Automotive Engineering - September 2023 - 10

TECHNOLOGY REPORT
TESTING
The Jeep Renegade
fitted with an 83 kWh
battery and Magna's
Etelligent Terrain
system easily tackled
most of an off-road
park's runs - even
ones where an
internal-combustion
setup showed some
limitations.
Tenneco opens
engineering, simulation
center in Poland
Because it controls the
resistance using the regen
system rather than the
brakes, descent control on
the Etelligent Terrain system
is smooth, without the brake
on/brake off feeling of many
systems driven by internal
combustion engines.
Suspension- and powertrain-components
specialist Tenneco recently
opened a new 9,600 sq.m (103,334-sq.
ft.) European engineering center at
Gliwice in Poland to serve its European
ride-control and advanced suspension
technologies businesses. The new facility
is located close to the company's
nearby manufacturing plant.
" We've centralized all the prototyping
and all the testing in one location.
We've moved the capacity and the machines
from Belgium, from Spain and
from Otowice into this facility, " Henrik
Johansson, Vice President and General
Manager Advanced Suspension
Technologies, told SAE Media Group.
" It's a good place to be for us for many
reasons. It's near to many of the customers,
of course, and also we have a
great cooperation with the local universities
and we have one of our major -
I would say the major - European site
being shown a little less than two years
after Magna showed a similar setup,
called Etelligent Force, which was installed
on a GMC Sierra HD pickup truck
and put a premium on maximum payload
and towing prowess.
In-vehicle tech developoments
Back at Magna's headquarters, the company
displayed an array of systems and
technologies it is developing, from the
creation of a new door hanger claimed
to be comprised of 98% sustainable materials
by using natural fibers pressed
with resin. The component is lighter
while offering more impact protection.
Elsewhere, Magna showed off thermoplastic
removable roof panels that can
include features such as solar cells, lights
and even the potential to use the panel to
signal traffic during a freeway tire change
or other emergency. Those aren't in the
supply pipeline yet, and a spokesperson
said they were designed " on spec " to
inspire OEMs with the possibilities.
Out in the parking lot, Magna demon10
September 2023
strated a host of safety features. One, its
thermal imaging technology accounts
for 98% of the current thermal-imaging
market. A demonstration showed the
system able to identify pedestrians in
virtual pitch black combined with simulated
fog. A pedestrian suddenly popping
up in front of the vehicle instantly
triggered emergency braking.
And the company showed off the
driver impairment-sensing technology
developed by recently acquired safetytechnology
supplier Veoneer. The system
uses a small pod on top of the
steering column to detect ethanol
fumes in the cabin by way of a nondispersive
infrared (NDIR) sensor, while
cameras watch the driver for distracted
behaviors such as gazing away from the
road. Olivia Eddy, a features engineer
originally with Veoneer, said teams are
working to see how they can integrate
the Veoneer system into a rear-viewmirror-based
system that Magna already
was developing.
Chris Clonts
Henrik Johanssen, Tenneco vice president
and general manager, Advanced Suspension
Technologies.
AUTOMOTIVE ENGINEERING
FROM TOP: SAE/CHRIS CLONTS; SAE/CHRIS CLONTS; TENNECO
Automotive Engineering - September 2023

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Automotive Engineering - September 2023
