Engineering trends at the NAIAS the tech behind the searchlights - North American International Auto Show 2003

Automotive Industries, Dec, 2002 by Dan McCosh

In the competitive world of the auto business, it doesn't pay to look back. But sometimes it helps to look sideways. For those in the engineering community dedicated enough to brave a Midwestern winter early in January, the North American International Auto Show in Detroit offers a digital snapshot of the state of technology. The NAIAS is where the process of automotive research and development reaches its ultimate conclusion: in a finished product that customers are anxious to buy. For automotive engineers, already working on the next generation of cars and trucks, the auto show provides a perfect opportunity to catch up on who is doing what, and when. This year's event is even more rewarding than usual to those who have been working--sometimes for decades--on breakthrough technology that never quite seems to come to market. That's because in 2003 the future is not only on display; much of it is in production, and in the showroom. It's a pivotal year, when the changes under the skin outnumber the new designs on view. And new design concepts are heading off into uncharted waters. In this special section, Automotive Industries looks at the engineering trends revealed (and some that are hidden) at the auto show where each year it seems the automobile reinvents itself.

* The playing field

Timing is an essential part of the status of the NAIAS. It's held early in January, when European models just unveiled in Europe are hitting the showrooms in the U.S., and the 2003 model year launch is hitting peak momentum. Previews of 2004 are already underway, and while spring seems a long way away, serious customers already are packing into the show.

A quick look at the new-model introductions makes it seem like the SUV craze will never end. In fact, light-truck introductions dominate the stage. But serious change is in the air, as new so-called "crossover" SUVs based on car and minivan platforms outnumber the conventional, full-frame variety.

But it's also a year when passenger cars are attempting to regain their status. A new Nissan Maxima and a new Pontiac GTO are here, plus teaser concepts of the upcoming next-generation Chrysler midsize sedans. Chrysler, Cadillac, BMW and Mazda are all showing off their new sports cars. Also worth noting are the upscale launches of the new Maybach sedan; the new Jaguar XJ; the Porsche Cayenne; and the nouveau riche Volkswagen Touareg SUV and 12-cylinder Phaeton sedan.

The risky game of second-guessing what a new generation of car buyers will want is evident as well. Toyota is testing these waters with Gen Y products from its new Scion division, and hopped-up, import-style compacts are plentiful.

To industry insiders, all this adds up to a risky year. What if the crossover phenomenon fizzles? Can Japan really take on the U.S. pickup truck market? Will anybody buy hybrid drive? Does the world need a $60,000 Volkswagen? Can Gen Y even afford new cars?

Each of these segments creates different technical demands. Light trucks, in particular, are under pressure to improve fuel economy, which is reflected in a new generation of light truck engines coming from GM, as well as incremental changes at other manufacturers. The new sports cars offer a platform for experimentation, and the NAJAS will see the return of Mazda's rotary to the U.S.--one of the few successful challenges to the piston engine. And the new luxury cars are leading the drive to create a new synthesis between electronics and electric drive--displacing conventional mechanical and hydraulic systems.

* Evolving hardware

If some of the newest technology on this year's new cars and trucks seems familiar, it's because it's not all that new--at least in concept. What is new is seeing more of it on new vehicles in volume production.

Decades have past since the first-generation steel-belt CVTs were first introduced on small cars in Europe and Japan. But with new production capacity in place, and several new cars adding CVTs in the past two years, it is a technology that finally is coming into its own.

The new Nissan Murano is only the latest to offer a CVT. It's a relatively conventional dual-pulley system that operates with the steel belt in compression. Other manufacturers, including Audi, Honda and GM's Saturn division have backed their CVTs up with an alternative conventional automatic. Nissan's big gamble is making it the only automatic transmission option for its new crossover SUV.

The fuel economy savings offered by CVTs make them appealing for SUVs, but high torque is a problem for the belt drive. Still, the power ratings are increasing.

Nissan is confident in the belt's ability to handle the 246 lb-ft of torque of the 3.5L, 245 hp. V-6 in its 2003 Murano, and is the first to integrate it into a 4WD system. Audi will be adding a 4WD CVT in 2004.

Electric power steering is another development that took decades to come to market It's becoming more commonplace on small cars in Europe and even more prevalent in Japan. Its first big-volume introduction in the U.S. came with the Saturn Vue last year, followed by the 2003 Saturn Ion. Now the new 2004 Chevrolet Malibu, launched at the NAJAS, will become the next high-volume launch to use an all-electric power steering system.