Automotive News

Archive for October, 2011

Are Automotive MPG Regulations Killing Car Innovation for the Consumer?

October 21st, 2011

Should lawmakers, and the Obama Administration increase regulations on the miles per gallon that each individual car gets? Some automobile designers are complaining because if the cars have to get really good gas mileage, then there are only a few types of designs that cars can possibly have. A teardrop shaped car would get the best gas mileage above about 55 miles per hour. But if every car looks the same, then no one will have a car with any individuality that the person can stake their claim too.

In other words every BMW, Ford, Mercedes, Toyota, Honda, GM, Chrysler, Tata, or BYD will all basically look the same. The chance for individual differentiation by any one car maker basically goes out the window. There was an interesting article not long ago on WardsAuto Auto Industry Online News Website which asked a tough question; “Are Aerodynamic Requirements Killing Automotive Design” written by Byron Pope and published on June 20, 2011.

After I read this article, I decided to make a comment about it, and as I was preparing my outline to create this article, I noticed that in the news today, June 27, 2011 – the Obama Administration has asked for more regulation, and potential legislation to require that all automobiles by the year 2025 maintain an average of 52.5 miles per gallon.

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Tags: automobile designers best gas mileage carbon composites carbon nanotube frame body

Automotive Defects – Roof Collapse

October 15th, 2011

If you watch the news on a regular basis, you are probably used to hearing about accidents caused by automotive defects and the string of manufacturer recalls that generally follow. Everything from floor mats to brake systems have been the subject of frantic recalls. Some of these manufacturing problems are particularly dangerous. For example, if the vertical support beams that attach a vehicle’s roof to its body are defective, a rollover accident can cause the roof to violently collapse down on passengers in the cabin. Recently, cases of roof collapse have resulted in large manufacturer settlement payments to victims of defects.

The effects of most roof and support beam defects go unnoticed until it is too late. When a vehicle is involved in a rollover accident, if the frame structure fails, the roof will collapse and the passenger cabin will be crushed. If this happens, it can cause extremely serious injuries, even in a situation where a properly seatbelt-secured passenger might have escaped with minor bumps and bruises had the structural integrity of the roof been preserved.