For series hybrid and range-extender electric vehicles the engine’s sole purpose is power generation. Since transient and partial load driving cycles no longer pose any serious obstacles thanks to advancement in power generation development, several engine technologies, which were suspended or abandoned altogether before, are now in the limelight again. One of the examples is Mazda’s plan to revive rotary engines to be used as range extenders. In addition, some suppliers began proposing instRead more...

Out of the five senses, in-vehicle sensors can already detect three senses namely sight, hearing and touch. However, an in-vehicle device which can sense smell has yet to be commercially available. It is a difficult task to identify odors mechanically. There are 400,000 types of odor molecules in nature whose combinations make up odors. For instance, the scent of coffee is the combination of over 500 different molecules. Human beings identify various odors based on experience. The development Read more...

Application services which support on-street parking are on the rise in Europe and North America. In addition to in-pavement sensors and overhead detectors mounted on street lights and traffic signals, data are obtained from in-vehicle ultrasonic sensors. Collected data on parking space availability are sent to users through the cloud. US internet service and mobile app provider INRIX provides technical support to BMW’s On Street Parking Information which was launched in 2016. By making fullRead more...