling and stability.

Power from the high-torque electric motor is delivered through the rear wheels, enabling steering precision even at high acceleration.

The platform offers a combination of ride comfort and agility. The four-wheel independent suspension is engineered to offer stability in all conditions, a smooth ride and responsive handling. Elements of the suspension components are forged aluminum to reduce weight and benefit performance and efficiency.

When combined with its compact size and short overhang, the Honda e delivers next-generation small car agility to make city driving enjoyable and tight maneuvers in urban environments effortless.

For continued ease of use and charging flexibility, the 35.5 kWh Lithium-ion battery can be charged using either Type 2 AC connection or a CCS2 DC rapid charger. Combined with a full range of more than 200 km, the fast-charge capability of the advanced powertrain will deliver exceptional usability to meet the demands of everyday commuting providing 80% charge in 30 minutes.

Designed with a focus on simplicity and usability, the Honda e charging port is integrated into the hood, with LED lighting visible through a glass panel to illuminate the port for the driver and highlight the battery charging status. The positioning of the charging port allows easy access from the front of the car or from either side. Displays on the dual touchscreens inside the car present the current level of battery charge, while a drivetrain graphic charts the current power flow and the regeneration and recharging status.

The battery pack is water-cooled to maintain an optimum thermal state therefore maximising the efficiency of the battery and charge state, while also ensuring its size and weight are minimised so that it does not compromise cabin room.

Honda’s new compact electric car is a key part of the brand’s latest electrification commitment to feature electrified technology in 100% of its European sales by 2025. Presented in prototype form at the 2019 Geneva Motor Show, the first Honda production battery electric vehicle for the European market will make its mass production debut later this year.

Honda has already received 31,000 expressions of interest, and customers can make a reservation for priority ordering online in UK, Germany, France and Norway or register their interest in other European markets on the Honda national websites.

Tesla Model Y Electric Range Just 8-10% Less Than Model 3, Says Musk

As a crossover, a drop in range compared to the Model 3 is to be expected.

Tesla CEO Elon Musk says the range of the Model Y will be up to 10% less than the Tesla Model 3 due to its shape and weight.

In that same Ride The Lightning podcast that brought us news of the $50,000 Tesla pickup truck and the insane performance of the upcoming Tesla Roadster, we learn some information in regards to the Model Y.

In discussing the Model Y, Musk stated:

“We tried to make the car as similar to the [Model 3] as possible except in the case where a change was necessary to achieve SUV functionality…[all] while still having a low drag coefficient and not increasing the frontal area too much.”

According to Musk, the net result is a range loss of only 8-10%, as compared to the Model 3. Not bad for a vehicle that can seat up to 7 in a pinch.

More Tesla News

 Tesla Pickup Truck To Be Priced Below $50,000, Makes Ram Seem Puny

 

 New Tesla Roadster Images Emerge

While Tesla’s Model 3 sedan is a runaway success, the coming Model Y sport-utility vehicle could eventually out-sell it. Planned to debut later in 2020, it will be based on the Model 3 and start at $39,000 with a 230-mile battery range.

Unfortunately, the base model won’t be available until 2021. Tesla will initially sell costlier versions of the Model Y at launch, with a range of between 280 and 300 miles and priced up to $61,000.

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New York City Clean Air Taxi rules are successful in cutting emissions and reducing air pollution, https://www.mailman.columbia.edu/public-health-now/news/clean-air-taxis-cut-pollution-new-york-city-study to a new study by researchers at the Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health and Drexel University. Between 2009 and 2015, the legislation more than doubled the fuel efficiency of the fleet of 13,500 yellow taxis, leading to estimated declines in air pollution emissions. The findings are published in the Journal of Exposure Science & Environmental Epidemiology. The scientists report that overall fuel efficiency of the medallion taxi fleet climbed from 15.7 to 33.1 mpg, and corresponding estimates of nitric oxide (NO) and total particulate (PMT) exhaust emissions declined by 82% and 49%, respectively. They also found these emission reductions were associated with decreases in concentrations of pollutants in the city’s air. Introduced in 2006, Clean Air Taxi legislation mandated that at least 9% of new medallions for yellow taxis be set aside for hybrid or compressed natural gas vehicles, and incentivized the purchase of low-emission taxis by extending the allowed period of models classified as “clean air” by the United States Environmental Protection Agency. Clean Air Taxi laws do not regulate the city’s 100,000 for-hire vehicles such as Ubers and Lyfts which are governed by separate laws and regulations. The past decade has seen steady improvements in the quality of air in New York City, and clean-air taxis appear to be one contributing factor. —Dustin Fry, MPH, a researcher at Drexel University Dornsife School of Public Health The researchers created maps to measure taxi traffic intensity across the city and used inspection and trip data to approximate taxi-related exhaust emissions of two major sources of air pollution: nitric oxide and particulate matter. They then used New York City Community Air Survey data collected at more than 100 monitoring sites across the city to estimate the impact of these changes. The biggest effect was seen in Manhattan neighborhoods with a high density of yellow taxis—not in low-income and outer borough areas with elevated rates of respiratory illness. The authors say this finding suggests other policies are needed to make meaningful advances in improving respiratory health. This study provides evidence that air pollution legislation can have real impact. Even though overall, yellow taxis account for a small proportion of vehicular miles traveled on New York City’s streets, in midtown they account for almost half. Similar regulations targeting other vehicles could make an even bigger difference. —co-author Frederica Perera, PhD, professor of environmental health sciences and director of Translational Research at the Columbia Center for Children’s Environmental Health Additional authors include Marianthi-Anna Kioumourtzoglou, Christian A. Treat, David Evans, Kimberly R. Burke, Daniel Carrion at the Columbia Mailman School and Columbia University Irving Medical Center; and Loni P. Tabb, Gina S. Lovasi at Drexel University Dornsife School of Public Health. The research was conducted in collaboration with the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene and was financed by National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS) and the Environmental Protection Agency (P50ES09600), the NIEHS Center for Environmental Health in Northern Manhattan (P30ES009089), the John and Wendy Neu Family Foundation, and the Blanchette Hooker Rockefeller Foundation.

New York City Clean Air Taxi rules are successful in cutting emissions and reducing air pollution, https://www.mailman.columbia.edu/public-health-now/news/clean-air-taxis-cut-pollution-new-york-city-study to a new study by researchers at the Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health and Drexel University. Between 2009 and 2015, the legislation more than doubled the fuel efficiency of the fleet of 13,500 yellow taxis, leading to estimated declines in air pollution emissions. The findings are published in the Journal of Exposure Science & Environmental Epidemiology.

The scientists report that overall fuel efficiency of the medallion taxi fleet climbed from 15.7 to 33.1 mpg, and corresponding estimates of nitric oxide (NO) and total particulate (PMT) exhaust emissions declined by 82% and 49%, respectively. They also found these emission reductions were associated with decreases in concentrations of pollutants in the city’s air.

Introduced in 2006, Clean Air Taxi legislation mandated that at least 9% of new medallions for yellow taxis be set aside for hybrid or compressed natural gas vehicles, and incentivized the purchase of low-emission taxis by extending the allowed period of models classified as “clean air” by the United States Environmental Protection Agency. Clean Air Taxi laws do not regulate the city’s 100,000 for-hire vehicles such as Ubers and Lyfts which are governed by separate laws and regulations.

The past decade has seen steady improvements in the quality of air in New York City, and clean-air taxis appear to be one contributing factor.

—Dustin Fry, MPH, a researcher at Drexel University Dornsife School of Public Health

The researchers created maps to measure taxi traffic intensity across the city and used inspection and trip data to approximate taxi-related exhaust emissions of two major sources of air pollution: nitric oxide and particulate matter. They then used New York City Community Air Survey data collected at more than 100 monitoring sites across the city to estimate the impact of these changes.

The biggest effect was seen in Manhattan neighborhoods with a high density of yellow taxis—not in low-income and outer borough areas with elevated rates of respiratory illness. The authors say this finding suggests other policies are needed to make meaningful advances in improving respiratory health.

This study provides evidence that air pollution legislation can have real impact. Even though overall, yellow taxis account for a small proportion of vehicular miles traveled on New York City’s streets, in midtown they account for almost half. Similar regulations targeting other vehicles could make an even bigger difference.

—co-author Frederica Perera, PhD, professor of environmental health sciences and director of Translational Research at the Columbia Center for Children’s Environmental Health

Additional authors include Marianthi-Anna Kioumourtzoglou, Christian A. Treat, David Evans, Kimberly R. Burke, Daniel Carrion at the Columbia Mailman School and Columbia University Irving Medical Center; and Loni P. Tabb, Gina S. Lovasi at Drexel University Dornsife School of Public Health.

The research was conducted in collaboration with the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene and was financed by National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS) and the Environmental Protection Agency (P50ES09600), the NIEHS Center for Environmental Health in Northern Manhattan (P30ES009089), the John and Wendy Neu Family Foundation, and the Blanchette Hooker Rockefeller Foundation.

Tesla Pickup Truck To Be Priced Below $50,000, Makes Ram Seem Puny

The target starting price is even lower.

This is a real shocker. In fact, it's a bit hard to believe.

According to Tesla CEO Elon Musk, the upcoming Tesla truck will have a target price of under $50,000. This seems an impossible figure given the fact that other Tesla products (aside from the Model 3) start at a price that's much higher. However, Musk stated this in a recent Ride The Lightning Podcast:

 “You should be able to buy a really great truck for $49k or less.”

Musk added that the capabilities of the Tesla truck will be unmatched, though its appearance might be a bit over-the-top for a typical truck buyer. 

If that price turns out to be true, then yes indeed the Tesla truck will beat the Rivian R1T and electric trucks from Ford and others, too.

More Tesla Truck News

 New Tesla Electric Pickup Render Is Bold, Reminds Us Of Ram Truck

 

⠀ Tesla Model P Pickup Truck Rendered To Life

In the past, Musk commented on the abilities of the Ram truck, stating that it'll be more or less toy-like compared to the Tesla truck. Range of the Tesla truck is expected to be around 500 miles. The unveiling is set for sometime later this year.

In top-level trim, it should boast a range of between 400 and 500 miles, possibly more. As one might suspect, it will be all-wheel drive with a motor for each axle. Musk also noted that the suspension will dynamically adjust according to its load. Being electric and a truck means it will have lots of torque. While we can't say how much, exactly, we can point out that Musk once tweeted that it could tow 300,000 pounds.

Regarding the look, there's been any number of renders of a possible Tesla truck produced over the past couple of years, but we've yet to see the actual truck to really have an idea of what it will look like, though Musk does say it'll have a certain sort of sci-fi appearance.

Hyundai Motor introduces electric double-decker bus

In Seoul, Hyundai Motor unveiled an electric double-decker bus—a first of its kind for Hyundai, and part of the company’s effort to help reduce traffic congestion and air pollution.

The all-new electric double-decker bus is being shown at the ‘Land, Infrastructure and Transport Technology Fair’ held in Korea, co-hosted by Hyundai and the national Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport, lasting from 29 to 31 May.

To develop the company’s first electric double-decker bus, Hyundai worked for 18 months on a project supported by the Korean Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, and Transport, which began in 2017.

The bus allows up to 70 passengers—11 seats on the first floor and 59 seats on the second floor—1.5 times as many passengers as compared to that of a regular bus. Through the implementation of two fixed-in-space wheelchairs, an automatic sliding ramp and low floor design, the double-decker bus secures added accessibility for disabled and mobility impaired passengers.

As part of the company’s effort to increase efficiency and to reduce vehicle emissions, Hyundai equipped the all-new bus with a 384 kWh water-cooled high-efficiency polymer battery, with a maximum 300 km (186 miles) driving range on a single charge. A full charge can be completed in 72 minutes.

The large electric double-decker bus is 12,990 mm long and 3,995 mm high. It runs on an independent suspension system in the first driving axle for a more comfortable ride, and a 240 kW wheel motor axle combined with a motor in the second axle that minimizes loss of electricity. A rear-wheel steering system works in coherence with the steering system of the first axle, optimizing steering performance.

Various advanced safety features are also equipped on the bus to ensure the safety of the passengers:

• Vehicle Dynamic Control (VDC) helps identify the driver’s intended driving direction and maintain the vehicle in control.
• Forward Collision-Avoidance Assist (FCA) uses the car’s front-facing camera to help detect an imminent collision and avoid impact or minimize damage by braking autonomously.
• Lane Keeping Assist (LKA) helps prevent accidental lane departure by sensing road markings.

Study finds NYC Clean Air Taxi rules successful in cutting pollution

New York City Clean Air Taxi rules are successful in cutting emissions and reducing air pollution, https://www.mailman.columbia.edu/public-health-now/news/clean-air-taxis-cut-pollution-new-york-city-study to a new study by researchers at the Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health and Drexel University. Between 2009 and 2015, the legislation more than doubled the fuel efficiency of the fleet of 13,500 yellow taxis, leading to estimated declines in air pollution emissions. The findings are published in the Journal of Exposure Science & Environmental Epidemiology.

The scientists report that overall fuel efficiency of the medallion taxi fleet climbed from 15.7 to 33.1 mpg, and corresponding estimates of nitric oxide (NO) and total particulate (PMT) exhaust emissions declined by 82% and 49%, respectively. They also found these emission reductions were associated with decreases in concentrations of pollutants in the city’s air.

Introduced in 2006, Clean Air Taxi legislation mandated that at least 9% of new medallions for yellow taxis be set aside for hybrid or compressed natural gas vehicles, and incentivized the purchase of low-emission taxis by extending the allowed period of models classified as “clean air” by the United States Environmental Protection Agency. Clean Air Taxi laws do not regulate the city’s 100,000 for-hire vehicles such as Ubers and Lyfts which are governed by separate laws and regulations.

The past decade has seen steady improvements in the quality of air in New York City, and clean-air taxis appear to be one contributing factor.

—Dustin Fry, MPH, a researcher at Drexel University Dornsife School of Public Health

The researchers created maps to measure taxi traffic intensity across the city and used inspection and trip data to approximate taxi-related exhaust emissions of two major sources of air pollution: nitric oxide and particulate matter. They then used New York City Community Air Survey data collected at more than 100 monitoring sites across the city to estimate the impact of these changes.

The biggest effect was seen in Manhattan neighborhoods with a high density of yellow taxis—not in low-income and outer borough areas with elevated rates of respiratory illness. The authors say this finding suggests other policies are needed to make meaningful advances in improving respiratory health.

This study provides evidence that air pollution legislation can have real impact. Even though overall, yellow taxis account for a small proportion of vehicular miles traveled on New York City’s streets, in midtown they account for almost half. Similar regulations targeting other vehicles could make an even bigger difference.

—co-author Frederica Perera, PhD, professor of environmental health sciences and director of Translational Research at the Columbia Center for Children’s Environmental Health

Additional authors include Marianthi-Anna Kioumourtzoglou, Christian A. Treat, David Evans, Kimberly R. Burke, Daniel Carrion at the Columbia Mailman School and Columbia University Irving Medical Center; and Loni P. Tabb, Gina S. Lovasi at Drexel University Dornsife School of Public Health.

The research was conducted in collaboration with the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene and was financed by National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS) and the Environmental Protection Agency (P50ES09600), the NIEHS Center for Environmental Health in Northern Manhattan (P30ES009089), the John and Wendy Neu Family Foundation, and the Blanchette Hooker Rockefeller Foundation.

Geely New Energy Commercial Vehicle Group unveils hydrogen fuel cell and battery-electric city buses

Geely New Energy Commercial Vehicle Group’s (GCV) subsidiary brand, Yuan Cheng, launched two new zero-emission buses at a ceremony in Beijing: the F12 hydrogen fuel cell bus and C11 battery-electric bus.

The F12 is Geely’s first commercial vehicle which utilizes hydrogen fuel cell technology and after a 10-minute refueling can run more than 500 km (311 miles). The C11 battery-electric bus is made for a variety of operational scenarios such as city commuting, tourism, and public transportation. Along with a high passenger capacity, the two new models also have the advantages of being quiet and economical.

Yuan Cheng F12 Hydrogen Fuel Cell Bus

As a provider of public transportation solutions, Yuan Cheng provides a full range of pure electric, range-extended, hydrogen, and methanol smart buses between 6 and 12 meters long. Along with a wide variety of products designed to meet different operational needs, Yuan Cheng also provides training, after-sales service, parts, charging services, financial services, and other comprehensive services as part of Geely’s future smart three-dimensional travel ecology.

F12 fuel cell bus. The new hydrogen-powered F12 city bus was developed by GCV in response to China’s national new energy policy and as part of Geely’s continuing R&D into fuel cell technologies.

In real world operational tests, the F12 fuel cell bus had an energy consumption rate of 7.5 kg of hydrogen per 100 km. A full tank is enough for all-day operation. Through extreme environmental test such as extreme heat, cold, and high altitude, hydrogen fuel cell technology has been proven to be very adaptive.

In addition to its advantages of zero emissions and low energy consumption, the F12 also comes with attractive design, comfortable interior, and multiple smart functions. The model is available in both 12-meter and 10.5-meter versions. The F12 bus comes with real time remote monitoring, road condition warning, remote fault diagnostic, and other intelligent features to assist companies in scheduling and fleet management.

C11 battery-electric bus. Utilizing Geely Holding Group’s experience in design, R&D, and supply chain management for passenger vehicles, GCV was able to develop the C11 pure electric bus to meet the diverse needs of different users. The electric bus utilizes Geely’s advanced lightweight technologies, perfectly meeting the operational needs of urban commuting, tourism, and chartered buses.

Yuan Cheng C11 Electric Bus

The C11 fully utilizes Geely’s suite of intelligent technologies such as AEBS Automatic Emergency Brakes, ESP Electronic Stability Program, Electronic Rearview Mirror, AutoHold Automatic Parking Brake, EPB Electronic Parking Brake, DMS Driver Fatigue Management System, etc. In terms of intelligent safety, the AEBS Automatic Emergency Brakes on the C11 help drivers monitor the road and keep pedestrians safe. Together with LDW Lane Departure Warning, these features help reduce traffic accidents by 80%.

Optimizing battery energy consumption, the C11 is equipped with an IECS Intelligent Energy Control System which improves the energy efficiency of the vehicle by 16%.

Geely commercial buses are produced in two plants in Nanchong, Sichuan and in Jinzhong, Shanxi, which can meet the production needs of products in Northern and Southern China.

Development strategy. The newly unveiled F12 hydrogen fuel cell bus and C11 electric city bus expand GCVs product lineup into the public transportation market. The unveiling and launch of these two new products represents GCV’s commitment to green mobility. At the same time, it demonstrates Geely’s leadership and strength in R&D, design, manufacturing, and resource integration.