Automotive

Ford Motor Company has issued two recalls that affect 435,000 vehicles. The first recall is for 2001 to 2004 Escape SUVs due to a corrosion problem. The second recall is for approximately 49,000 Fusions, Escapes, C-Maxs and Lincoln MKZs.

The AAA Automotive Research Center in Southern California performed a research study to better understand the effects of climate on electric vehicle batteries. The study concluded driving range could be reduced on an average of 57% depending on the temperature.

Automobiles typically have dozens of electronic systems operating interactively in a relatively compact space. These systems must operate reliably in a wide range of environments over extended periods of time. As a growing number of these systems play an ever expanding role in protecting the safety of a vehicle’s occupants, there is an increasing need to ensure that the integrity of these systems will not be compromised by electromagnetic interference.

The Indian Road Transport Ministry has begun the process of creating standards for automobile safety, called the New Car Assessment Programme (NCAP). Test facilities are also being built to perform these tests throughout the country.

A new $6.5 million, 32-acre site will be built on the north campus of University of Michigan as a test center for self-driving vehicles. The testing center will be made into a fake downtown that will feature buildings, parked cars, traffic signals, a tunnel, bicycle lanes and more.

Research and Markets has released their latest strategic outlook on the Automotive Ethernet Technology in Europe and North America. The study focuses on a strategic analysis and the comparison of European and North American OEM and supplier benchmarking.