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For leading solutions in automotive electronics from the pioneer in the industry, turn to Infineon Technologies. Choose our

semiconductors for your body, powertrain, safety, and hybrid and electric vehicle applications and profit from products

resulting from nearly 40 years of experience in automotive applications and standards. Our commitment to innovation and

high quality means you can count on us to successfully drive your applications into the tomorrow and beyond.

› Car IT-security and connectivity

› Hybrid and electric powertrain

› Safety and ADAS

› Body and convenience

› Powertrain

www.infineon.com/automotive

Diesel crisis, blue badges, traffic bans, air pollutioncontrol, fewer emissions – the list is endless.

The challenges facing modern and sustainablemobility are enormous.

Changes in the global markets and societynecessitate new technical developments andbusiness models.

A world with emission-free mobility raisesfundamental questions:

What is the future for luxury class vehicles?

What role will automated driving functionsplay in future technological developments?

What does remote laser welding mean forcar body construction?

How do we overcome challenges in the on-board value added chain?

What can we expect from the emotional andpowerful architecture of e-mobility?

Can we meet the requirements of the auto-mobile industry in terms of costs, quality andreliability?

How can we avert the dangers that near-silent electric motors pose to inattentivepedestrians?

Many recent articles show us the way to abetter quality of life and a greater understan-ding of the technologies of the future.

Walter Fürst, Managing Director

Editorial

Let‘s talk about the futureof mobility

Masthead:

Publisher: media mind GmbH & Co. KGHans-Bunte-Str. 580992 Munich/GermanyPhone: +49 (0) 89 23 55 57-3Telefax: +49 (0) 89 23 55 57-47E-mail:mail@media-mind.infowww.media-mind.info

Managing director: Walter Fürst, Jürgen Bauernschmitt

Design + DTP: Jürgen Bauernschmitt

Prepress: media mind, München

Responsible editor: Ilse Schallwegg

Published annually: 1 x annually

© 2018/2019 by media mind GmbH & Co. KGNo part of this magazine may be stored, copied orreproduced without the written consent of the editorial office

For Audi, 2018 is the year of electric mo-

bility. In the second half of the year, we

will present our first electric car: the Audi

e-tron, an SUV that combines a range that

is suitable for everyday use with a sporty

driving experience. We are committed to

electrification, and we are pursuing a clear

e-roadmap: The Audi e-tron is the first in

a long line of new electric models. By

2025, we will have over 20 electrified

models in our product range. More than

half of them will be fully electric, with the

rest being plug-in hybrids.

The Audi e-tron will roll off the produc-

tion line in Brussels, followed one year

later by the derivative Audi e-tron

Sportback. The batteries will be fitted

directly in Brussels, while the e-motors

will come from our engine plant in Gyór

in Hungary. In addition, we are already

preparing our two main German plants for

electrification, with Neckarsulm and

Ingolstadt each set to produce two Audi

electric cars. Audi Sport will also release a

Granturismo as an electric RS model –

manufactured at our factory in Heilbronn.

We are working with Porsche on the

design of the premium electrification

architecture for our midsize and full-size

electric cars over the coming decade. We

are accepting no compromises, which is

why we are actively avoiding a multi-trac-

tion strategy and instead using an architec-

ture that is specially tailored for electric

drive systems. This gives us considerable

freedom when it comes to technology and

interior design.

By 2025, we expect one-third of the cars

we sell to be powered by electricity. In

other words, our company is already in

the middle of a huge transformation. We

have redefined our core competencies and

we are establishing new expertise and train-

ing our employees for the future topics of

electrification, digitalization and condi-

tional automated driving. We have worked

with a wide range of Bavarian suppliers for

many years now. We greatly appreciate

their technological innovations and the

“made in Bavaria” quality they deliver.

Let‘s shape the future of mobility together!

Dr. Bernd Martens

Member of theBoard of Management ofAUDI AG, Procurement

Dear Readers,

The car recognizes the driver, thedoor opens without human activa-tion and the side bolsters on thefront seat lower to facilitatevehicle entry. This is how auto-motive supplier Brose presentedthe intelligent interaction bet-ween its door and seat functionsat the International Motor Show2017 in Frankfurt am Main. Thecentral element of this new accessexperience is an electric drive thatautomatically opens and closesside doors. This function will becommonplace in the age of auton-omous driving – and it can alreadyprovide useful services today incar sharing: if the user does notclose the door properly whenexiting, the vehicle must be ableto do this itself before it drives offor after it has stopped. But firstapplications of the drive will offergreater comfort for entering andexiting vehicles – and enable car-makers to set themselves apartfrom their competitors with thisfunction.

Brose introduced its side door driveconcept in 2015, building on itsexpertise as a world market leader insystems for automatic opening andclosing of liftgates. The automotivesupplier systematically further de-

veloped this innovation until it wasseries ready: the first productionramp-up is scheduled for 2019;various uses in luxury vehicles andmid-range cars are confirmed from2025 on. The hinged car door opensand closes via remote control, smart-phone or gestures and can even beoperated on slopes and at an angle ofup to 15 degrees.Manual operation is still possible, butit is even more convenient: the elec-tronics sense a manual movementand disengage the drive so that the

door can move freely. If the move-ment stops, the integrated currentlessdoor check securely holds the door inany position.

The Brose concept is uniquethanks to its compact and modulardesign, which makes it possible toflexibly adapt the side door driveto different customer or vehiclerequirements. This not only short-ens development time, the use ofstandard components also keeps

Openfor greater

comfort

Sid

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When cars drive autonomously in the future, it goes without saying they will have doorsthat open and close automatically. But this function will already be seen in more andmore cars in the next few years, making vehicle access more comfortable and convenientthan ever before. The mechatronics specialist Brose offers a complete system for this thatencompasses everything from drives to a soft-close feature.

The compact side door drive by Brose can adapt to different customer and vehiclerequirements. Series production starts in 2020.

Significantly enhancedcomfort

Flexibility cuts costs

coon” – the sum of lidar, radarand camera systems that OEMsuse to prepare their vehicles forautomated driving. Reliable envi-ronment monitoring is alsoessential when the computertakes control. There‘s just onecatch: the area directly in front ofthe door is not recognized accu-rately enough. Brose presented a near-fieldradar sensor developed specifical-ly for this purpose. It is currentlythe only solution on the marketthat reliably recognizes even nar-row obstacles with a monitoringangle of 180 degrees thanks tohigh-resolution technology. Thefamily-owned company is theonly automotive supplier to offerthis sensor technology in its inte-grated mechatronic system.Intensive collaboration betweenvehicle manufacturers and systemsuppliers is still essential, how-ever: ultimately, only the interac-tion between the sensor cocoonand the near-field sensors pro-vides comprehensive collision pro-tection.

Brose has expanded its expertisein the interaction of mechanical,electric and electronic systemsand offers its door drive as a com-plete system from a single source:this includes a power openinglatch with soft-close feature andthe door control unit. Capacitivesensor strips on the hinge andlatch side increase safety ascontact-free anti-trap protectionand can also be used as switches.This technology is based onBrose‘s proven liftgate systemsthat have been in use for years.

There is currently still one con-straint in comfort: the user mustkeep an eye on the openingmovement and hold a button thewhole time, e.g. on a remotecontrol. The reason for this –and at the same time the greatesttechnical challenge for the seriesreadiness of doors that open fullyautomatically – is collision pro-tection. Collisions with obstaclessuch as posts or other motoristsmust be ruled out. A module forthis is the so-called “sensor co-

costs low. Brose‘s product usesexisting door interfaces, so it canbe offered as an option withoutmodifications to the vehicle body.The drive works directly at thedoor check strap. If the requiredspace is not available there, theoptional connection via Bowdencables allows for flexible position-ing of the unit in the door.

Side door drive

The Brose door drive system comprises the (1) drive, (2) anti-trap and (3) collisionprotection sensors, the (4) control unit and (5) open-by-wire latch with (6) powercinching unit.

Brose‘s power side door drive makesvehicle access more comfortable andconvenient than ever before. Reliablecollision protection is essential if doorsopen automatically.

Brose Fahrzeugteile GmbH & Co.Kommanditgesellschaft, Coburg

Max-Brose-Str. 1D-96450 CoburgPhone: 09561/21-0info@brose.comwww.brose.com

Thomas Schindler,

Vice PresidentElectronicsBrose Group

Rainer Weichel,

Director ProductGroup Door DrivesBrose Group

Authors

New sensor technologyfor collision protection

The Audi A8 is stylistically de-fining – it signals the dawning ofa new design era for the entirebrand. The front end with thewide, upright Singleframe grilleand the fluid, muscular body sym-bolize sporty elegance, sophisti-cation and progressive status. Thenew A8 delivers on the promisemade by the Audi prologuedesign study. The luxury sedanpossesses a powerful presence –whether in the 5.17 meter (17.0 ft)standard version or the A8 L,which has a 13 centimeter (5.1 in)longer wheelbase.The Audi brand is renownedworldwide for sports appeal,lightweight construction andquattro permanent all-wheel drive– and the design of the new A8conveys these values. The balan-ced proportions emphasize allfour wheels in equal measure.Muscular shapes above the wheelarches give visual expression tothe quattro drive. Viewed side-on,

the upright front end combinedwith the gently inclined rear cre-ate visual tension. The flagshipmodel proclaims its identity bothday and night, drawing on boththe striking HD Matrix LEDheadlights with Audi laserlighting, and the LED light stripcombined with OLED technolo-gy rear lights. These produceunique light animations as thedriver approaches and leaves thecar.

The luxury sedan‘s interior de-liberately adopts a reductivedesign; the interior architectureis clear and with a strictly hori-zontal orientation. Audi carriesits high quality standards into thedigital age with a radically newoperating concept. It does awaywith the familiar rotary push-button and touchpad of the pre-decessor model. The instrument

The new Audi A8:future ofthe luxury class

Th

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Au

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A8

In its fourth generation, the flagship model again provides the benchmark for Vorsprung durch Technik –

with a new design language, an innovative touchscreen operating concept and a systematically electri-

fied drive. The Audi A8 is also the first production automobile in the world to have been developed for

highly automated driving. From this year on, Audi will gradually be taking piloted driving functions

such as parking pilot, garage pilot and traffic jam pilot into production.

Audi A8 - Front view

Doyen of style:the exterior design

Fingertip response:the controls

· New design language and a pioneering touchoperating concept

· Piloted driving functions to be rolled out inproduction Audi A8 versions from 2018

physical barrier separates the twocarriageways. The system isactivated using the AI button onthe center console.Because traffic jam pilot is cap-able of handling the full drivingtask – acceleration, steering andbraking – when certain conditionsare met, drivers can take theirhands off the steering wheel untilthe car requires manual drivercontrol again. This takeoverrequest occurs before the systemnears the limits of its capabilities.From a technical perspective thetraffic jam pilot is revolutionary.During piloted driving, a centraldriver assistance controller(zFAS) now permanently com-putes an image of the surround-ings by merging the sensor data.As well as the radar sensors, afront camera and the ultrasonicsensors, Audi is the first carmanufacturer also to use a laserscanner. The introduction of theAudi AI traffic jam pilot meansthe statutory framework willneed to be clarified in each indi-vidual market, along with thecountry-specific definition of theapplication and testing of thesystem. The brand‘s high qualitystandards are equally applicablein the realm of highly automateddriving. In addition, a range ofapproval procedures and their

services that draw on the swarmintelligence of the Audi fleet. The extensively optimized navi-gation is another new feature: Itis self-learning, based on the routejust driven. This provides thedriver with intelligent search sug-gestions. The map also incorpo-rates highly detailed 3D modelsof major European cities.

The new A8 is the first produc-tion automobile to have beendeveloped specially for Level 3automated driving. The Audi AItraffic jam pilot takes charge ofdriving in slow-moving traffic atup to 60 km/h (37.3 mph) onfreeways and highways where a

The new Audi A8

panel is kept largely clear of but-tons and switches. At its center isa 10.1-inch touchscreen displaywhich, when off, blends almostinvisibly into the high-gloss blacksurround thanks to its black-panellook.The user interface appears assoon as the car is opened. Thedriver controls the Infotainmentsystem with fingertip control onthe large display. They can use asecond touchscreen display onthe center tunnel console toaccess the air conditioning andcomfort functions as well as maketext inputs. When the driveractivates a function in the upperor lower display, they hear andfeel a click by way of confirmati-on. The glass-look operatingbuttons respond in the same way.The combination of acoustic andtactile feedback along with theuse of common touch gesturessuch as swiping make the newMMI touch response especiallysafe, intuitive and quick to use.The A8 can also engage in intel-ligent conversation. The drivercan activate an array of functionsin the automobile using a new,natural form of voice control.Information on destinations andmedia is either available on boardor is delivered from the cloud atLTE speed. The extensive Audiconnect range also includes traf-fic sign recognition and hazardinformation – innovative car-to-X

Audi A8 - Cockpit with MMI touch response

Audi A8 - Sensor areas for environment observation

World premiere:the pilot-driving Audi A8

corresponding timescales willneed to be observed worldwide.Audi will therefore be adopting astep-by-step approach to theintroduction of the traffic jampilot in production models.The Audi AI remote parkingpilot and the Audi AI remotegarage pilot autonomously steerthe A8 into and out of a parkingspace or a garage, while themaneuver is monitored by thedriver. The driver need not besitting in the car. They start theappropriate system from theirsmartphone using the newmyAudi app. To monitor the park-ing maneuver, they hold the AudiAI button pressed to watch a livedisplay from the car‘s 360 degreecameras on their device.

With a whole package of innova-tions, the suspension revisits thevery limits of what is physicallypossible. One such innovation isdynamic all-wheel steering, whichcombines direct, sporty steeringwith unshakable stability. The steer-ing ratio for the front wheelsvaries as a function of speed; therear wheels are turned in or againstthe direction of steering dependingon the speed range. The car‘shandling becomes even moredynamic and precise with the sportdifferential. This actively distri-butes the drive torque between the

rear wheels, complementing thequattro permanent all-wheel drivethat is now standard in the new A8.The second new technology, AudiAI active suspension, is a fullyactive suspension system. Depend-ing on the driver‘s wishes and thedriving situation, it is capable of rais-ing or lowering each wheel sepa-rately with electric actuators. Thisflexibility imparts the driving char-acteristic with huge latitude – rang-ing from the smooth ride comfortof a classic luxury sedan to thedynamism of a sports car. In com-bination with pre sense 360°, thecar is raised with lighting speed ifthere is an impending lateral colli-sion, reducing the potential conse-quences of the accident for alloccupants.This highly innovative suspensionsystem obtains the energy it requiresfrom a 48-volt electrical system.

Audi now for the first time fits it asthe primary electrical system in allmodel versions of the A8. In con-junction with the advanced air sus-pension for the A8, the innovativesuspension concept delivers anutterly new driving experience.

The new A8 is available with twoextensively reengineered V6 tur-bo engines since market launch inNovember 2017. Both enginesoperate in conjunction with a beltalternator starter (BAS), which isthe nerve center of the 48-voltelectrical system. This mildhybrid technology (MHEV, mildhybrid electric vehicle) enablesthe car to coast with the engineswitched off, and to restartsmoothly. It also has an extendedstart/stop function and an energyrecovery output of up to 12 kW.The combined effect of thesemeasures is to bring down thefuel consumption of the alreadyefficient engines even further – byas much as 0.7 liters (0.2 US gal)per 100 kilometers (62.1 mi) inreal driving conditions.

New dimension:the suspension

Mild hybrid: the drives

The new Audi A8

Contact:

Christoph Lungwitz

AUDI AGI/GP-P3D-85045 IngolstadtTel.: +49-841-89-33827Fax: +49-841-89-90786christoph.lungwitz@audi.dewww.audi.comAudi A8 - AI active suspension

Audi A8 - Belt alternator starter

The extensive range of driverassistance functions and thedevelopment towards highlyautomated driving already placehigh technical demands on thesensors and algorithms installedin modern vehicles.A prerequisite for ensuring thecorrect operation of a systemwith many different sensors isthe exact determination of theposition and orientation of thesesensors to the vehicle (i.e. theirextrinsic calibration).For each vehicle, a calibrationprocess must be carried out onceper sensor simply because ofmanufacturing tolerances.However, environmental influ-ences, ageing effects and acci-dent damage change the align-ment of the sensors, requiringcontinuous readjustment evenwith minor changes.Depending on the calibrationmethod, a “target” (i.e. an objectknown to the system) and there-fore possibly also a visit to theworkshop is required to performthe calibration.ESG has been working on cali-bration procedures that workwithout targets while the vehicleis on the road in normal drivingsituations since 2010.A solution for purely camera-based systems is the Online

Calibration (OC), which uses themethod of visual motion estima-tion (i.e. reconstruction of thecamera movement based on thevideo stream). From the recon-structed camera trajectory and asimplified vehicle model, it ispossible to determine the view-ing direction of the camera. Thecalibration is performed percamera, the calibration results ofthe other sensors are not takeninto account. This process wasexpanded to include additionalsensor types for multi-sensorcalibration, which determine thealignment and position of all sen-sors simultaneously during a cali-bration process by fusing and

processing the sensor data of allsensors.Sensor positions and orientationsfor the vehicle are determinedbased on the fact that sensorsundergo different movementswhen cornering, depending ontheir positioning on an automo-bile. In this case, a movement iscomposed of a linear componentand a rotational component. Thisis reflected in the following fig-ure: When the car drives arounda curve, it is clear that the relativemovement of the displayedcamera differs from that of thereference point in the car.Furthermore, it is assumed thatthe position and orientation ofthe sensor to the vehicle is rigid,or does not change much. Takinginto account these assumptionsand information about the move-ment of the car and sensor, it ispossible to determine the positi-on of the sensor to the car.The method described above isbased on the availability of infor-mation about the vehicle, as wellas sensor movement. The formercan be obtained from the auto-mobile‘s odometry data, forexample. The latter is deter-mined, depending on the sensorused, with the aid of a variety ofalgorithms. Some examples ofthese are Visual Simultaneous

Multisensor calibrationfor

sensor data fusion

Op

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ori

thm

s

Automated driving functions are of enormous importance for the future technological devel-opment of the automotive industry towards driverless vehicles. Without a doubt, a highlyaccurate environmental model of the vehicle‘s surroundings is one of the central themes. Thisrequires knowledge of the exact positions and viewing directions of all installed sensors on thevehicle. This is an area where ESG is working on innovative solutions.

In summary, the multi-sensorcalibration system is an excitingapplication from many differentfields of research for addressingthe problem of calibrating a largenumber of sensors on a vehicle.Such a solution promises manypotential applications and bene-fits, such as recognizing the needfor recalibration or cost savingsin production and after-sales.

the system. The results obtainedhave shown that this method canbe used to obtain precise valuesfor the sensor orientation, butthe specific position does notexceed the accuracy of valuesfrom a CAD model (productioninaccuracies). However, accurate-ly determining the rotation ofthe sensors is more important fora precise environmental modelbecause small inaccuracies cancause very large errors.One problem that the tests haveshown is the use of odometry asa means for measuring the move-ment of the car, as this merelyprovides two-dimensional infor-mation and therefore cannotaccurately determine all thedegrees of freedom of the overallvehicle system. For this reason,the integration of an additionalmotion estimation sensor, such asan Intertial Measurement Unit(IMU), significantly improvesresults. This is currently the sub-ject of internal further develop-ments of the calibration proce-dure.

Localization and Mapping(VSLAM) for cameras or Iter-ative Closest Point (ICP) forLIDAR (Light Detection andRanging). In order to increasethe robustness of the system, theresulting equation is stretched fora variety of movements and thesensor positions that representthe best consensus across allmeasurement data are selected.Since, as mentioned above, alarge number of sensors are usedfor automated driving, the systemof equations can be extended notonly in the time dimension, butthe different sensors - multiplecameras, LIDARs, etc. - can alsobe linked to a get better result forthe position of all sensors on thevehicle.The approach described aboveand the motion estimation algo-rithms were implemented andthen verified, taking into accountadditional practical problems. Forverification purposes, a city tripincluding sensor data was gene-rated in a virtual simulation envi-ronment and then processed by

Optical Algorithms

Author:

ESG ELEKTRONIKSYSTEM- UNDLOGISTIK-GMBH

Livry-Gargan-Straße 682256 Fürstenfeldbruck/GermanyThomas.Scheruebl@esg.de

Thomas Scherübl

Senior SoftwareEngineer,DevelopmentAdvancedDriver Assistance /Embedded Software

The general trend towards indi-vidualized products is also evidentin the automotive industry with astrong increase in vehicle deriv-atives. In this context, the steadi-ly expanding use of electric driveconcepts is exacerbating thesituation, with the variety of vari-ants and thus the complexity ofproduction increasing significant-ly. In contrast, rigid productionstructures can only cover a limi-ted number of variants. For thisreason, the Institute for MachineTools and Industrial Management(iwb) at the Technical Universityof Munich is researching togetherwith partners from industry tomake car body production moreflexible. The RoKtoLas projectconsortium covers wide parts ofthe value chain - from sensormanufacturer to an automobileOEM. The aim of the research

project is to achieve a technologi-cal breakthrough in automotiveengineering which, on the onehand, makes the process chains incar body construction more fle-xible and, on the other hand, ena-bles internal quality assurance inremote laser beam welding.Finally, the functional principleand the advantages of a highlyflexible production cell are shownby means of a demonstrator (seeFigure 1 left).

The desired flexibility of theprocess chains will be achievedby replacing conventional resis-tance spot welding with remotelaser beam welding of individualbody parts. The sensor unitbased on optical coherence

tomography (OCT sensor unit)forms the focus of the project,with work packages shown inFigure 2. This enables for thefirst time an integrated and con-tinuous process monitoring.The information obtained by thesensor unit concerning compo-nent positioning, measured inadvance of the process zone, en-ables the use of a robot-basedclamping technology. Comparedto fixture-based systems, thissystem can significantly reducethe accessibility requirements.For the first time, a componentdesign optimized for laser beamwelding can be used, whichoffers new possibilities for effi-cient lightweight construction.This allows the full potential ofremote laser beam welding to beexploited and the implementa-tion of highly flexible productionsystems.

Highly flexibleremote laser beam

welding for the car bodyproduction of the future

Photonic

Fig. 1: Planned functional demonstrator in the context of RoKtoLas and measuring

principle of optical coherence tomography

Technology substitutionin the field of

joining technology

Innovations in photonics as an enabler for highlyadaptable production systems

Fig. 2: Concept for making process chains

in body construction more flexible

The use of laser beam weldingprocesses in car body construc-tion requires a reliable and repro-duceable assessment of the weldseam quality. A comprehensivequality assurance is necessary toqualify laser beam welding forthis application. In addition, pro-cess monitoring as a measure formaintaining and tracking theseam quality is increasingly be-coming a basic requirement forthe use of laser beam welding inthe automotive industry.However, direct process observa-tion during laser beam welding iscurrently only feasible to a verylimited extent. Optical images ofthe process zone are confined,for example, to the surface of thecomponent. The characteristicprocesses during laser beamwelding within the capillary aretherefore not visible. Likewise, areliable evaluation of the imagedata for quality assurance pur-poses cannot be reproduced. Sta-tements on the quality of thewelds are usually derived from acomparison with reference welds.In this way, larger deviationsfrom the collected data of a stableprocess can be detected and cate-gorized into high and low qualityparts. However, since no absolutestatements can be made aboutthe seam quality, indirect obser-vation technologies such ascamera systems are susceptible tointerpretation errors. Thisapplies in particular to remotelaser beam welding, since thedynamic mechanisms in the pro-cess zone and their influence onthe seam quality are hardlydetectable. This is due to thelarge working distance of theprocessing optics and to inter-ferences, such as metal vaporescaping from the process zone.The high-speed image of aremote laser beam welding pro-cess shown in Figure 3, in whicha clear spatter formation can be

lished for a considerable time inmedical technology, is increa-singly finding its way into indu-strial production. Until now, suchsensors have been used only onfixed optics for one-dimensionalmeasurements. The transition toremote laser material processingenables a comprehensive obser-vation of the interaction zone aswell as of the pre- and post-pro-cessing zone and thus an inte-grated quality assurance.

Today, mainly workpiece-specificclamping devices are used toaccurately position and align theindividual sheet metal parts withthe desired tolerance for the pro-duction of car bodies. Due totheir solid construction, thesedevices can reliably hold thecomponents in position duringthe joining process. However,since they are usually individuallyadapted to a specific assembly,they allow hardly any changes tothe component geometry, thecomponent position or the pro-cess sequence without significantchanges to the assembly. If, forexample, the position of a com-ponent has to be changed due todesign modifications, it is oftennecessary to transfer the compo-nent to a subsequent fixture oreven to a new fixture. This is notonly associated with high costs,but also with considerablerestrictions in the planning ofprocess steps. This means thatany change, for example by a-dapting the joining sequence,integrating new vehicle deriva-tives or changing models, notonly leads to remarkable adjust-ments of the devices, but also ofthe entire production process.For this reason, robot-based, fix-ture-free concepts for compo-nent positioning are currentlybeing researched. These aim toreplace rigid joining devices withflexible grippers on industrial

Photonic

seen, illustrates the high processdynamics and the influence ofthe escaping metal vapor on theobservability of process irregu-larities.A direct measurement of theparameters within the processzone is a much more robustapproach for evaluating the pro-cess result. So far, there are nosuitable methods for directobservation of the interactionzone, with the exception of com-plex X-ray procedures. The useof optical coherence tomography,with the functional principleshown in Fig. 1 on the right, ena-bles the processes within thevapor capillary to be observeddirectly. The method is based onthe interferometer principle andallows both high space- and time-resolved distance measurements.For example, it is possible todetermine the welding depthduring laser deep penetrationwelding in real time. In the context of the RoKtoLasresearch project, an OCT mea-surement system for the use in 3Dscanner optics is investigated.The measuring beam can bepositioned in any position withinthe working area of the scannersystem via an additional deflec-tion unit. It is thus possible notonly to measure the weldingdepth, but also to observe thefront and rear area of the processzone. With the sensor, edges inthe joining zone can be foundand used for seam tracking or thesurface of the weld seam in thetrailing zone can be analyzed (seeFigure 4). The measuringmethod, which has been estab-

Fig. 3: Process dynamics in remote laser

beam welding

Universal sensor conceptfor quality assurance

Robot-based clampingtechnology

robots. In addition to cooper-ating robots, complex optical andmechanical sensor systems areusually used. The aim is alwaysto ensure that changes in compo-nent geometry or in the processsequence do not require hard-ware changes, but only softwareadaptations to the robot and grip-per system.Previous research approacheshave focused on the integrationof external sensors and on eval-uation methods for componentpositioning. However, all ap-proaches lack an intelligent coup-ling of the gripper systems withthe joining process data and theirintegration into a highly flexibleoverall system. The extensivedata of the sensor system enablethis intelligent coupling so thatchanges in the joining processcan be flexibly handled at anytime. For example, individualcomponent deviations that influ-ence the dimensional accuracy ofthe assembly can be corrected.Overall, a wider range of compo-nents can be reliably processed.

n summary, the joining processescommonly used in car body con-struction require the use of rigidclamping devices and thus lead toconsiderable restrictions in bothcomponent design and in produc-tion processes. Contrary to this,remote laser beam welding placessignificantly lower demands on

component accessibility and thusimproves the load-bearing designof components.In addition, fixture-free joiningcan be made possible by adaptingand optimizing the componentdesign. For this purpose, a robot-based gripper system for the posi-tioning of components is de-signed and developed. Based onthe data of the optical measuringsystem, the clamping situation canbe evaluated and adjusted withactive grippers. The robot-basedsystem offers a wide range of con-trol variables. Machine learningprocesses are used to adapt theclamping situation or the weldingprocess so that the newly createddegrees of freedom can be usedefficiently. An intelligent positio-ning facilitates the control ofcomponent tolerances and increas-es the process stability.Finally, the new sensor conceptenables a comprehensive and con-sistent process data generation onthe basis of which integrated pro-cess monitoring in remote laserbeam welding can take place forthe first time. This enables a moredemand-oriented design as well asan overall process-accompanyingquality assurance and representsthe prerequisite for the construc-tion of highly flexible productionplants in the sense of a networkedproduction.

The project is supported with fundsfrom the Federal Ministry for Edu-

cation, Science, Research and Tech-nology (BMBF) under the fundingcode 13N14555 and supervised bythe VDI Technology Centre (VDITZ). We thank the BMBF and theVDI TZ for their support and thegood and trusting cooperation.

Photonic

Christian Stadter

Research Associatechristian.stadter@iwb.mw.tum.de+49 89 289 15560

MaximilianSchmöller

Research Associatemaximilian.schmoel-ler@iwb.mw.tum.de+49 89 289 15492

Prof. Dr.-Ing.Michael F. Zäh

Head of Institutemichael.zaeh@iwb.mw.tum.de+49 89 289 15502

Authors:

Technical University of Munich Department of Mechanical Engineering

Institute for Machine Tools andIndustrial Management (iwb)

www.iwb.mw.tum.de/en

Fig. 4: Measurement of the seam topology for quality assurance

Highly flexible intelligentproduction systems

Acknowledgements

Speciale-Car

Germany is undoubtedly an Automotive

and Mobility Country and this should con-

tinue. Wie are currently confronted with

enormous challenges to keep the air clean

in our cities. The decision of the Bundes-

verwaltungsgericht concerning car-banning

accelerated the dynamics in this topic and

showed that all measures to reduce the

nitrogen oxide have to be adequate.

So the question is: how do we manage to

bring together more mobility with reduced

emissions and do without car-banning and

the so called „blue plaque“.

The German federal government reacted

very quickly and sustainably and offered one

billion Euro with 11 support programs for

the retrofitting of Diesel-busses, and for the

electrification and digitalization of local traf-

fic systems.

With the on demand program „Clean Air

2017 - 2020“ and the implementation of a

pilot point which assists the applicants with

their access to the support programs, this

process will be strongly promoted.

Additionally the federal government com-

mitted the car manufacturers to refit 5,3

Mio. Diesel-cars of the emission category

Euro 5 and Euro 6. Theses measures already

work: several cities report about reducing

emission rates.

It`s now necessary not to slacken. So the

federal government has chosen 5 Lead

cities, in which one will test innovative

measures to reduce nitrogen oxide exceed-

ing the measures of the on demand pro-

gram.

This could be a temporarily free public

transport a sophisticated traffic guiding and

environmental zones for trucks.

This is our intelligent package of measures

to improve the air and life quality in our

cities and to combine more mobility with

reduced emissions. I am convinced, that if

all - the federal level, the Länder level and

the cities, are pulling together the

„Emissionswende“ will be successful.

Siegfried Balleis

Sonderbeauftragter der Bundesregierung für das

Sofortprogramm „Saubere Luft“

Preface

It is therefore not without reasonthat the EMN‘s plans for devel-opment focus on the “automoti-ve” technology-oriented field ofexpertise and the “intelligentmobility” action field. Key areasinclude: automated driving, en-vironmental compatibility, intelli-gent networks, age-appropriatemobility and hybrid drive systemsincluding e-mobility.

Efficient and electric mobility isgaining more and more impor-tance and it seems only a questionof time before it permanentlyreplaces the classic combustionengine. With its mix of variedsuppliers, the EMN is perfectlypositioned to advance and dec-isively shape this and other issues.

One example is provided by Conti-Temic microelectronic GmbH inNuremberg, where around 2,500employees work on all aspects ofelectrification. The world‘s first48-volt hybrid drive has beenmass produced there since Octo-ber 2016. The technology used isa particularly cost-efficient solu-

tion that significantly reduces fuelconsumption and exhaust emis-sions. The 48-volt variant is an al-ternative to the considerably morecomplex 300 to 400 volt technol-ogy that has previously been thestandard in hybrid vehicles. Since2013, the engineers at Continen-tal in Nuremberg have beendeveloping this hybrid drive

together with Renault and region-al partners such as the FraunhoferInstitute for Integrated Systemsand Device Technology (IISB)and the Bayerisches Laser-zentrum (both based in Erlan-gen).

Other companies and brands suchas Siemens, Baumüller, Brose,

European MetropolitanRegion of Nuremberg:

strength in the automotive industry – e-mobility as a

strategic driver of innovation

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Automobile suppliers form the industrial backbone of the European metropolitan region of Nuremberg(EMN).With around 88,000 employees and job growth of over ten per cent within the last six years, theyrepresent a key industry. The EMN‘s corporate landscape is shaped mostly by medium-sized businesses.However, it is also home to global market leaders from various sectors. Its particular strengths lie in elec-trical and mechanical drive technology and mechatronic system solutions.

The world‘s first hybrid drive, which works with a voltage of 48V, was developedby Conti in Nuremberg and continues to be mass produced there.Image: Continental

Ostbayerische Technische Hoch-schule Amberg-Weiden (integra-ted systems and real-time soft-ware for electromobility) and theTechnologietransferzentrum Auto-motive of the Hochschule Co-burg (TAC).

Since 2013, the NurembergChamber of Commerce and In-dustry for Central Franconia hasprovided the CCI Innovation &User Club e-mobility (http://emo-

sity of Applied Sciences Würz-burg-Schweinfurt (i.a. load man-agement with electromobility andinnovative charging technology)provide future-oriented solutions,as do the Institute for PowerElectronic Systems (ELSYS) atthe Technische HochschuleNürnberg Georg Simon Ohm(network integration of electricvehicles i.a.), Automobiltechni-kum Bayern in Hof (measure-ment and testing technology), the

Semikron, Schaeffler, MAN andABM Greiffenberger also standfor considerable global expertisein the field of electric and hybriddrive technology.

The region‘s other strengthsinclude the provision of compo-nents and solutions for electron-ics, cables, wiring systems, andstorage and charging systems.Examples of companies andbrands in these sectors includeBosch, Leoni, Komax, FCIConnectors, ZF, Delphi, Diehl,Schlenk, Scherdel, E-T-A, ABLSursum, TÜV Süd and TÜVRheinland.

The Nuremberg metropolitanarea is home to several researchinstitutes and university depart-ments specialising in electromo-bility. Examples include the above-mentioned Fraunhofer IISB(developing power electronics,designing and implementing stor-age systems and test centres forelectric vehicles), the FraunhoferInstitute for Integrated CircuitsIIS (e.g. information and commu-nication technology for batterymanagement, energy manage-ment, connection to smart grids,non-destructive material testing),Fraunhofer Institute for SilicateResearch ISC (material develop-ment for fast, high-performanceand secure energy storage) andthe Fraunhofer UMSICHT In-stitute Branch Sulzbach-Rosen-berg (centre for energy storage).Institutions such as the E|DriveCenter at the Friedrich-Alexan-der Universität Erlangen-Nürn-berg (production-related design,production technology and appli-cation development for electricdrives), the Bayerische Polymer-Institut in three Universitiesbased in Bayreuth, Fürth andWürzburg (development of fibre-reinforced composites such asCFRP) and the Technologie-Transfer-Zentrum-Elektromobi-lität (TTZ-EMO) at the Univer-

Metropolitan Region of Nuremberg

The "Ladeverbund Franken+" combines the services of around 50 local municipalutilities for a regionwide uniform and user-friendly charging infrastructure.There are currently around 200 charging stations available.Quelle: N-ERGIE

The electric engines from the Baumüller Group in Nuremberg are now also used inbattery-powered FRAMO trucks. The 18-ton electric truck has a range of 250 - 270 kmand can carry a cargo load of 9.5 tons. Quelle: Baumüller

bility-nordbayern.de) in cooperati-on with the chambers of commer-ce and industry based in Coburg,Bayreuth, Regensburg and Würz-burg-Schweinfurt to create oppor-tunities for regional providers,users and developers to cooperateand promote the exchange of kno-wledge. Examples of other regio-nal clusters and networks advan-cing the issue of electronic mobili-ty include Nuremberg-based Bay-ern Innovativ GmbH, and thecompetence initiatives EnergieRe-

gion Nürnberg e.V. (project“CODIFeY”), Center for Trans-portation and Logistics NeuerAdler e.V. (CNA), European Cen-ter for Power Electronics e.V.(ECPE) and in Bayreuth theAutomobilnetzwerk ofraCar-Automobilnetzwerk e.V. Fürth-based solid GmbH combines theelectronic mobility activities ofregional energy providers, forexample in the “LadeverbundFranken+” project, a charging net-work in and around Franconia.

Authors:

Nuremberg Chamber of Commerceand Industry (CCI)Innovation & Environmental AffairsDivision

Ulmenstraße 5290443 Nuremberg, Germanye-mail: iu@nuernberg.ihk.dewww.ihk-nuernberg.de

Dr.-Ing. Robert Schmidt

Dr. rer. nat.Ronald Künneth

Metropolitan Region of Nuremberg

Netherlands@Schaeffler: The Schaeffler bio-hybrid combines benefits such as stabilityand weather protection with the energy consumption and space utilisation of a pedelec.Photo: Schaeffler

The Audi e-tron Sportbackrepresents an important milepostfor Audi along the road to elec-tric mobility. Rupert Stadler,Chairman of the Board of Mana-gement of AUDI AG, con-firmed: “Our Audi e-tron will bestarting out in 2018 – the firstelectric car in its competitivefield that is fit for everyday use.With a range of over 500 kilome-ters (310.7 miles) and the specialelectric driving experience, wewill make this sporty SUV themust-have product of the nextdecade. Following close on itsheels, in 2019, comes the produc-tion version of the Audi e-tronSportback – an emotional coupéversion that is thrillingly identi-fiable as an electric car at the veryfirst glance.”In its consciously light-coloredinterior the Audi e-tron Sport-back concept offers a blend offunctional clarity and reductivecontrols as a formal principle. Ex-pansive touch-sensitive screensbelow the central display, on the

center console and in the doortrims supply information andinteract with the on-boardsystems. Horizontal surfaces onthe dashboard and the seeminglyfloating center console convey asense of open perspectives forthe occupants of the four indi-vidual seats.The concept car‘s lighting tech-nology is an innovation that isvisible by both day and night.Digitally controlled Matrix LEDunits at the front and rear pro-

duce an excellent light yield.Minuscule Digital Matrix projec-tors literally make their mark onthe road ahead, turning light intoa versatile, dynamic channel ofcommunication with the sur-roundings.The brand with the four ringswas the first in the world toadopt full LED headlights, andgave Matrix LED technology,laser lighting and OLED technol-ogy a significant push towardstheir breakthrough. The tech-

Audi e-tronSportback concept –

Architecture of e-mobility

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Design study and technology demonstrator, electric car and power pack in the guise of a coupé:

The study of a four-door Gran Turismo contains a powerful 320 kW electric drive. The formal idi-

om of the coupé with Lux Silver paint finish combines classic Audi elements with an array of

trendsetting details: an electrifying architecture, tailored consistently to the technology and the

package of the electric drive.

Audi e-tron Sportback concept - Front view

· From 2019 on in series: a second e-Audi· Emotional and strong: Audi Coupé style· Enlightening: Seeing the e-tron lights

communicating

tion Audi models with all-electricdrive: One electric motor on thefront axle and two on the rearpower all four wheels, trans-forming the high-performancecoupé into a quattro in typicalAudi style. 320 kilowatts ofpower – which can even reach370 kW in the boost mode –provide a fitting level of propul-sion, with the sprint from 0 to100 km/h (62.1 mph) a done dealin just 4.5 seconds. With the bat-tery‘s energy content of 95 kilo-watt-hours, its range is in excessof 500 kilometers (310.7 miles)(NEDC).As previously on the e-tronquattro concept, the technology

study‘s liquid-cooled lithium-ionbattery is positioned between theaxles below the passenger com-partment. This installation posi-tion provides for a low center ofgravity and a balanced axle loaddistribution of 52:48 (front/rear).And that gives the sporty SUVoutstanding driving dynamics anddriving safety compared withother vehicles in the segment.The Combined Charging Systemwith two connectors enablescharging with alternating current(AC) and direct current (DC).The study vehicle‘s front enddisplays the familiar octagonalSingleframe with an overtly wide,horizontal cut – the greatly re-duced amount of air required bythe electric motor means the largeopening can be omitted here.The sculptural surface painted inthe body color has a structured

area light fields each comprisingan arrangement of around 250LEDs. They offer a vast array of

possibilities for creating engaginggraphics or specific communicativesigns, even while on the move.For its drive, the e-tron Sport-back uses a configuration that willalso be adopted in future produc-

Audi e-tron Sportback concept

nology study now premieres awhole host of complex functionsthat steer vision and interactionwith the surroundings in a newdirection.Narrow light strips on both sidesbelow the front lid – the daytimerunning lights – become the eyeson the face of the study. Thanksto a combination of LEDs and amicromirror-studded surface pluscomplex control technology, alarge number of animated move-ments and signatures are possi-ble. When the e-tron Sportbackstarts and also when the doorsare opened, the system usesswitchable segments to generatedynamic visual welcome signals.Below the daytime runninglights, to the left and right of theSingleframe, there are two large-

Audi e-tron Sportback concept - Cockpit

Audi e-tron Sportback concept - Drivetrain

Audi e-tron Sportback concept - Design sketch interior

pattern emblazoned with thefour-rings logo – just like thegrille of the classic Singleframe.The edges of the central surfaceare drawn back, allowing air toflow through at the top. The airinlet is bracketed again by anoctagonal, black-painted framethat structures almost the entirewidth of the front end.Between the front lid extendinglow down, the front apron andthe wheel arches, it combineswith the light units to give thisAudi an unmistakable face.The Audi designers also adopt anew tack for the air flow throughthe front lid. Above its front sec-tion, which dips deeply at thefront, a bridge running parallelwith the nose connects the twowheel arches and also doubles upas an air deflector. This gives thefront end a much more dynamiccharacter than the hefty forwardstructure of a car with a com-bustion engine installed at thefront.The four wheel arches withpointedly horizontal top edgesextend well out from the cabin.They shape the conspicuousquattro architecture – not just byproviding visual evidence of awide track and dynamic potential,but also by binding the e-tron

Sportback into the brand‘s DNA.Large 23-inch wheels in a techni-cal 6-spoke design highlight theconfident presence of the im-posingly dimensioned coupé. Anexterior length of 4.90 meters(16.1 ft), a width of 1.98 meters(6.5 ft) and a height of 1.53meters (5.0 ft) with a wheelbaseof 2.93 meters (9.6 ft) positionthe e-tron Sportback in the Csegment, close to the Audi A7.Small cameras replace the ex-terior mirrors. This technologyoffers other advantages besidesimproved air flow and reducedwind noise. The blind spot of thephysical exterior mirror is vir-

tually eliminated, as is theobstruction to the diagonal for-ward view. The camera imagesare shown on separate displays inthe doors. Audi is showing thistechnology as a concrete fore-taste of the production version.At the 2015 Frankfurt MotorShow Audi unveiled the Audi e-tron quattro concept – the fore-runner of the brand‘s first all-electric-drive production auto-mobile. As a radically reconfigur-ed SUV it offers a range of upto 500 kilometers (310.7 miles)with the spaciousness and com-fort of a typical full-size automo-bile from Audi. It has the roadperformance of a high-perfor-mance sports car – the Audi e-tron quattro sprints from 0 to 100km/h (62.1 mph) in only 4.6seconds. The production versionof this pioneering electric SUVwill appear on the market in 2018.The Audi e-tron Sportback con-cept car will be followed by itsproduction version in 2019.

Audi e-tron Sportback concept

Contact::

Josef Schloßmacher

AUDI AGI/GP-PD-85045 IngolstadtTel.: +49-841-89-33869Fax: +49-841-89-90786josef.schlossmacher@audi.dewww.audi.com

Audi e-tron Sportback concept - Rear view

Audi e-tron Sportback concept - Electric Drivetrain

Current criticism of electro-mobility usually focuses on longbattery charging times and inade-quate range. Researchers areworking to increase the efficien-cy of electric drives in order toreduce the energy requirementsof electric vehicles. This involvesa large number of individualcomponents, in particular electri-cal steel sheets: These sheets areimportant since the magneticfields that move the motor usingattractive and repulsive forces aregenerated within them.

Depending on the motor'sdesign, a variety of differentholes have to be cut in the steelsheets, for example to makeroom for copper coils built intothe motor. Each steel sheet is"stamped" individually in a press,using the same principle as a holepunch. Special cutting tools areused to ensure that the specifiedgeometries are created in thesteel sheets. Finally, the steelsheets are put together in orderto form the desired shape.

Researchers from the TUM Chairof Metal Forming and Casting haveinvestigated this process in detail intheir workshop. "We wanted toexamine how manufacturing theelectrical steel sheets by blankinginfluences their magnetic prop-erties," explained project directorHannes Weiss.

The scientists found out that thesharpness of the cutting toolsused has a very significant impacton the magnetic properties of thesteel sheets. The effect can becompared to a pair of scissorswhich dulls over time: Moreenergy is needed to cut paperwith the scissors. Regardingblanking, worn cutting edgesresult in higher tension in the

Electrical steel:Strong magnetic fields

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In an electric drive, magnetic fields have to be created in order to transform electric energy intokinetic energy. The magnetic properties of the motor's main components, referred to as electri-cal steel sheets, are the decisive factor in the efficiency of the electric motor. Scientists at theTechnical University of Munich (TUM) have investigated the way these steel sheets are processed andhave concluded that using blunt cutting tools deteriorates the magnetic properties of the steelsheets significantly.

Power consumption risesby as much as 400 percent

Hannes Alois Weiss, research associate at the Chair of Metal Forming and Casting, at thepunching machine. (Photo: Andreas Heddergott / TUM)

steel sheets themselves – thematerial is bent and thus subjectto increased mechanical stress.The resulting stress has a majorimpact on magnetic properties."In some cases as much as fourtimes the amount of electricity isneeded to achieve the samedegree of magnetization," Weissexplains.

Another factor also has a majorinfluence, the distance between thecutting edges, referred to as thecutting clearance. Once again, theprocess can be illustrated using theexample of scissors: When thescrew which holds the scissor bladestogether loosens, the distance bet-ween the blades becomes too largeand the paper frays when cut."Sharp cutting edges and a verysmall cutting clearance are opti-mum in achieving the best mag-netic properties and thus a highlevel of efficiency."

Weiss and his team have formu-lated recommendations for theproduction process. However,economic factors also have to betaken into account, the engineerexplains: “When the cuttingtools and their maintenance incuradditional costs, the final price ofthe electric drives produced risesas well.”

Processing electrical steel sheetsis not only an important issue inthe context of electric motors.The sheets are also used in trans-formers, for example in mobilephone chargers and computerpower supplies. The researchersalso want to focus on the pro-cessing methods in this contextas well. Weiss: "If we think ofthe enormous number of trans-formers in use, then even a smallincrease in efficiency can save alarge amount of energy."

Project work was conductedunder the first part of the researchproject FOR1897 on low-losselectrical steel sheets for energy-efficient drives, "VerlustarmeElektrobleche für energieeffiz-iente Antriebe". The project wassupported by the German Re-search Foundation (Deutsche For-schungsgemeinschaft or DFG) -218259799.

Weiss, H. A. et al.: Loss reductiondue to blanking parameter opti-mization for different non-grainoriented electrical steel grades.Electric Machines and DrivesConference (IEMDC), 2017IEEE International, 2017

Weiss, H. A. et al.: Influence ofshear cutting parameters on theelectromagnetic properties ofnon-oriented electrical steelsheets. Journal of Magnetism andMagnetic Materials Volume 421,2016, 250-259

Magnetic fields

Contact:

Hannes Alois Weiss, M. Sc.Technical University of MunichChair of Metal Forming and Casting

Telephone: +49 (0)89 / 289 - 13998E-Mail: hannes.weiss@utg.de

Hannes Alois Weiss, research associateat the Chair of Metal Forming andCasting, at the punching machine.Photo: Andreas Heddergott / TUM

Individual electric sheets are assembled into a compact package. The picture shows arotor laminated core. (Photo: Andreas Heddergott / TUM)

Major energy savings

Information on the project:

Publications:

Design study, technology demon-strator, mobility concept: The AudiAicon exploits every possibilityoffered by an autonomous luxurysedan of the future with unprece-dented consistency. As a designstudy, the four-door 2+2 boldlyleaps ahead to show the exteriorand interior design of the nextdecades. The technology demon-strator combines innovations re-lating to the drivetrain, suspension,digitalization and sustainability in avisionary manner.And as a mobility concept, theAudi Aicon shows the world oftomorrow, in which the advan-tages of door-to-door individualtransportation are combined withthe luxurious ambiance of a first-class airline cabin. A cabin with nosteering wheel or pedals that canthus offer all the comforts ofmodern communications elec-tronics and perfect ergonomics –simply first-class.One look is all it takes: In contrastto a robot taxi, which is reducedto pure functionality, the autono-mous Audi Aicon concept vehiclepulls out all the stops. Its presenceis impossible to ignore, and itsexterior hints at the spaciouscomfort afforded the passengersand the upscale technical aspira-tions. The Audi Aicon is a sneak

peek at a prestigious automobileof tomorrow that stirs the desiresof demanding customers.

The Audi Aicon looks spectacularfrom any angle. Its sheer size – anexterior length of 5,444 milli-meters (17.9 ft), a width of 2,100millimeters (6.9 ft) and a height of1,506 millimeters (4.9 ft) – placesit in the automotive top tier, theD segment. The wheelbase meas-ures 3,470 millimeters (11.4 ft).That‘s 240 millimeters (9.4 in)more than with the long versionof the new Audi A8.The central element of the ex-terior is the cabin. Large glass sur-faces at the front and rear as well

as the significantly convex sidewindows create a bright expanseof space for the travelers. Adistinct edge runs as a hard linealong the side window surfaces ofthe Aicon back to the D-pillar – afirst in automotive design. Thisline emphasizes the car‘s lengthand effectively reduces the appar-ent volume of the cabin relative tothe overall body. The darkenedside sills rise subtly toward therear, making it seem like the car isducking.The designers reduced the frontand rear ends to a minimum oflines and focused on large, uninter-rupted surfaces. As with the Audie-tron Sportback concept, the Aiconfront features the inverted hex-

Audi Aicon conceptcar – autonomouson course for the future

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With the four-door design vision Audi Aicon, the brand with the four rings is presenting a autonomousAudi of the future – with no steering wheel or pedals. As a design concept, the four-door 2+2 boldly leapsahead to show the exterior and interior design of the next decades. The technology demonstrator com-bines innovations relating to the drivetrain, suspension, digitalization and sustainability in a visionarymanner. The Aicon, too, is designed for purely electric operation and should be able to cover distancesbetween 700 and 800 kilometers (435.0 - 497.1 mi) on a single charge.

Audi Aicon - Front view

Pure presence – the exterior

spaciousness, and the lack of asteering wheel and a classic dash-board creates a sense of opennessand expanse.The interior appears to be particu-larly wide when the two individualfront seats are slid all the way back.The Audi Aicon is a 2+2-seater.An upholstered, two-seat bench isintegrated into the rear panel. Thetwo front seats are designed formaximum comfort and optimalspaciousness. Passengers can slidethem up to 500 millimeters (19.7in) back and forth between the for-ward and rear positions. The seatsdon‘t slide on rails, but rather on aplatform covered in high-pile car-pet that can be moved longitudinal-ly, and on which the passengers‘feet also rest. The platform heightis variable, so that it can also beused as an ottoman for your legs.The pitch of the seat cushions andbackrests can be steplessly adjustedfor a comfortable working or res-ting position.The individual seats can also beswiveled by up to 15 degrees. Turn-ing the seats outward makes it eveneasier for the passengers to get in.Turning them inward makes iteasier for the passengers to talk andinteract. If the passengers turnaround, the head restraints foldback like a collar and become anarm rest.The architecture of the seats is theautomotive reinterpretation of aclassic piece of furniture, the loungechair. The seat cushion andbackrest are visually separated fromone another. Two outer shells sup-port the light-colored, pillow-like

bottom up when the car accelera-tes and in the opposite directionduring braking. Their speed in-creases or decreases in sync withthat of the car.Future cars will expand theirsphere of communication to thesurroundings. The Audi Aiconuses projector modules to illumi-nate the road and surroundings inhigh resolution and project sig-nals onto the ground. This ena-bles it to communicate warningsand vehicle information to pass-ers-by with no direct line of sightto the car.

The Audi Aicon features opposeddoors that open to the front andrear. There is no B-pillar. The en-tire breadth of the interior is thusexposed to the passengers as theyget in the car. In the interior, thelines of the decorative surfaces andfunctional elements are markedlyhorizontal. Becoming lighter frombottom to top, the interior rein-forces the impression of unique

Concept Car Audi Aicon

agonal Singleframe, a typical featureof the upcoming generation ofelectric cars from Audi. The sharp-ly inclined silhouette of the entirefront end evokes a sense of forgingahead – this, too, is a typical sportscar body line.

Conventional headlights andlighting units are absent fromboth the front and rear of thiscar. Instead there are fully digitaldisplay surfaces comprising hun-dreds of triangular pixel seg-ments. They are three-dimen-sional recreations of the Audi AIsymbol.Grouped around the Singleframeare large light fields, in which –as at the rear – more than 600 3Dpixels are arranged in space. Thelarge surfaces and high pixelcount enable versatile graphics,animations and informationvisualizations in any color. TheAudi Aicon is thus no longerbound to a daytime runninglights look, but rather can adaptto the driving situation and evenits passengers. The customiza-tion is boundless. The Audi Aicon supports its sur-roundings intelligently and usesanimations on its display surfacesto warn pedestrians or cyclists ofdangerous situations. Drivingmodes such as platooning, urbandriving or driving at a walkingpace can be visualized. Horizon-tal stripes of light move from the

Audi Aicon - Design sketch interior

Audi Aicon - Design sketch lateral light fields

Emotion and information –the LED lighting technology

Space, form, function –the interior

upholstery elements with a square-quilted surface. The side bolstersof the backrest are subtly angledto provide sufficient support incurves.There is also plenty of space inthe Audi Aicon long-distancevehicle for luggage, of course.Thanks to the space-savingdesign of the electric drive, thereis a storage compartment at boththe front and the rear of thevehicle with a combined capacityof roughly 660 liters (23.3 cu ft).The Aicon also offers numerousstorage options in the passengercompartment.

The oft-cited paradigm change inthe automotive world – it showsin the Audi Aicon. One glance isall it takes to realize that all ofthe controls and displays are mis-sing. Steering wheel, pedals,groups of buttons and instru-ments – nothing. Instead justwide, uninterrupted surfaces.The passengers are enveloped bythe gently curved armrest alongthe doors, which rises slightlyfrom back to front. Instead of adashboard in front of them, thereis a generous shelf and the cen-tral display below the windshield.The interior quickly comes tolife once passengers enter. Illu-minated lines of LEDs set color-ful accents in the area of thedoors. The front display lights upwith a welcome message. PIA,

the empathetic electronic vehicleassistant, recognizes the passen-ger by his phone and activates allof his personal settings. Thereare custom settings for the airconditioning and seating posi-tion, interior light color and thelayout of the infotainment sys-tem. The navigation systemawaits entry of a destination, andall accessible channels of commu-nication are ready for use,connected via the fastest availablestandard.New are the variably positionablecontrol interfaces in the encircl-ing door rail. Depending on theposition of the seats, which canbe shifted by up to 50 centime-ters (19.7 in), ergonomically per-fectly positioned touch and dis-play elements are available in thedigitized wrap-around. Your handinstinctively finds its way to thetouch-sensitive control panels.Passengers can set the mostimportant settings by tappingwith their fingers without havingto sit up in their seats or leaningforward. Operation is also inter-active. The PIA system is oftenone step ahead of the passengerand offers services before theyactively chose them.There are multiple input modesavailable for engaging with thecar. Besides the haptic-manuallayer, there are also voice controland eye tracking, in which sen-sors in the front end of the inte-rior track where the passenger is

looking. The passenger locks hisonto a control element in thearea of the front main display toselect it and performs fine adjust-ments using his hand or voice.The full range of services offeredby modern communications elec-tronics are available at all times inthe Audi Aicon. Travelers canrelax and watch a film or surf theweb. Video conferences are an-other option, as is interaction onsocial media. Depending on theseating position, the passengerscan use the large front display asthe output surface or a virtualhead-up image displayed above itin the windshield.The glass roof panels can blockout the sunlight, if desired. Theirtransparency level changes uponapplication of an electric voltage.Integrated OLED lighting ele-ments allow for precise moodlighting or the even illuminationof the interior when getting in orout of the car, for instance. The Audi Aicon opens up a newworld of mobility to its passen-gers. Freed from the tasks ofdriving, they can choose how tospend their time in the car.Working, communicating or sim-ply just relaxing and even nap-ping: Anything is possible whilethe car autonomously and safelyfinds its way.

The very shape of the Audi Aiconreveals that it is a car from an-other world, an automobile of thefuture. The technology used inthe concept vehicle has also beensystematically designed for thisworld. It presumes a transporta-tion infrastructure in which auton-omously driving automobiles area given on every street. Roadusers are connected to one an-other and their surroundings.The drive and the total vehiclehave also been optimally adaptedto this new world of mobility. Ahighly efficient electric drive

Accommodating – operationand communication

Optimized for the long haul –drivetrain and suspension

Concept Car Audi Aicon

Audi Aicon - Interior

provides for the dynamics of theAudi Aicon. A total of four elec-tric motors are located in the areaof the front and rear axles. Theenergy storage units are integrat-ed into the area below the floor.These are solid body batteries withconsiderably more energy capacitythan lithium-ion batteries.The four electric motors producea total of 260 kW and 550Newtonmeters (405.7 lb-ft). Eachdrives one wheel, enabling elec-tronically controlled, variablequattro all-wheel drive. Maxi-mum acceleration played a lessimportant role in the specifica-tion than maximum efficiencyand thus also range. This opera-ting strategy is also pursued bythe powertrain and electric brakeunits, which use recuperation torecover energy. Targeted light-weight construction of the multi-material body and optimizedaerodynamics also help the AudiAicon to achieve ranges between700 and 800 kilometers (435.0 -497.1 mi) on a single charge.Even charging has been reducedto a minimum. Thanks to a high-voltage system with 800 volts,the Aicon‘s battery unit can becharged to 80 percent of capacityin less than 30 minutes. The caris also equipped with a unit ofinductive, i.e. wireless, charging.The Aicon manages both with-out a driver. In an AI Zone, it can

pull up to a charging station onits own and charge its batterywithout any human assistance. As a true quattro, the Audi Aiconoffers ample performance andeven autonomously always reach-es its destination safely regard-less of the weather or road sur-face. The suspension is designedfor maximum comfort. Pneu-matic spring and damper unitssmooth out any road surfaceirregularities. And electric actu-ators at all four wheels activelycounteract any body lean,whether when cornering, accele-rating or braking. As a fully activesuspension system, it also opti-mizes the qualities of the adaptiveair suspension. The Audi Aiconliterally glides over even largepotholes.The Aicon brakes primarily byway of recuperation and in sodoing recharges the batteries.The development engineers haverelocated the disk brakes fromthe wheels to a position close tothe drivetrain. This improves theaerodynamics at the wheels asthere is no longer any need forair cooling at the wheels, which isalways associated with turbu-lence. Another secondary effectis the reduction of the unsprungmasses, which the Aicon‘s pas-sengers perceive as a particularlysensitive damping response toroad surface irregularities.

The axle and drive units in theAudi Aicon are symmetrical, i.e.identical at the front and rear.Mechanical components, such asthe steering shaft or steeringhydraulics, have been eliminated.The car is therefore equippedwith a complete all-wheel steer-ing system without compromis-ing the available space and thusthe passenger compartment. Apositive effect for the practicalqualities of the Audi Aicon:Despite its long wheelbase ofnearly 3.47 meters (11.4 ft), thecar is extremely agile due to itstwo steerable axles – the turningradius of only 8.50 meters (27.9ft) is below that of a small carthus making the Audi Aicon suit-able for city center driving.The Audi Aicon is an all-around-er well prepared for its primarytask: to offer a maximum of com-fort, communications technologyand freedom for its occupantsduring a long journey. It com-bines the scopes for autonomousdriving in an urban environmentand on the highway with anunprecedented range for an elec-tric drive. The Aicon will befollowed by further multitalentedAudi models, each with theirown specialized discipline, ensur-ing that the vehicle range of thebrand with the four rings remainsas diverse as it is fascinating.

Contact:

Josef Schloßmacher

AUDI AGI/GP-PD-85045 IngolstadtTel.: +49-841-89-33869Fax: +49-841-89-90786josef.schlossmacher@audi.dewww.audi.com

Concept Car Audi Aicon

Audi Aicon - Drivetrain and seating concept

The catchword “Industry 4.0”stands for the revolutionary digi-talization and networking of work-ing and production processes.The use of computer-controlledproduction units in the form ofrobots and the utilization ofmachine-generated data (artificialintelligence) requires fundamen-tal innovations in the fields ofautomatization and production,which are particularly relevant forautomotive technology. New de-velopments, such as digital navi-gation and information systems,driverless cars, electromobility,and smart devices in automobilescall for suitable legal and organ-izational protection concepts.

New challenges for Patent

Offices and Applicants

In the field of patent law, the pri-mary focus lies on questions ofpatentability of new software-based inventions and develop-ments through artificial intelli-gence. In many cases, interdisci-plinary combinations of computerscience and natural sciences willbe involved, which make specialdemands on the expertise ofexaminers and patent attorneysregarding prior art search and for-mulation of patent claims.An increasing number of patentapplications relates to computer-implemented inventions. Theseare inventions involving a compu-ter, a computer network or an-other programmable device, that

are realized, completely or inpart, using a computer program.Revelant for the grant of Europe-an patents in this field are theEPO‘s Guidelines for Examina-tion, Part C II. In each individu-al case it must be determinedwhether the subject-matter claim-ed is a computer program “assuch”, which according to Section1, Sub-section 3, No. 3 PatG(German Patent Act) and Art. 52(2)(c) EPC is not regarded aspatentable invention, or whetherit fulfills the patentability require-ment of technical character bytechnical effects that are presentduring implementation. If this isnot the case, there only remainsthe copyright law which protectsits owner against the copying ofhis/her work but not againstthird-party use of its content. Ifthe first hurdle of the require-ment of technical nature has beencleared, the decisive factor forpatentability is that it relates to atechnical problem that is solvedby technical means. This willoften be the case in the realm ofindustry 4. Here, however, both acareful formulation of the patentclaims and an optimized applica-tion strategy already at the draf-ting stage of the application willplay a key role.It remains to be clarified who willbe entitled to the ownership andright of use of computer-gene-rated data. In this connection, thequestion arises whether the char-

acter of inventor provided for inpatent law and his/her perfor-mance of mental acts are to beapplied at all to automated devel-opment results. Largely resolvedis the question of whether datasequences generated by a paten-ted process are capable of beingprotected. In this regard, theFederal Court of Justice (BGH)clarified in its “Rezeptortyrosinki-nase II” decision that patent pro-tection for such process productsis only possible if the processprovides them with specificobjective technical properties, sothat, by their nature, they aresuitable of being protected by aproduct patent. Mere informa-tion is thus not patentable.

Standard essential patents

The increasing digitalization ofproducts and services requires thedevelopment of globally validstandard norms to facilitate theinternational exchange of goodsand services as well as the coop-eration in the scientific and tech-nological sectors. This applies, inparticular, to the field of net-worked products (smart devices,intelligent products for the homeand automobiles) that are con-nected to the internet and otherdevices. Corresponding standardsare defined by international stand-ardization organizations. Thesestandards often relate to tech-nologies that are protected bypatent, i.e. so-called standard

Industry 4.0andIntellectual Property Law

Inte

lle

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al

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pe

rty

Law

tive has already been provided for(Directive (EU) 2016/943 of theEuropean Parliament and of theCouncil of 8 June 2016 on theprotection of undisclosed know-how and business information(trade secrets) against their unlaw-ful acquisition, use and disclo-sure). The Directive is to be imple-mented into national law in 2018and ensures a uniform protectionof trade secrets that, compared topresent national unfair competi-tion legislation, sets higher stand-ards regarding the measures to betaken to protect the confiden-tiality of trade secrets. Therefore,special caution must be taken,especially with respect to de-centrally stored data that are pro-cessed across companies.

Conclusion

The application of currentintellectual property law in thedigital context presents a partic-ular challenge and requires thefurther development of legal andorganisational protection con-cepts. Therefore, the progressingharmonization of European lawin this field is highly welcome.

essential patents (SEPs). Manu-facturers of intelligent productsthat utilize SEPs thus requirelicenses for the relevant stand-ardized technologies. Under cur-rent legislation, SEP owners areobliged to grant licenses topotential users of the standard atfair, reasonable and non-discrimi-natory (FRAND) conditions forpatented technologies covered bythe standard. According to thedecisive European Court of Jus-tice judgment in Huawei v. ZTE,the holder of a standard essentialpatent may only seek an injunc-tion against the infringement ofan SEP if prior to bringing thataction, the proprietor has, first,alerted the alleged infringer ofthe infringement complainedabout by designating that patentand specifying the way in which ithas been infringed, and, secondly,after the alleged infringer hasexpressed its willingness to con-clude a licensing agreement onFRAND terms, presented to thatinfringer a specific, written offerfor a licence on such terms. Forlack of uniform legal regulationsand in view of divergent case law,there remains considerable uncer-tainty regarding the evaluationand enforcement of standardessential patents. Thus, the inten-tion of the European Commis-sion to establish a harmonisedframework for the licensing andenforcement of standard essentialpatents is to be welcomed. In thisregard, reference is made to theCommunication from the Com-mission to the European Parlia-ment, the Council and the Euro-pean Economic and Social Com-mittee of November 29, 2017 (https://ec.europa.eu/docsroom/documents/26583).

Transnational patent

protection

The cooperation of networkedproduction and processing unitslocated in different countriesrequires crossborder patent pro-

tection which, under the currentsystem of territorially limited IPrights, is difficult to guarantee. Inparticular, this applies to cross-border infringement where someprocess steps of a patented pro-cess are performed in Germanyand some abroad. These proces-ses may be production, workingor controlling processes connect-ed to computer-controlled trans-mitting and receiving units, suchas autonomous motor vehicles,that are distributed over severalcountries. In such case constella-tions, a domestic patent infringe-ment will only be ruled if the par-tial acts taken abroad can be attrib-uted to the party acting in Ger-many. The implementation of theplanned unitary patent systemwith a unitary patent valid in allparticipating member states of theEU and with the Unified PatentCourt (UPC), expected in 2019,promises a solution for thesecases. The UPC is an interna-tional court which will hear casesregarding infringement and revo-cation proceedings both of uni-tary patents and regular Europeanpatents. It is intended to set uplocal divisions in all participatingmember states so that, for exam-ple, it will be possible to bring anaction before the local division inMunich or Düsseldorf againstinfringements throughout Eu-rope. Thus, costly parallel actionsin several countries will no longerbe needed. In the case of a cross-border infringement, the ques-tion of attribution of liability foracts partially taken in Germanyand partially abroad does not ariseprovided the individual processsteps are taken in the territoryof the participating EU memberstates.

European-wide protection of

know-how

With respect to know-how, too,harmonized protection for theterritory of the European Unionon the basis of a new EU Direc-

Intellectual Property Law

Author:

Vossius & PartnerSiebertstraße 381675 MünchenPhone +49 89 41304-0Fax +49 89 41304-430E-mail: pitz@vossiusandpartner.comwww.vossiusandpartner.com

Dr. Johann Pitz

RechtsanwaltPatentstreitigkeitenund Patentverlet-zungsprozesse

It's supposed to sound similar to avehicle – but not exactly the sameas a diesel or gasoline-poweredvehicle. The specifications for anAcoustic Vehicle Alert Systemwarning sound that electric andhybrid vehicles will have to emitstarting in the summer of 2019 arefairly general. Although playing amusical piece is not allowed, thenature of the sound with whichindividual approaching vehicles willwarn pedestrians is being left up tomanufacturers. One example of how the signalshould sound can be found on theInternet page of the United Na-tions Economic Commission forEurope (UNECE)http://www.unece.org/fileadmin/DAM/for_PR_Silent_car__AVAS_sound.mp3: The listener is imme-diately reminded of a spaceship takingoff or an effect from a science fictionseries. In Europe the warning soundsare required for e-vehicles travellingat speeds of 20 kilometers per houror less. The sound created by thetires on the road surface is consideredadequate for vehicles travelling athigher speeds.

Hugo Fastl, Professor at the TUMChair for Human-Machine Com-munication, researches the basics ofsounds design for electric carsmade by a variety of manufacturers.And although the sounds are stillbeing kept secret, Fastl can revealone thing: Each company wants itsown branding, a sound which ischaracteristic of the car in question."After all, right now a BMW alsosounds different from a Mercedes

or a Porsche – and that's supposedbe the case with e-cars as well."

How exactly is a sound like thatdeveloped? "First we have a basicsound to which we assign a pitch,"says Fastl. Here the researcherswork with medium-range fre-quencies: "Very low frequenciesare difficult to produce," saysFastl. "This would require very

Artificial soundsfor

traffic safety

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Acoustic Vehicle Alert System: TUM researchersdesign sounds for electric cars

The almost complete silence of the motors used in electric cars may pose a hazard to inattentivepedestrians. As a result, starting in summer 2019 all new electric and hybrid vehicles will have to beequipped with an acoustic warning system. Psychoacousticians at the Technical University of Munich(TUM) are developing the corresponding sounds.

Prof. Hugo Fastl in his Sound-Laboratory. (Photo: Uli Benz / TUM)

Frequency range, timbreand roughness

large speakers on the car." On theother hand, elderly people can nolonger perceive frequencies thatare too high. Pitch can also indi-cate how fast the car is driving,for example with the sound risingin pitch as the automobile acce-lerates.

Another sound property is tim-bre. "It's like in music: You canplay the first notes of a Mozartsymphony on a smartphone insuch a way that everyone recog-nizes the melody," says Fastl. "Butit doesn't sound so great. Whenthe same notes are played by achamber orchestra with ten musi-cians, it sounds much better. Anda full orchestra with 50 people canplay the music to sound just theway the composer intended it tosound." Nevertheless, Fastl andhis team don't work with anorchestra, they generate the tim-bre of the sounds on the com-puter.

Here they use a sound "construc-tion kit" which they conceivedand programmed themselves todevelop target group-specificsounds. "It's a computer that cangenerate a wide range of sounds

for use as ingredients, based onalgorithms we developed our-selves." The sound machineresembles a mixing board in asound studio. Its controls are usedto create a synthetic sound whichis then processed and adaptedaccording to the results of lis-tening tests conducted withhuman subjects.

In addition to frequency rangeand timbre there are several otherparticularly important propertieswhen it comes to automotivesound design, for example rough-ness. Roughness is determined bythe speed of changes in a sound'svolume. Particular roughness iscreated when the volume changessomething like 50 to 70 times persecond. "Roughness in a sound isperceived as especially sporty,"Fastl explains. "A Ferrari withoutroughness would be very hard tosell."

Special interior sounds are beingdesigned for e-vehicles as well,even though there are no appli-cable regulations. The actualsound created by an electricmotor could remind the driver of

a tram; the interior sounds are tai-lored to the right target group justas the external sounds are. "An-yone who drives a 7 Series BMWwill want to have peace andquiet," Fastl points out. "On theother hand Porsche drivers willwant to be able to hear theirinvestment at work."

And presumably pedestrians andthose living and working close tostreets don't want to be over-whelmed by traffic noise. "For 20years the objective has alwaysbeen to make cars quieter," saysFastl. "Now things are in part tooquiet and we have to get louderagain." Nevertheless, Fastl advisesagainst doing away with all theadvantages of the low-noise elec-tric vehicle: "More and more carswith automatic pedestrian detec-tion will be coming onto the mar-ket . We recommend that thee-vehicle only transmit soundswhen a pedestrian is in the vicinity."

Artificial sounds

Loud, but not too loudContact:

Prof. Dr.-Ing. Hugo Fastl

Chair forHuman-Machine Communication

Phone: +49 (0)89 289 28541mmk@ei.tum.de

Mobility is a part of our everydaylives: We transport large loads,commute to work, fly to a farawaycountry on vacation. However,access to a vehicle of any kind ishardly a given for many people inAfrica. For farmers who live farfrom urban centers, this meansthat they have no direct access tomedical care, education or topolitical processes. They aredependent on transport contrac-tors who bring their products tothe next city for sale in order tomake a living. As a result manypeople are leaving rural areas insearch of better living conditionsin the city.

"With the aCar we have devel-oped a mobility concept that cansolve these problems," explainsProf. Markus Lienkamp, head ofthe TUM Chair of AutomotiveTechnology. "The aCar is an off-road capable vehicle that is af-fordable for people there and iscapable of transporting heavyloads. The modular structure alsoallows other uses for example forwater treatment." Together withthe "Bayern Innovativ" campaign,the TUM launched the project"aCar mobility - Rural mobility in

developing countries" in 2013.The objective was to conceive avehicle that precisely meets therequirements of the rural popula-tion in sub-Saharan countries.The project is supported by theBavarian Research Foundation.

Four-wheel drive is a must forthe roads of Africa, the majorityof which are not paved. The teamalso decided on an electric power

train. "An electric drive is notonly greener, but is also the bet-ter solution in technical terms,since it is low-maintenance andcan apply its full torque directlyto accelerating from a stop," saysMartin äoltés, who shares leader-ship of the project with SaschaKoberstaedt at the Chair of Auto-motive Technology.

The vehicle is primarily intendedfor transporting passengers andcargo, with a total load capacity of

aCar –The electric „all-rounder“

Ele

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The new aCar prototype. (Photo: Florian Lehmann / TUM)

The concept: One vehicle,a variety of demands

An electric car for Africa, custom-designed for the needs of the population there, thatstrengthens rural structures and helps drive the economy: Scientists at the TechnicalUniversity of Munich (TUM) and partners have been working intensively towards thisgoal for four years. The aCar is designed for passenger and cargo transportation and isalso interesting for the European automotive market.

also meets all the demands placedon it on location, they shippedthe vehicle to Ghana, where theytested the technology and con-cept under local conditions inJuly 2017.

The aCar passed all the tests withflying colors. "It spent six weeksin a container on its way there,we unloaded it, switched it on andit functioned perfectly all the wayto the last day of testing," saysSascha Koberstaedt. The teamalso asked locals to drive the car;they were thrilled by the "Solarcar". Another important pointwas testing the impact of the high-er temperatures and air humidityon the electric systems. "Wegathered a lot of data which wenow have to evaluate," saysKoberstaedt. "But we can alreadysay that the aCar fulfills all thenecessary requirements and haseven exceeded our expectations."

In September, the new prototypeof the aCar was presented at theInternational Motor Show inFrankfurt. The car is characte-rized by an unembellished, clear

location, the price for the basicvehicle in Africa is to be keptunder 10,000 Euros on a long-term basis. "Cast nodes and sim-ple bolted construction enablesimple manufacturing processeswith very low investment costs,"says Prof. Wolfram Volk, head ofthe Chair of Metal Forming andCasting.

The scientists produced the firstprototype in May 2016 and con-ducted initial tests in Germany.However, to make sure the aCar

Electric car

one ton. The battery offers avariety of other possible applica-tions, either as an energy sourceor as a drive for high-consumptionapplications, for example as awinch. A number of varioussuperstructures have been de-signed for the cargo bed whichcan be used on a modular basis.Additional modules can turn thevehicle for example into a mobilephysician's office or a water treat-ment station.

The 20 kWh battery capacitygives the vehicle an electric rangeof 80 kilometers. The battery canbe loaded from an ordinary 220volt household wall socket within7 hours. Solar modules mountedon the roof of the aCar gatherenergy throughout the day.Optional solar collector sheetscan be unrolled to significantlyincrease the amount of solar ener-gy produced for self-containedbattery charging.

“Of course we'll have to importhigh-tech components such as thebattery and the electric motors inthe beginning," says MartinSoltés. In future, as many of theaCar's components as possible areto be manufactured on location,in order to strengthen local econ-omies. In order to make the auto-mobile affordable for people on

aCar, assembly of the prototype at R & R Fahrzeugtechnik.Photo: Andreas Heddergott / TUM

The new aCar prototype. (Photo: Florian Lehmann / TUM)

First prototype:Technology testing and user studies

New prototype:Modern design,

optimized technology

and modern design. "The chal-lenge was to develop an appeal-ing, functional and high-qualityvehicle, while at the same timemaintaining simple productionmethods and low manufacturingcosts," explains Prof. Fritz Frenk-ler, head of the TUM Chair ofIndustrial Design. "Reducingeverything to the essentials result-ed in a modern and thus long-lasting design."The aCar has also undergoneconsiderable further technicaldevelopments. The team wasworking among other things onoptimizing weight, on electricalsystems and software, acousticsand ergonomic seating and visi-bility.

To make sure the idea of the aCarbecomes more than just an idea andactually makes it to series produc-tion, Sascha Koberstaedt and Mar-tin äoltés have founded the com-pany "Evum Motors GmbH". Thefirst vehicles are to be manufac-tured in a model factory in Europe."We'll have to master all the tech-nical procedures before the car canbe made in Africa. Then we cantrain people from Africa who canin turn pass on their knowledgethere."

The aCar is an electric four-wheeldrive utility vehicle. These specifi-cations make it not only excellently

suited for use in Africa, but also foranyone looking for a no-emissiontransport solution. Thus for exam-ple it could be used in urban opera-tion for transport purposes, in

maintaining urban parks and gar-dens and in agricultural settingssuch as alpine meadows andvineyards. Compared to its compe-tition, the purely electric aCar issignificantly more cost-efficientand uses the most modern batteryand power train technology.

Power output: 2 x 8 kilowatts; Elec-tric drive range: 80 kilometers; EUvehicle classification: L7e; Voltagelevel: 48 volts; Battery capacity: 20kWh; Top speed: 60 km/h; Tareweight: 800 kg; Load capacity: 1000kg; Length: 3.7 m; Width: 1.5 m;Height: 2.1 m; Seating capacity: 2

The project "aCar mobility - Ruralmobility in developing countries",supported by the Bavarian ResearchFoundation, involves the TUMChairs of Automotive Technology,Metal Forming and Casting, Indu-strial Design as well as Strategy andOrganization. The Rosenheim Uni-versity of Applied Sciences (Hoch-schule Rosenheim) and the Univer-sity of Bayreuth are scientific part-ners in the project. In addition, sevenindustry partners are participatingin the project: African Health &Agricultural Foundation, DRÄXL-MAIER Group, Hirschvogel Auto-motive Group, McKinsey & Com-pany Inc., Otto SPANNER GmbHand Schnupp GmbH & Co.

Hydraulik KG. The concept of thevehicle was developed together withscientific partners in Nigeria, Ghana,Kenya and Tanzania, the FederalUniversity of Technology, Owerri(FUTO) Nigeria, the Kwame Nkru-mah University of Science andTechnology (KNUST) Ghana, theDedan Kimathi University of Tech-nology (DeKUT) Kenya and the St.Augustine University of Tanzania(SAUT) Tanzania.

Electric car

aCar Technical Data:

About the project:

Solar modules are installed on the roof of the vehicle.Credit: Florian Lehmann / TUM

The aCar team,the aCar and guests at the IAA in Frankfurt.Photo:Andreas Heddergott / TUM

Model factory in Germanyfor the first vehicles

Contact:

Dipl.-Ing. Sascha KoberstaedtTechnical University MunichChair of Automotive Technology

info@acar.tum.dePhone: +49 (89) 289 - 15875

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