Delphi Rolls Out Durable, Fuel-Efficient Technologies at 2008 SAE Commercial Vehicle Congress

Delphi has a robust display of commercial vehicle technologies planned for the Society of Automotive Engineers 2008 Commercial Vehicle Engineering Congress & Exhibition, Oct. 7-9, in Chicago. Delphi’s booth (No. 1213) will showcase innovative solutions for the real world — safety, fuel efficiency, comfort and convenience technologies for the most rugged on- and off-road applications.

Delphi experts will also help lead industry discussion on the future of commercial vehicle technology at the event. Delphi’s Executive Director & Chief Technologist, Dr. Andrew Brown, Jr., PE, NAE, will participate on the conference’s Blue Ribbon Panel (Session Code
CV902) focused on OEM and supplier partnerships. The panel will be held on Tues., Oct. 7 at 3:30 p.m. in the Technology Theater.

Clayton Nicholas, engineering director of advanced controls & security products, Delphi Electronics & Safety, will participate on the Global Product Development Process Panel. The panel will convene on Tues., Oct. 7 at 10:30 a.m. to discuss the challenges of the global product development process and the tools required to enable efficient engineering of products designed for a global market. Dr. Robert Schumacher, general director of advanced product & business development, Delphi Electronics & Safety, is serving as one of the organizers of the panel.

Technical experts and scientists from Delphi will present the following six papers during five technical sessions at the SAE-CV
Congress:

— “High Capacity Electric A/C Compressor with Integrated Inverter for
Hybrid Automotive and Commercial Vehicles” will be presented at the Drivers
for Idling Reduction: Legislation, Economics, and New Technology session.
(Tuesday, Oct. 7, noon)

— “Overview of Vehicle Infrastructure Integration (VII) Applications”
and “Overview and Use of SAE J2735 Message Sets for Commercial Vehicles”
will be presented at the Telematics session. (Part 1, Wednesday, Oct. 8,
8:30 a.m.)

— “On Driver Eye Closure Recognition for Commercial Vehicles” will be
presented at the Distraction and Drowsiness Measurability/Monitoring
(Counter Measures) session. (Part 1 of 2, Wednesday, Oct. 8, 3:30 p.m.)

— “Driver Distraction Monitoring and Adaptive Safety Warning Systems”
will be presented at the Distraction and Drowsiness
Measurability/Monitoring (Counter Measures) session. (Part 2 of 2,
Thursday, Oct. 9, 8:00 a.m.)

— “Low-Cost Autonomous Vehicle for Urban Environments” will be presented
at the Autonomous/Robotics Vehicles session. (Thursday, Oct. 9, 10:30 a.m.)

Technology on Display

Commercial vehicle integrated safety system helps protect drivers and cargo

Delphi will exhibit its new commercial vehicle integrated safety system that combines proven active safety systems into one system to reduce cost, complexity and enhance safety. The Delphi integrated safety system provides forward, side and lane departure warnings for commercial vehicles. Using radar and vision technologies, Delphi combines the information from both sensors to provide a high performance early warning system for drivers of commercial vehicles. Drivers receive early warning information from the Delphi system through a simple integrated interface display in the vehicle.

Driver safety and protecting physical assets are both critical issues for commercial fleet owners. Receiving signals from a radar sensor positioned in front of the vehicle, Delphi’s Headway Alert gives the driver audio and visual feedback regarding safe following distances. The forward collision warning function warns drivers of slower moving or stopped traffic to help reduce rear end accidents. The side alert system helps to warn drivers of vehicles in the side blind spot. The driver can adjust the system’s sensitivity to adapt the alert level to his/her preferred driving style. The system also has self-diagnostics capabilities to ensure that the sensor is working properly.

Lane Departure Warning uses a camera to warn drivers when unintentionally drifting out of the intended lane. The system’s algorithm prevents the alert from sounding when the turn signals are in use.

Delphi has also teamed with Iteris, Inc. to offer an integrated active safety system combining Delphi’s radar-based sensing technology with Iteris’ vision-based lane departure warning system and data collection system. The system is being distributed by Iteris, Inc.

In addition, Delphi is demonstrating its Drowsy Driver Alert System at the show. The system helps reduce accidents related to drowsy drivers. The system uses high-fidelity imaging sensor and infrared illuminators to evaluate eye closure rate. The system can automatically apply stimuli commensurate with the rate of drowsiness levels including fresh air, alert tones, phone call or even suggest pulling off the road to rest.

Ports for consumer devices optimize on-board communication while providing all the comforts of home

Technology that enables vehicles to do more than ever before — notify drivers of mechanical or electronic problems, reroute themselves around stopped traffic or congested highways, send email messages to notify owners of an equipment malfunction or collision, and entertain drivers and passengers with music, movies and video games — are coming into the marketplace at an accelerating pace. Delphi’s Data Connectivity Systems, able to accommodate multiple consumer interfaces, enable OEMs to bring these technologies inside truck cabs and sleeper boxes.

Commercial vehicles equipped with consumer interfaces that allow drivers to download MP3 music files from iPods and pen drives and listen to them through the vehicle’s audio system as well as view images stored on photo cards, play video games, charge cell phones, connect laptops and more, greatly enhance the comfort and “livability” of these vehicles.

Climate control in a fuel-efficient package

EEAC

Delphi’s energy-efficient air conditioning (EEAC) technologies can significantly reduce a vehicle’s fuel usage each year. Current trends indicate that traditional air conditioning systems account for approximately 5 percent fuel usage in the United States. Delphi technologies that help enable an energy-efficient HVAC system include Series Reheat Reduction, Air Inlet Mixture Control, Variable Displacement Compressors, and much more.

If every car in the United States vehicle fleet, which numbers around 230 million vehicles, was equipped with Delphi’s energy-efficient air conditioning, the yearly savings would be approximately $10 billion worth of gasoline per year and a reduction of about 50 billion pounds of CO2 released into the atmosphere.

Heated/Cooled Seats

With commercial vehicle drivers spending longer hours in their vehicles, personal comfort is becoming increasingly important. Delphi’s heated and cooled seats are integrated in conjunction with the vehicle’s heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) system, unlike seats currently in production. This integration allows for improved personal comfort through faster cooling as well as reduced energy consumption.

With the Delphi integrated cooled seats, power to the air conditioner can be reduced, resulting in an energy savings of 15 to 20 percent over seats without integrated cooling technology. Fuel efficiency and passenger comfort also improve with this technology since a portion of the cooled air makes direct contact with the passengers via the seat.

Battery monitoring device translates into more efficient current supply

The Delphi Battery Monitoring Device can help commercial vehicle drivers save fuel and reduce CO2 emissions. It combines an innovative IVT sensor with software that calculates the battery’s state of health (SOH) and state of charge (SOC) and alerts drivers to batteries that are in need of replacement or charging. It helps ensure optimal battery performance, making more electronic features possible while ensuring sufficient power for starting the engine. When integrated into a vehicle as part of an active energy management system, the Delphi Battery Monitoring Device can also help improve fuel efficiency and extend battery life. It reduces CO2 emissions by increasing the efficiency and improving the management of the charging/energy storage system. This provides for reductions in the amount of materials needed, resulting in a lighter electrical system that uses less high-priced copper. The device helps to reduce CO2 by reducing the mechanical load when the battery is fully charged.

The Delphi Battery Monitoring Device features Local Interconnect Network (LIN) and will soon be offered with a Controller Area Network
(CAN) interface for data and diagnostic communication. It is mounted on the negative battery post or in a pre-fuse box on the battery, and is designed for use in vehicles beginning with model year 2010.

Delphi’s Aluminum Cable lowers mass, improves fuel economy

Delphi’s Aluminum Cable is a cost-effective cable alternative that offers a 48 percent mass reduction from traditional copper cores. This leads to improved fuel economy and lighter, easier vehicle assembly while eliminating susceptibility to the unstable market price of copper. Aluminum Cable also provides superior pinch and abrasion resistance.