Download - ESD

2005-06 ESD PRESIDENT 

David S. Meynell 

AND ESD’S FUTURE: 

YOUNG ENGINEERS 

PLUS: 

Wireless Communication

AUG–SEPT 05 

14 4 

Official Publication of The Engineering Society of Detroit 

Technology 

Century 

Vol. 10 No. 4 August–September 2005 

DEPARTMENTS 

02 PUBLICATION NOTES 

03 PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE 

04 ESD EVENT HIGHLIGHTS 

05 ESD COMMITTEE SPOTLIGHT 

06 IN THE NEWS 

09 ESD NEWS 

10 ESD UPCOMING EVENTS 

12 ESD MEMBERSHIP 

35 SUSTAINING & CORPORATE MEMBERS 

ANNUAL DINNER 

14 ESD ANNUAL DINNER PHOTOS 

20 KEYNOTE ADDRESS BY JAMES J. PADILLA, FESD 

FEATURES 

22 BY CHRISTOPHER A. LUPINI AND DOUGLAS L. WELK 

Wireless Networking for Automobiles 

26 BY MICHAEL F. COOPER, PE 

Cutting the Cord: The Emergence of 

Wireless Building Controls 

29 BY BEIJING WANG, MAJEED KADI, AND STEVE MUENCH 

Wireless Communications Applications 

at DaimlerChrysler 

COLUMN: WORKING 101 

36 BY MICHAEL F. COOPER, PE 

Chapter 2: Act Like an Engineer, but 

Think Like a Manager 

COVER: ESD 2005-2006 President David S. Meynell with members 

of the ESD Young Engineers Council. See caption, page 5. 

www.esd.org | The Engineering Society of Detroit | 1

2000 Town Center, Suite 2610 • Southfield, MI 48075-1307 

248–353–0735 • 248–353–0736 fax • esd@esd.org • www.esd.org 

Technology Century (ISSN 1091-4153 USPS 155-460) is published six times per year by The Engineering Society of Detroit (ESD), 

2000 Town Center, Suite 2610, Southfield, MI 48075. Subscriptions are free to ESD members. Nonmembers may subscribe for 

$175 per year by contacting ESD at 248–353–0735. Periodical postage paid at Southfield, MI, and at additional mailing offices. 

POSTMASTER: Send address changes to ESD, 2000 Town Center, Suite 2610, Southfield, MI 48075. 

©2005 The Engineering Society of Detroit. 

Technology Century 

Vol. 10 No. 4 August–September 2005 

ESD Publications Committee 

CHAIR: Dr. Ralph H. Kummler, FESD, Wayne State University 

Michael F. Cooper, PE, HarleyEllis 

Dr. Utpal Dutta, University of Detroit–Mercy 

Christopher D. Dyrda, DaimlerChrysler Corporation 

John G. Petty, FESD, General Dynamics 

Dr. Charles L. Wu, FESD, Ford Motor Company 

Dr. Yang Zhao, Wayne State University 

STAFF LIAISON: Dale Thomas, The Engineering Society of Detroit 

ESD Board of Directors 

PRESIDENT: David S. Meynell, Dürr Systems, Inc. 

PRESIDENT ELECT: Richard J. Haller, Walbridge Aldinger Co. 

VICE PRESIDENT: David A. Skiven, PE, General Motors Corporation 

TREASURER: Steven E. Kurmas, PE, Detroit Edison 

SECRETARY: Darlene Trudell, CAE, The Engineering Society of Detroit 

PAST PRESIDENT: Donald E. Goodwin, DaimlerChrysler Corporation 

Katherine Banicki, Testing Engineers and Consultants 

Dr. Leo E. Hanifin, FESD, University of Detroit–Mercy 

Dennis M. King, FAIA, FESD, HarleyEllis 

Thomas H. Landry, Jonna Construction Company 

Michael Morrison, Perot Systems 

August Olivier, General Motors Corporation 

Douglas Patton, DENSO International America, Inc. 

Richard F. Pearson, National Center for Manufacturing Sciences 

William P. Russo, Ford Motor Company 

Noelle Schier, Original Equipment Suppliers Association 

Paul T. Sgriccia, PE, Golder Associates Inc. 

Dr. Rebecca M. Spearot, PE, Lear Corp. 

Dr. Mumtaz A. Usmen, PE, FESD, Wayne State University 

Technology Century Staff 

PUBLISHER: Darlene Trudell, CAE, ESD Executive Vice President 

PUB. COORDINATOR: Dale Thomas, ESD Managing Director of Marketing and Communication 

CREATIVE DIRECTOR: Nick Mason, ESD Creative Director and Systems Manager 

EDITOR: Emily Lorenz, PE 

Publication 

NOTES 

Dr. Ralph H. 

Kummler, FESD 

ESD Publications 

Committee Chair; 

Dean, College of 

Engineering, Wayne 

State University 

Welcome to our incoming President, 

Dave Meynell, a long-time ESD enthusiast! 

We are proud to highlight him in this 

issue and know that his focus on young 

engineers will be a tremendous asset 

to our Society. We all look forward to 

working with him! 

Fittingly, this issue also includes the 

second column in Mike Cooper’s series, 

which is aimed at helping young engineers 

succeed. Likewise, Jim Padilla’s 

story of a young engineer’s journey from 

winning ESD’s Outstanding Young Engineer 

Award to becoming the President 

of Ford Motor Company should be an 

inspiration to all young engineers. 

The technical theme of this issue is 

Wireless Communications—a topic that 

was merely a gleam in the eyes of engineering 

researchers a decade ago. Today 

we bring you three articles that illustrate 

how well that research has paid off in 

terms of automotive and other wireless 

networking applications. 

For example, one article describes 

the Chrysler 300 on-board navigation 

system, whereas another depicts Delphi’s 

innovations such as keyless entry, 

automatic tire pressure sensing and 

service and safety applications. Lastly, an 

article featuring the applications of the 

HarleyEllis wireless building controls 

completes the trio. 

Clearly, the applications of wireless 

communications are limitless. So, we 

hope these articles encourage you, our 

readers, to advance engineering in 

your field. 

2 | Technology Century | AUGUST–SEPTEMBER 2005

ESD PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE | August–September 2005 

Michigan’s Best Asset: 

Home-Grown Young Professionals 

he future of the technical 

community of 

southeast Michigan 

rests squarely on the 

shoulders of young 

engineers, scientists and 

allied professionals who 

are in the early stages of 

their careers. How we assist them will 

directly impact the future success of 

our businesses—whether they are automotive, 

healthcare, alternative energy 

or biotech. As the 2005-2006 President 

of The Engineering Society of Detroit, 

my number one priority is to train and 

retain this generation of professionals. 

Without a strong and competent 

next generation of professionals, we 

won’t be able to survive the everincreasing 

challenges of today’s global 

marketplace. We need to give these 

young people more than just a job. 

For them (and us) to be truly successful, 

we must provide them with a career 

path that includes experiences outside 

the classroom. 

Yes, the path toward a rewarding 

career begins with a job, but we also 

need to be sensitive to the kinds of 

experiences these young engineers will 

need to succeed. For example, if we 

mentor young employees and offer them 

the opportunity to spend time abroad, 

they’ll gain the knowledge necessary to 

compete. In today’s business environment, 

we’re as likely to face competition from 

a different country as from a different 

state, so it takes cultural understanding 

to be successful. 

I strongly encourage our ESD 

corporate member companies to 

recognize the value in this proposition 

and to consciously make room in our 

organizations to groom the next 

generation of professionals. The ESD 

Young Engineers Council held a Job 

Fair last February for soon-to-graduate 

college engineering students. Our goal 

was to have 300 to 400 students participate. 

To our surprise, more than 800 students 

attended this one-day event. It made us 

realize how important it is for students 

to gain access to the business world. 

Participation doesn’t necessarily 

mean providing a full-time job. ESD 

member companies could offer creative 

ways for students to get started in a career 

through cooperative positions or internships. 

I know from personal experience at 

Dürr Systems, Inc., that we’ve had great 

success in grooming future employees 

who were in college, or even high school, 

still working toward a degree. 

As an executive in a truly global 

organization, I have seen first-hand 

the capability and intensity of young 

engineers. Our state has some of the best 

educational programs in the country, 

producing fiercely competitive employees. 

We need to find ways to help them 

succeed and to keep them in Michigan. 

When they succeed, we succeed. 

I look forward to serving you and 

ESD in the upcoming year. So, if you 

have any ideas on how to develop career 

paths for young professionals, or on 

any other subject of importance to the 

Society, please contact me through ESD. 

Let’s talk! 

Sincerely, 


President, ESD Board of Directors 

President and CEO, DÜrr Systems, Inc. 

David S. Meynell is President and 

Chief Executive Ocer at Dürr 

Systems, Inc. (North America). He 

is also a member of the Strategic 

Management Board of the parent 

company located in Germany. Dürr 

is a worldwide supplier of highvolume 

automotive paint and 

assembly systems. 

After moving to the United States 

from the United Kingdom in 1981, 

he has held positions of Contracts 

Manager, Director of Engineering and 

Vice President of Sales & Marketing. 

He received an engineering degree 

from Birmingham University, UK. 


ESD EVENT HIGHLIGHTS 

More than 80 young engineers and more seasoned engineers took part 

in a bowling networking event on May 25, 2005 at Drakeshire Lanes in 

Farmington Hills. Pictured from left are ESD member Monique Lake, 

young engineers Jason Appling, Keith Walter, Todd Grafton and ESD 

President-elect Richard Haller. 

On June 15, 2005, more than 75 members of the ESD Aliate Council 

gathered at the Troy Hilton to introduce member society ocers. Kevin 

Taylor, left, the incoming chair of the Aliate Council, talks with Tammy 

Worden and Dana Dees from On Assignment, an engineering placement 

firm that is an ESD Corporate Member and a sponsor of the event. 

While nobody bowled a perfect game, top honors for best score went to 

Phil Hamelin and Vicky Meynell. 

Ten past ESD presidents gathered for the annual Past Presidents Lunch 

on May 26, 2005 at the Skyline Club in the Southfield Town Center. 

Pictured from left are Snyder L. Terry (ESD President 1981-82), 

Edgar E. Parks, PE (1990-91), John G. Petty (1995-96), Robert J. Buckler, 

PE (1996-97), Douglas R. Allen (1989-90), Charles M. Ayers (2002-03) 

and Roy H. Link (1984-85). Not pictured are Fredrick Bauer (1960-61), 

Richard E. Marburger (1980-81) and Donald L. Smolenski (1993-94). 

More than 135 young engineers, ESD members, family and friends attended 

a Detroit Tigers game on July 14, 2005 at Comerica Park. Pictured 

above are some of the young engineers who took in the ball game. The 

weather was perfect to watch the Tigers take on the Kansas City Royals. 

Close to 100 ESD members and guests heard representatives from 

Marsh USA talk May 19, 2005, at the Detroit Golf Club about the risks 

associated with the demolition and rebuilding of the World Trade Center 

after the September 11, 2001, terrorist attack. From left are Caroline 

Wekwert, CTE | AECOM; Phillip Gawel, CTE | AECOM; Catha Pavlo, 

Marsh USA; and John Hurley, Marsh USA. 


ESD COMMITTEE SPOTLIGHT 

Current YEC Members 

Young Engineers Council 

It’s true that all of ESD’s committees 

were created to assist in the Society’s 

vision: To foster the growth and development 

of engineers and scientists for the future. 

While many committees support and/or 

maintain that vision, one committee— 

the Young Engineers Council (YEC)— 

has taken on ESD’s vision as its own. 

Founded in 2005, the YEC has the 

following goal: To serve the engineer 

during the early stages of personal and 

professional development. 

To reach its goal, the YEC has four 

key objectives: 

1. Instill a sense of pride in young 

professionals for themselves, their 

profession, ESD and the community; 

2. Provide each member with an 

opportunity to participate in ESD; 

3. Provide awareness of available 

services and sponsored programs 

through ESD; and 

4. Provide opportunities for networking 

with members to promote personal 

and professional development. 

In its inaugural year, the committee 

has already been quite active. On 

February 12, the YEC sponsored a social 

event at a Detroit Pistons game. More 

than two dozen young professionals 

networked with colleagues while 

enjoying the hospitality of the Lear 

Corporation in its suite at the Palace 

of Auburn Hills. Also in February, the 

YEC hosted a job fair in the atrium of 

the Southfield Town Center. Hoping to 

attract new, or soon-to-be, engineering 

college graduates, the YEC exceeded its 

goal with more than 800 students and 

45 companies participating. The job fair 

also included seminars on job hunting, 

resumes and interviewing techniques. 

In May, the YEC sponsored a bowling 

networking event where two dozen 

lanes of a Farmington Hills bowling 

alley were filled with young engineers 

and professional mentors. Young engineers 

also took part in a raffle where 

winners got the chance to have lunch 

with a business executive. 

The YEC plans to implement its 

objectives by hosting technical tours, 

creating networking events through 

technical seminars and invited guest 

speakers, encouraging community 

involvement by organizing volunteer 

opportunities and other special events. 

If you’d like to get involved with this or 

any other ESD committee, please visit 

our Web site at www.esd.org. 

Richard J. Haller (Chair) 

President & COO 

Walbridge Aldinger Co. 

Andres Clarens 

Graduate Student 

University of Michigan College of Engineering 

Josh Decker 

Virtual Manufacturing Engineer 

Ford Motor Company 

Dr. Andrew L. Gerhart 

Assistant Professor of Mechanical Engineering 

Lawrence Technological University 

Mazen J. Haddad 

Project Coordinator/Field Engineer 

Dürr Systems, Inc. 

Jeremy Hargis 

Systems Engineer—Foundation Brakes 

Robert Bosch Corporation 

Josh Heavner 

Project Engineer 


Christopher Izzi 



Dorian Kilgore 

Body in White Exterior Lead 

DaimlerChrysler 

Ana Medina 

Associate Engineer 

DTE Energy 

Dr. Gustavo Parra-Montesinos 

Assistant Professor 

Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering 

University of Michigan College of Engineering 

Kirk Pesta, PE 

Mechanical Engineer 

HarleyEllis 

John Raad 


General Motors Corporation 

Kristen R. Rash 

Manufacturing Development Engineer 


Robert M. Shrier 

Staff Engineer 

Golder Associates, Inc. 

Evangelos P. Skoures 

Electrical Engineer 


Britney Stieber 

Senior Plant Engineer 


Keith R. Walter 

Project Engineer, DTE Energy 

PHOTO: From left, Leanna Schaer, Dürr 

Systems, Inc.; Keith Walter, DTE Energy; 

David Meynell, ESD President; Dorian Kilgore, 

DaimlerChrysler; and Kristen Rash, Ford Motor 

Company, belong to the ESD Young Engineers 

Council and recently spent time at a Dürr Systems 

facility in Auburn Hills seeing how robots 

are used in today’s automotive paint systems. 


IN THE NEWS 

Bogner 

Lynde 

Dye 

Yendle 

Whitt 

Stone 

HarleyEllis has acquired Sketchup 4.0, a 3D graphics software 

program that allows designers to communicate 3D visions 

without the complexity of a CAD program. This design tool 

allows you to: work more closely with your design team early 

in the project, better understand the conceptual design intent 

and clearly visualize the final design. If you have questions 

about HarleyEllis’ use of Sketchup 4.0 by @Last Software, 

contact John Bogner, AIA, at HarleyEllis: 248-233-0045 or 

jhbogner@harleyellis.com. 

Firelands Regional Medical Center, Sandusky, Ohio, has partnered 

with the design and construction firm HarleyEllis on a $150 

million hospital expansion, consolidation and renovation project 

to be completed in 2008. The improvements will include new 

east, west, and dietary additions, a 600-car parking structure and 

changes to the existing Cancer Center. 

Detroit-based Albert Kahn Associates, Inc. (AKA), a leading 

planning, design and management firm of the built environment, 

has selected Peter Lynde, PE; Rick Dye, PE; and Simon 

Yendle, AIA, to serve on its Strategic Board of Directors, which 

comprises the seven-member Board of Directors plus the three 

new members. Mr. Lynde is Senior Associate and Director 

of R&D Technology; Mr. Dye is Senior Associate and project 

manager; and Mr. Yendle is President of AKA subsidiary Kahn 

South, Inc. They will participate in strategic planning efforts 

and help redefine AKA’s roadmap for growth and expansion. 

Golder Associates Inc. has acquired Resource Technologies 

Group, Inc. (RTG), a 40-person consulting and contracting 

business founded in 1981 that provides water treatment 

engineering, contracting and operations and maintenance 

services to mining and waste management clients in the 

U.S. This expands Golder’s Denver, Colo., operations to 

165 employees; marks the development of a new Golder 

services group—the Water Treatment Group—managed by 

former RTG executives Erich Tiepel and Kevin Conroy; 

and enables Golder to become a more prominent player in the 

water treatment market. 

Kimberly Whitt has joined AKA as Director of Business Development. 

She will lead the establishment, maintenance and planning 

of AKA’s business development activities, focusing on the 

automotive, industrial and government market sectors. Ms. Whitt 

received a BS in construction management from Eastern Michigan 

University and an associate’s degree in architecture from Henry 

Ford Community College. 

Hubbell, Roth & Clark, Inc. (HRC) has announced the 

appointment of William Stone as Watershed Department 

Manager. He joined HRC’s Watershed Department in 2002 

after a 27-year tenure with the Michigan Department of Environmental 

Quality. Mr. Stone has expertise in Phase II Stormwater 

Permitting, watershed planning, compliance assessment, 

grant funding, water quality studies and facilitation/negotiation. 

He received a BS in fisheries and wildlife from Michigan State 

University, School of Natural Resources. 

Timothy J. Kniga, PE, has joined the Mt. Clemens office of 

Hubbell, Roth & Clark, Inc. (HRC) as Project Engineer. Mr. 

Kniga has more than 10 years of experience in construction engineering 

and surveying field work, including infrastructure planning, 

design and project management of water main, sanitary 

sewer, pumping station and site development projects. He received 

a BS in civil engineering from Lawrence Technological University, 

and is a registered professional engineer in the state of Michigan. 

NTH Consultants, Ltd. (NTH), welcomes Patrick Nortz as 

Environmental and Redevelopment Group Leader in Cleveland, 

Ohio. Mr. Nortz is a 15-year veteran of environmental compliance, 

engineering and permitting services. 

Jeffrey P. Jaros has joined NTH Consultants, Ltd., as project 

manager of Environmental/Redevelopment practice. Mr. Jaros, 

a 13-year veteran of air quality modeling and engineering, will 

help clients navigate the complexities of environmental regulations 

and manage their important air-quality programs. NTH, 

headquartered in Farmington Hills, Mich., provides professional 

services in infrastructure and environmental engineering. 


IN THE NEWS 

For making an exceptional contribution to the increase 

of minorities in higher education, The Academically 

Interested Minorities (AIM) program at Kettering 

University, Flint, Mich., recently received the NAMEPA 

Pre-College/Community Award from the National 

Association of Multicultural Engineering Program 

Administrators. AIM, a 5-week residential summer 

program for students entering 12th grade in the fall, offers 

students real-life experiences, including college-level 

courses in math, science and business management. For 

more information, go to www.kettering.edu. 

NanoScience Engineering Corporation (nSEC) has 

obtained exclusive license to commercialize technology 

from Wayne State University (WSU) that was created 

by WSU researchers: Profs. Esin Gulari, Charles W. 

Manke, and Rangaramanujam Kannan and Dr. Gulay 

Serhatkulu, of the College of Engineering, Chemical 

Engineering and Materials Science Department. This 

technology uses supercritical carbon dioxide to produce 

performance-enhancing nano-fillers for polymers, and 

will have applications in the automotive and food 

packaging industries. 

Kniga 

Nortz 

Jaros 

ESD Board Member Noelle Schiffer, vice president of Sales and 

Marketing for the Original Equipment Suppliers Association 

and vice president of the Automotive Women’s Alliance, 

received a Platinum Award for excellence in sales and marketing 

from the Marketing and Sales Executives of Detroit. 

In an effort to remain a leader in the structural engineering 

industry, Ruby and Associates has launched its new, redesigned 

Web site: www.rubyusa.com. The Web site provides 

detailed information about the firm’s expertise and project 

highlights to showcase recent industry innovations to solve 

structural design challenges. 

TESTING ENGINEERS & CONSULTANTS, INC. 

Engineering Client Success 

• Geotechnical Services • Building Envelope Services 

• Indoor Air Quality • Construction Materials Testing 

• Environmental Services • Property Condition Assessments 

• Asbestos/Mold/Lead • Automotive Component Testing 

1-800-835-2654 

email: tec@tectest.com www.testingengineers.com 

Offices in: Ann Arbor, 

Detroit & Troy 

A Certified WBE/DBB 


IN THE NEWS 

New Lawrence Tech Programs Aim to Boost Economy, Expand Choices 

Charles M. Chambers, President of Lawrence Technological 

University, has announced that the university will launch five 

academic programs this fall. The new programs are: 

• Associate of Science in communications engineering 

technology—offered in partnership with the Specs Howard 

School of Broadcast Arts and designed to help students meet 

the communications industry’s demand for broadcast technicians 

in studios, TV stations and other video and audio 

production companies; 

• Bachelor of Science in biomedical engineering—designed to 

provide the skills needed for positions in the field of biomedical 

engineering and allied life sciences disciplines, or for students 

who are preparing for medical school; 

• Bachelor of Science in chemical biology—designed to 

prepare students to become skilled scientists in the biomedical 

and biotechnology fields, or for students who are 

preparing for medical school; 

• Master of Educational Technology—created in 

partnership with Marygrove College in recognition of the 

advances in technology that have revolutionized the classroom 

and continue to change the way teachers instruct 

students; and 

• Graduate Certificate in nonprofit management and 

leadership—available as a concentration within Lawrence 

Tech’s MBA program and designed to provide a comprehensive 

understanding of what it takes to lead and manage a 

charitable 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. 

Lawrence Tech’s fall classes begin August 31. 

For information about the new programs, contact: 

Lawrence Tech’s Office of Admissions at 248-204-3160 or 

e-mail: admissions@ltu.edu. 


ESD NEWS 

Miller Walker Spencer 

ESD has added staff. Kevin Miller has joined ESD as Director 

of Membership. He comes to the Society with more than 

20 years of association management experience with an 

emphasis on membership. He has worked for the Leukemia 

& Lymphoma Society, Michigan Chapter and the Society of 

Manufacturing Engineers. Timothy D. Walker is Director 

of Programs. He is a Certified Meeting Planner (CMP) with 

almost 15 years of experience and joins ESD from the Kalamazoo 

County Convention and Visitors Bureau where he was 

sales manager. Ramona Spencer is a Meetings Manager. She 

comes to the Society from DaimlerChrysler where she worked 

in the corporate meeting planning department. 

ESD is a Cool Place to Work 

Crain’s Detroit Business recently selected The Engineering 

Society of Detroit as a “Cool Place to Work.” 

ESD was ranked high by the American Society of 

Employers in areas like organizational communication, 

management, environment and work-life 

initiatives to win this designation. Teamwork, camaraderie, 

personal growth, fun, ethics and values were 

some of the attributes noted for ESD. Look for us in 

the August 29 issue of Crain’s. 

Staff would like to thank all the ESD members and 

volunteers for making this such a great place to work. 

If it weren’t for them it would be just another job. 


ESD UPCOMING EVENTS 

Relationship Leadership: 

How People Were the Key to the 

Turnaround of Harley-Davidson 

–THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 8 

At ESD’s September Networking Meeting, join us to learn about 

Harley-Davidson’s unique management principles. Karl Eberle, 

Vice President and Plant Manager at the Kansas City Vehicle and 

Powertrain Operations Plant, will discuss how the company’s 

unique organizational structure (made up of both salaried and 

non-salaried assembly teams), empowerment of team members 

and accountability among teammates without traditional supervision 

contribute to sustained production growth and high morale. 

For information, visit www.esd.org or contact Ramona Spencer 

at 248–353–0735, ext. 4114, 

or rspencer@esd.org. 

Detroit Princess Riverboat Cruise 

Networking Event 

–WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 21 

ESD and Affiliate Society 

Members are invited to join us 

for a cruise and dinner aboard 

the Detroit Princess Riverboat. 

See the city from the unique 

perspective of the Detroit 

River. This former floating 

casino is 222 feet long, 62 feet 

wide and 88 feet high and seats 

1,500 people for dinner on four 

different levels with outdoor 

viewing on the fourth and 

fifth levels. The boat departs 

Hart Plaza at 7 p.m. and returns at 9 p.m. Tickets are $50 for 

ESD and Affiliate Society members and $65 for non-members. 

For more information visit www.esd.org or contact Ramona 

Spencer at 248-353-0735, ext. 4114, or rspencer@esd.org. 

e-Construction III: Dreams & Realities 

–WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 9 

As the technology boom continues in the construction industry, 

technologies have branched off into new and exciting realms. 

Don’t miss this opportunity to learn what new phrases, such as 

BIMS (Building Information Modeling Systems), mean to you 

and your firm. 

On November 9, 2005, ESD will present e-Construction III: 

Dreams and Realities, the third in a series of innovative conferences—an 

essential event for all members of the construction 

industry. Owners, design professionals, construction 

managers, contractors, subcontractors, consultants and all 

others involved in the AEC arena will benefit from the conference’s 

presentation of fresh new ideas and innovative new 

construction practices. Building on the foundation laid by the 

previous conferences, this technology-focused conference will 

present an overview of new emerging technologies as well as 

an analysis of how previously touted technologies have faired 

in the marketplace. 

Topics will include Web-Based Project Management, 3D 

Documentation, Building Information Management Systems 

(BIMS), Bar Coding and Electronic Tagging, Ground Penetrating 

Radar, Smart Concrete, Electronic Bidding Systems and 

Wireless Oakland. 

For additional information, contact ESD’s Nancy Strodl at 

248-353-0735 x4152 or nstrodl@esd.org 


ESD UPCOMING EVENTS 

2006 Economic Forecast for Design 

and Construction Conference 

–WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 26 

Don’t gamble on the future of your company. Gain valuable 

knowledge and understanding about what to expect next 

year in the design and construction arena by attending ESD’s 

economic forecast conference. 

The first Annual Design & Construction Industry Summit 

Award will be presented to noted economist David L. Littmann, 

retired Vice President and Chief Economist for Comerica 

Bank, in recognition of his outstanding contributions to the 

development of our region. Speakers from the healthcare, 

automotive, State of Michigan, higher education, K–12, 

industry, commerce and retail arenas will share their insights 

and expertise. 

Take the guesswork out of preparing your 2006 marketing 

plan. Let these experts enlighten and inform you about 

upcoming opportunities in your market segment. For more 

information, contact: Nancy Strodl at 248-353-0735, ext. 4152, 

or nstrodl@esd.org. 

Superhighway to Success: Career 

Pathways for the 21st Century 

–WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 16 

Automation Alley, in conjunction 

with Oakland County and Oakland 

Schools, is putting on a mega career 

fair designed to inform middle and 

high school students about immediate 

and future career opportunities 

as well as provide information 

on the skills, education, and experiences 

necessary for these careers. 

This ESD-endorsed event is 

expected to draw 20,000 students 

from grades 8 through 12 and will 

be held at the Pontiac Silverdome. About 300 businesses and 

30 post-secondary institutions are also expected to participate. 

The company booths will be divided into six Michigan Career 

Pathways. Attendees will have the opportunity to explore 

cool hands-on displays and interact with company representatives 

in arts and communications; business, management, 

marketing and technology; engineering, manufacturing and 

industrial technology; health sciences; human services; and 

natural resources and agriscience. 

For more information, visit www.superhighwaytosuccess. 

org or call (800) 427-5100. 

CALL FOR PRESENTATIONS: 

Emerging Technologies in Solid 

Waste Management Conference 

The Emerging Technologies in Solid 

Waste Management Conference, organized 

by The Engineering Society of 

Detroit and sponsored by the Michigan 

Waste Industries Association and the 

Michigan Department of Environmental 

Quality, is accepting papers for 

consideration of presentation at the 

Spring 2006 Conference. All papers presented at the conference 

will be included in the conference proceedings. Presentation 

topics can range from electronics recycling and industrial 

waste management to landfill design and waste policy issues. 

Abstracts of not more than 250 words and a brief biographical 

summary are due by September 21, 2005, to Nancy Strodl. 

For information on topics and abstract submission notes and 

guidelines, visit www.esd.org or contact Nancy Strodl at 248- 

353-0735, ext. 4152, or nstrodl@esd.org. 

A Rewarding Opportunity to 

Be a Future City Mentor 

ESD is looking for engineers and architects to mentor 

school teams for the ESD Michigan Regional Future 

City Competition. Mentoring a Future City team is an 

immensely rewarding experience. The program helps 

prepare 7th and 8th grade students for life in the real 

world and has a positive impact on the future of engineering 

as a profession. 

Future City is a team-based activity. Teams consist 

of students, a teacher and an engineer mentor—and 

the engineer mentor is a key part of the success of 

the program. If you are interested and can volunteer 

at least 40 hours of your time between August and 

January, contact ESD’s Nancy Strodl at 248–353–0735, 

ext. 4152, or nstrodl@esd.org. 

Additional information about the competition is 

available at www.esd.org. 


ESD MEMBERSHIP 

ESD’s Newest Individual Members 

Jamal X. Adams 

Student 

Michigan State University 

Mukaila Akinbola 

Vibralink Technologies 

John Balconi, P.E. 

Senior Project Manager 

Golder Associates Inc. 

Marina I. Carducci 

Lab. Services Specialist 

DTE Energy Gas Operations 

Radim Cernej 

XALIONIX, LLC 

Prahlada 

Chinthalapuri 

Project Manager 

IBM 

Vince Claucherty 

Product Design/Development 

Engineer 


Michael B. Coffey 

COO 

Hartland Insurance Group, Inc. 

Alberto Colin 

SSOE Inc. 

Mary Corrado 

Executive Vice President 

American Society of Employers 

Paul Crawford 

Program Manager, Personal Lines 

Citizens Insurance Company of 

America 

John Ding, P.E. 


GZA GeoEnvironmental, Inc. 

Kenneth Dion 


Global Embedded Technologies 

Matthew Dodd 

Co-op Engineering Student 

Fisher Dynamics 

Rod Emery 

Superior Controls, Inc. 

Ronald Gibala 

University of Michigan 

Dr. Timothy J. Greene 

Dean 

Western Michigan University 

Phil Hamelin 

Student/Product Design Engineer 

Delta Engineering Plastics 

William Hamilton 


Brian J. Harte 


Walker Parking Consultants 

Allison Hazen 

Atwell-Hicks 

Kevin W. Jones 


Albert Kahn Associates, Inc. 

Frank Kamish 

Student 

Wayne State University 

Steven Kerkmaz 

DTE Energy 

Sheree Kirkland 

Barton Malow Co. 

William D. LaPointe, 

CQE, CQA 


Thomas D. Laymac 

Mgr. SciLabs & Proving Grounds 

Hybrid Elec. Veh. 

DaimlerChrysler Corporation 

Dr. Harvey Lyons 

Associate Professor, Mech. Engrg. 

Technology 

Eastern Michigan University 

Ligor Manushi 

Engineer 

Altron 

David S. Massad 

Senior Project Engineer 

Advanced Technology & Testing 

Rochelle Moore 

Energy Specialist 

Merlo Steam Equipment Company 

Patrick Moquin 

Associate Engineer 

Vision Environmental, Inc. 

Garth Motschenbacher 

Academic Advisor 


Somachandra 

Mutukuda 

J. Lepera Contracting, Inc. 

Dennis O’Neil 


Bob Perkins 

Student 

Central Michigan University 

Paul Przygocki, P.E. 



Paul D. Schmalenberg 

Student 


John T. Schneider 

Manager Business Development 

Design Systems, Inc. 

Paul Shearlock 

Environmental Engineer 

White Lake Township 

John M. Smolinski 

Director of Information 

Technology 

Fori Automation Inc. 

Jason L. Spencer 

Student 


Richard St. Coeur 

Manager, New Technology 

IPG 

Edward J. Suriano 

Steven Swisher 

Design Engineer 

Mechatronics, Inc. 

Kevin VarnHagen 

ESD’s Newest 

Corporate Members 


Rep: Mary Corrado, Executive Vice 

President 


Rep: Garth Motschenbacher, Academic 

Advisor 

For Corporate Membership information, 

contact Kevin Miller at kmiller@esd.org 

or 248–353–0735, ext. 4120. 

Erik Villa 

Student 

Kai Voigt 

Schenck Pegasus Corp. 

Brian R. Wilger 

Assistant Site Utilities Manager 

General Motors Corp. 

Clifford Scott Yantz 

Project Manager/Senior 

Hydrogeologist 

O’Brien & Gere Engineers, Inc. 

David Zdurne 

Technical Writer 

Pullman Industries Inc. 

Your Future in the Making 

Explore over 60 undergraduate and graduate programs in Colleges of Architecture and 

Design, Arts and Sciences, Engineering, and Management offered at Lawrence Tech’s 

Southfield campus. Selected programs also offered in Clinton Township, Plymouth, 

the Downriver area, Alpena, Traverse City, and Petoskey. 

REGISTER NOW 

FOR FALL CLASSES 

21000 West Ten Mile Road • Southfield, MI 48075-1058 

800.CALL.LTU, ext. 1 • admissions@ltu.edu • www.ltu.edu 

M A S T E R ’ S D E G R E E S 

• Architecture 

• Architecture, Post-Professional 

• Automotive Engineering 

• Business Administration 

• Career-Integrated Master of Business Administration 

• Civil Engineering 

• Computer Science 

• Construction Engineering Management 

• Educational Technology NEW! 

• Electrical and Computer Engineering 

• Engineering in Manufacturing Systems 

• Engineering Management 

• Information Systems 

• Interior Design 

• Mechanical Engineering 

• Operations Management 

• Science Education 

• Technical and Professional Communication 

D O C T O R A L D E G R E E S 

• Business Administration 

• Engineering in Manufacturing Systems 

• Management in Information Technology 


ESD MEMBERSHIP 

In Memoriam 

With deep gratitude for their membership 

and service, The Engineering 

Society of Detroit acknowledges the 

deaths of the following members: 

Charles E. Allen 

Retired / Automotive Sales Manager, 

Federal-Mogul Corporation 

ESD Senior Engineers Council Member 

Member since 1979 

Bennie L. Benjamin, PE 

Retired / Director, Water & Sewerage 

Department, City of Detroit 


Nathaniel Carr 

Retired USAF Colonel 

Retired / Program Manager, Automation 

Research Systems, Ltd. 


James F. Hirshfeld, PE 

Retired / President, Insto-Gas Corporation 


Daniel P. Larer, PE 

Owner, L/K Insulation Systems 

Consulting—Consulting Engineers 


Mark Schmidt 

President, Atlas Tool Inc. 


Leon A. Snapp 

Retired / Quality Assurance Manager, 

The Budd Company 


James R. Snyder 

J R Snyder Company, Inc. 


William F. Watson, PE 

Retired / Estimator, Ford Motor Company 

ESD Senior Engineers Council Member 


Edward A. Zielesch 

Retired / Product Design Engineer, Ford 

Motor Company 


E S D L E G A C Y 

S O C I E T Y 

The Engineering Society of Detroit, 

founded in 1895, is committed to 

serving this generation of engineers 

and fostering the next. To ensure 

that we achieve our mission, we have 

created the ESD Legacy Society. As 

leaders who know first-hand what it 

takes to meet life’s challenges, we 

invite you to become charter members 

of this prestigious program. 

To join, you need only to pledge a 

gift in any amount to ESD from your 

estate. For more information, contact 

Dale Thomas at dthomas@esd.org or 

248–353–0735, ext. 4123. 


ESD Annual Dinner 

featuring the 31st Annual Construction & Design Awards and the ESD Leadership Awards 

The ESD Annual Dinner is a time for members to take time from their busy days to visit with colleagues. James J. Padilla, FESD, (left) President 

and Chief Operating Ocer of Ford Motor Company, visits with Dr. Leo Hanifin, FESD, Dean of the College of Engineering and Science, University 

of Detroit Mercy and ESD Board member; Noelle Schier, Vice President of Sales and Marketing, Original Equipment Suppliers Association 

(OESA) and ESD Board member; and Neil De Koker, President of OESA. 

Gary Broad, President of Midwest Steel, found 

time to talk with David Meynell, President and 

CEO of Dürr Systems and 2005–2006 President 

of The Engineering Society of Detroit. 

Over 350 Members and guests attended the 

ESD Annual Dinner on Tuesday, June 21, 2005, 

at the GM Wintergarden in the Renaissance 

Center, Detroit. 

Dr. Anastasia Banicki-Homan and her mother 

Katherine Banicki, President and CEO of Testing 

Engineers and Consultants and an ESD Board 

member, enjoyed the networking reception. 


2005-2006 BOARD OF DIRECTORS 

President 


President and CEO 


President-Elect 

Richard J. Haller 

President and COO 


Vice President 

David A. Skiven, PE 

Executive Director, WFG 

General Motors Corp. 

Treasurer 

Steven E. Kurmas, PE 

Senior Vice President, 

Distribution 

Operations, 

Detroit Edison 

Secretary 

Darlene J. Trudell, CAE 

Executive Vice President, 

The Engineering Society 

of Detroit 

Past President 

Donald E. Goodwin 

VP, Scientific 

Laboratories and 

Proving Grounds, 


Katherine Banicki 


Testing Engineers and Consultants 

Dr. Leo E. Hanifin, FESD 

Dean, College of Engineering and Science 

University of Detroit Mercy 

Dennis M. King, FESD, FAIA* 

Corporate Chairman 

HarleyEllis 

Thomas H. Landry* 

Chief Operating Ocer 

Jonna Construction Company 

Michael Morrison* 

Vice President, Manufacturing Division 

Perot Systems 

August Olivier** 

Director, Capital Projects 


Douglas Patton 

Senior Vice President of Engineering, 

DENSO International America, Inc. 

(Appointed to replace John Camp) 

Richard F. Pearson 

President 

National Center for Manufacturing Sciences 

William P. Russo 

Director - Manufacturing Engineering Vehicle 

Operations 


Noelle Schier 

Vice President of Sales and Marketing 

Original Equipment Suppliers Association 

Paul T. Sgriccia, PE 

Solid Waste Area Manager, 

Golder Associates Inc. 

Dr. Rebecca M. Spearot, PE* 

Director, Environmental Management 

Lear Corporation 

Dr. Mumtaz A. Usmen, PE, FESD* 

Professor/Chairman, Civil and Environmental 

Engineering Department 


*elected to a second term 

**elected to a first term 

OUTGOING OFFICERS AND DIRECTORS: 

Outgoing President 

Donald E. Goodwin 

Vice President 

Scientific Laboratories and Proving Grounds 


Outgoing Past President 

Charles M. Ayers, FESD 

President 

C. Ayers Limited 

Outgoing Board Member 

John Camp 

Retired/Senior Advisor to the President 



Dr. Charles M. Chambers, FESD 




Michael J. Rokosz, FESD 

Research Scientist 


Outgoing Past President Charles M. Ayers, 

FESD, (left) presents a silver tray to outgoing 

President Donald E. Goodwin. 


Master of Ceremonies 

Gary E. Mach, JD 

HarleyEllis 

Horace H. Rackham Humanitarian Award 

Lloyd E. Reuss 

Retired President 


Lifetime Achievement Award 

John Banicki, PE, FESD 

Founder and Chief Executive Consultant 

Testing Engineers & Consultants, Inc. 

ESD Fellow 

Don C. Bramlett, PE, FESD 




Sue L. Littles, FESD 

Lead Architectural Designer 



Dr. William A. Moylan, Jr., PMP, FESD 

Professor, College of Technology 



James J. Padilla, FESD 

President and Chief Operating Ocer 


Distinguished Service Award 

Charles M. Ayers, FESD 

President 


Distinguished Service Award 

F. Michael Faubert, PE, FESD 

Vice President, Engineering Services 

DTE Energy Technologies 


Outstanding Committee Leadership Award 

Gale T. Arkwright, CPC 

President 

Arktek Enterprises 


Michael F. Cooper, PE 

Principal and Senior Mechanical Engineer 

HarleyEllis 


Gordon Harbison 

Manager, Energy Management Systems 

Dürr Industries 


Roy H. Link, FESD 


Link Engineering 


Paul T. Sgriccia, PE 

Solid Waste Area Manager 


Outstanding Young Engineer of the Year 

for Company Contributions 

Keith R. Walter 

Project Engineer, DTE Energy 

Outstanding Young Engineer of the Year 

for Academic Contributions 

Andrew L. Gerhart 

Assistant Professor of Mechanical Engineering 


Outstanding Student Engineer of the Year 

Rosemary Kanasty 

(award accepted by her mother and professor) 

Chemical Engineering Student 


High School Student of the Year 

Andrew William Kneifel 

Rochester Adams High School Student 


Construction & Design Award 

Campus Martius Park 

800 Woodward Avenue, Detroit, Michigan 

Owner: Detroit 300 Conservancy 

Designers: Rundell Ernstberger Associates, LLC; 

QUINN EVANS | ARCHITECTS 

Constructor: White/Olson LLC 


Compuware Headquarters 

One Campus Martius, Detroit, Michigan 

Owner: Compuware Corporation 

Designer: Rossetti and Peter Basso Associates, Inc. 

Constructor: Walbridge Aldinger; Limbach Company LLC and 

Mechanical Professional Services 


Ferris State University Granger Center Renovation & Addition 

111 W. Knollview Drive, Big Rapids, Michigan 

Owner: Ferris State University 

Designer: Albert Kahn Associates, Inc. 

Constructor: Granger Construction Company and DTS Architects 


Ford Rouge Center Site Revitalization 

Dearborn, Michigan 

Owner: Ford Motor Company 

Designer: Giels, Inc. 

Constructor: Walbridge Aldinger 


The Rapid Central Station 

250 Grandville Avenue SW, Grand Rapids, Michigan 

Owner: Interurban Transit Partnership 

Designer: Progressive AE 

Constructor: The Christman Company 


William Beaumont Hospital South Tower Addition 

3601 West 13 Mile, Royal Oak, Michigan 

Owner: William Beaumont Hospital 

Designer: HarleyEllis 

Constructor: Barton Malow Company and Limbach Company LLC 


Construction & Design Award—Historical Renovation Category 

University of Michigan Hill Auditorium Renovation 

825 North University, Ann Arbor, Michigan 

Owner: The University of Michigan 

Designer: Albert Kahn Associates, Inc. and 

QUINN EVANS | ARCHITECTS 

Constructor: The Christman Company 

Mike the Magician works his magic on two reception attendees. 

Thank you to the sponsors of 

ESD’s 2005 Annual Dinner 

A bird’s eye view of a table of Annual Dinner attendees. 

Darlene Trudell, ESD Executive Vice President (left); Maurcine and Lloyd 

Reuss, retired President of General Motors Corporation; Keith Cooley, 

Chief Operating Ocer of Focus:HOPE; and Ron Smith, ESD Director of 

Education, visit during the networking reception before the dinner. 


What Padilla Told the 

Then—As ESD’s Young Engineer of the Year 

Published in ESD’s 1980 Detroit Engineer Roster 

1980, ESD Young 

Engineer of the Year 

2005, ESD Fellow 

James J. Padilla, FESD, who joined Ford Motor Company in 1966, is President and Chief 

Operating Ocer and a member of the Board of Directors. He is responsible for global 

automotive business, including overseeing marketing, manufacturing and engineering. 

In June 2004, he received the Ohtli Award, the highest honor given a person of 

Mexican descent living outside the country, from the Mexican government. 

He is a Fellow of the National Academy of Engineering and a member of the U.S. 

Chamber of Commerce Manufacturing Council. In 1978, Mr. Padilla was the first auto 

industry representative chosen for the White House Fellow Program, and in 1980 he was 

selected ESD’s Outstanding Young Engineer of the Year. 

He received his BS and MS in chemical engineering, and an MS in economics, from 

the University of Detroit. 


Annual Meeting Crowd 

Now—As an ESD Fellow 

hat an honor it was to be asked to speak 

at The Engineering Society of Detroit’s 

(ESD’s) Annual Meeting and Awards 

Dinner, and to be inducted into ESD’s 

College of Fellows. 

I’ve been a member of ESD for many 

years; and in preparation for my speech 

at the Annual Meeting on June 21, 2005, I 

decided to look over a speech I made at an ESD meeting in 1980, 

when I received ESD’s Young Engineer of the Year Award. 

Surprisingly, my insights from 25 years ago prove useful 

today. I thought it would be interesting to address the challenges 

raised then that still face the automotive industry today. 

What amazed me the most about my remarks from the 1980 

Annual Meeting is that the challenges facing the automotive 

industry now are much more pressing—competition has intensified 

immensely. 

In 1980, I identified the biggest challenge to the industry as 

bolstering our industrial base. Our key concern is still maintaining 

and growing our manufacturing base in the U.S. For 

more than a century, the foundation of our country’s economy 

has been manufacturing. One out of every 10 jobs in the U.S. is 

automotive related. Manufacturing drives the U.S. economy and 

provides jobs that Americans want to preserve. To be successful 

in the increasingly competitive global automotive industry, we 

need to continue to build on our technical knowledge. 

The U.S. government is keenly aware of the effect the 

manufacturing base has on our economy. In 2004, the U.S. 

Commerce Department formed a Manufacturing Council 

composed of U.S. manufacturing leaders. The purpose of 

the council is to serve as a voice for advocating policies that 

will help all U.S. manufacturers—small, medium and large— 

succeed worldwide. 

As a member of the Manufacturing Council, I welcomed 

Commerce Secretary Carlos Gutierrez and the rest of the 

council to Dearborn in February 2005. Although the council 

is focused on the U.S. market, I believe the work done by this 

group can benefit U.S. businesses worldwide. 

At this meeting, I discussed the importance of innovation. 

One of the keys to our future success is to build on our great 

history of innovation. We need to develop and nurture the same 

entrepreneurial spirit that Henry Ford brought to Ford Motor 

Company over 100 years ago, and this is where you can help. 

Throughout ESD’s existence, it has been a leader by 

promoting the engineering and scientific professions and by 

providing invaluable technical assistance to the community. 

Since its inception 110 years ago, ESD has enjoyed the overwhelming 

support of industry within the metro Detroit 

region. The list of members reads like a “Who’s Who” of past 

and present industry and civic giants from Charles Kettering 

and William “Bunky” Knudsen to Henry Ford and Henry 

Ford II; Alex Dow; Walter J. McCarthy, Jr.; Albert Kahn; Keith 

Crain and Dr. David Cole. Today ESD continues to receive 

overwhelming support from industry leaders. The society’s 

programs and services are dedicated to enhancing the 

profession and the community, while encouraging growth 

and development of future engineers and scientists. 

I’m very honored to be an ESD member and look forward 

to continuing my association with this great organization. 


Wireless Networking 

for Automobiles 

Our cars may soon be getting check-ups 

without stopping at the mechanic’s 

BY CHRISTOPHER A. LUPINI AND DOUGLAS L. WELK 

he electronic architecture of future vehicles 

will rely more heavily on wireless communications 

to provide features and functions necessary 

for vehicle operation and driver/passenger 

comfort. 1 This article gives an overview of wireless 

data communication and how it is, and 

will be, used for passenger vehicle applications. 

Figure 1 shows how wireless applications are 

roughly divided into on-board and off-board categories. 

WIRELESS BOOM 

IEEE 802.11 wireless networks are being rapidly deployed 

in home and office environments worldwide. In addition, 

several public sector agencies at the local, county and state 

levels have announced plans for wide-area deployments to 

attain economic growth and other benefits associated with 

easy broadband Internet access for their workforce and citizens. 

Some of the most notable examples include the cities of 

Philadelphia, PA, and Minneapolis, MN; Macomb and Romeo 

Counties in Michigan; and the state of South Dakota. Given 

the expectation of continued widespread growth in network 

deployments, it is nearly inevitable that there will be a desire 

to use these networks to communicate with vehicles. 

The initial applications for this communication link are 

likely to be related to entertainment functions, but will eventually 

expand to include diagnostic, safety and mobility functions 

as well. Therefore, we’ll briefly explore some of these 

potential applications. 

WIRELESS PROTOCOL CANDIDATES 

There are many possible wireless communication schemes. 

The primary one discussed in the industry today is 802.11. 

This will, in fact, probably be the most popular implementation 

for the foreseeable future. However, 802.11 may 

not be suitable for all applications and other protocols for 

automotive use (Fig. 2) have cropped up—including Zigbee 

and Bluetooth®. 

Much of the automotive industry’s attention has been 

on Bluetooth. However, 802.11 also has its proponents, 

so many original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) and 

suppliers are studying co-location so that products containing 

either standard can exist near each other. Ultrawideband 

(UWB) is the wild card that some think will make Bluetooth 

and 802.11 obsolete. Approved by the U.S. Federal 

Communications Commission (FCC) in February 2002, 

UWB is essentially white noise communication. Using precise 

clocking, tiny amounts of information are transported across 

a very wide range of frequencies at very low power (perhaps 

1/10,000 that of a cell phone). Compared with spread spectrum, 

which uses a small range of frequencies one at a time, 

UWB uses a wide range of frequencies all at once. UWB is 

used for global position sensing, works indoors and easily 


penetrates obstructions. Table 1 lists leading 

wireless protocol candidates. 2 Table 2 

shows a more technical comparison of the 

leading wireless protocol candidates for 

in-vehicle use. 

IN THE VEHICLE 

Current use of wireless networks in vehicles 

has been limited to applications such as 

remote keyless entry and tire pressure monitoring 

systems. Small-scale, true networked 

systems have been developed for hands-free 

operation of cell phones in automobiles via 

Bluetooth. In the future, however, wireless 

technology may allow connections between 

headrest displays, which could be used for 

video sharing. 

Engineers are also interested in chassis 

and body applications of wireless technology 

because of the attractiveness of saving wires, 

connectors and their associated weight. Even 

powertrain electronics could use wireless 

networking to communicate between various 

sensors and actuators. 

Entertainment 

The advantages of wireless networks 

are particularly compelling for entertainment 

applications because they do not require the 

widespread deployment of a wireless infrastructure. 

Instead, they obtain and exchange 

information with the wireless networks 

installed in each consumer’s home. In addition, 

entertainment applications offer functionality 

that can be used every day, thereby 

creating an increased perception of value 

by the consumer over other applications 

that may only be used occasionally, or even 

rarely. In addition, consumers have demonstrated 

a willingness to pay for entertainment 

features—most recently by the success of the 

satellite radio providers. Thus, consumers 

can help pay for the hardware by purchasing 

entertainment features. This hardware can 

then be used to support other applications 

that are important, but don’t have a high 

perceived value on a day-to-day basis. For 

these reasons, we believe that entertainment 

applications will be the first vehicle-based 

uses of wireless networks. 

Fig. 1: Wireless applications for a vehicle are divided into on-board and 

o-board categories. 

Fig. 2: Major wireless protocols used in the automotive industry compared by range 

and throughput. 


It has become common for people to obtain new music 

by purchasing and downloading individual songs from 

an Internet store, such as Apple’s iTunes, rather than by 

purchasing a CD from a traditional bricks-and-mortar store. 

Another model, which is also increasing in popularity, is 

to lease music from a subscription-based service such as 

Rhapsody. One result of these trends is that many people have 

amassed a music collection that exists primarily on the hard 

drive of their personal computer (PC). Although it is usually 

possible to burn these tracks onto a standard audio CD, 

transporting a music library to a vehicle can be difficult and 

time-consuming—another solution is clearly desirable. 

With the recent advent of automotive-grade hard drives, 

it has become possible to put a hard drive inside the vehicle’s 

entertainment system and use an IEEE 802.11 wireless 

network to enable content to be downloaded from the home 

PC (Fig. 3). Because the synchronization can be handled 

automatically, no user interaction is required to ensure that 

the vehicle contains your latest tunes. Additionally, because 

the home PC can be connected to the Internet, one could 

envision a service that would automatically download the 

latest weather forecast, traffic report and news headlines in the 

early morning hours and then transfer that information to the 

vehicle, thereby guaranteeing fresh, up-to-date information for 

the morning commute. 

In addition, companies such as Movielink, Starz®, 

Comcast® and TiVo® are at the forefront of transitioning 

video content delivery to an electronic format. MovieLink 

offers movie downloads; Starz Ticket supports streaming 

content over the Internet; Comcast provides a library 

of over 3000 on-demand titles over a private network; and 

TiVo allows recorded video content to be moved around a 

network, including to portable devices. Delphi has already 

announced its intention to work with Comcast to allow 

selected programs from its on-demand video library to be 

transferred to the car and viewed on the rear-seat entertainment 

system. We may soon be approaching the time when we 

can truly watch and listen to any entertainment in any location—including 

the car. 

Another interesting concept is to actually build a media 

server into the car. The vehicle’s hard drive would be filled 

with audio and video content as previously described; but with 

an in-vehicle wireless network, it is conceivable that a number 

of devices could have access to that content. Compatible devices 

could range from factory installed third-row displays to various 

consumer-grade devices such as portable media players and 

Bluetooth headsets. Such a system would support easy expandability 

and also allow entertainment options to be individually 

selected by each passenger, without interfering with the 

other passengers. 

Fig. 3: IEEE 802.11 allows consumers to download content from their 

home PC to their vehicle’s entertainment system. 

Table 1: 

Current and possible wireless mobile media bus protocols 

Name Model Years Comments 

Bluetooth 2005 www.bluetooth.com 

IEEE 802.11 2006 www.ieee802.org/11 

UWB TBD www.uwb.org 

Zigbee TBD www.zigbee.org 

Note: TBD = to be determined. 

Table 2: 

Comparison of the leading wireless protocol candidates for in-vehicle use 

Features IEEE 802.11b Bluetooth Zigbee 

Power profile Hours Days Years 

Complexity Very complex Complex Simple 

Nodes/master 32 7 64,000 

Latency 

Enumeration 

up to 3 s 

Enumeration 

up to 10 s 

Enumeration 

30 ms 

Range 100 m 10 m 70 to 300 m 

Extendability 

Roaming 

possible 

No 

Yes 

Data Rate 11 MB/s 1 MB/s 250 kB/s 

Security 

Authentication 

Service Set ID 

(SSID) 

64 bit, 128 bit 128 bit AES 

and 

application 

layer 

user defined 


One of the major challenges that still needs to be addressed 

is copyright management. Content owners such as The 

Walt Disney Company and Sony BMG are understandably 

concerned about the possibility of copies of their music and 

video programs being freely available over the Internet. As 

a result, they are reluctant to agree to allow their content to 

be moved from computer to computer or from computer to 

vehicle. Microsoft, Apple Computer and others have begun to 

address this problem in the context of portable music players. 

The solutions currently available, however, are incompatible 

with each other and, generally, haven’t been extended to 

video content. 

Service, safety and mobility 

Of course, the use of the wireless data link is not limited to 

just entertainment functions. Once the necessary hardware 

has been installed in the vehicle, it can be used for many other 

applications. For example, it is possible to transfer diagnostic 

data over the wireless network. Using such an application, it 

would be feasible to pull the diagnostic trouble codes from your 

vehicle, look up their interpretations on the Internet and then 

schedule an appointment with a dealer—all without leaving 

home. Alternatively, if you chose to take your vehicle to the 

dealer first, the diagnostic codes could be downloaded from 

your vehicle and a preliminary repair estimate prepared as 

you walk from the parking area to the service desk. Another 

interesting application is “drive-by inspections.” In this case, 

your vehicle’s emissions subsystems could be queried for 

proper operation by roadside equipment. If there are no 

problems, then your inspection sticker is automatically 

renewed without the need to visit an official inspection station. 

Vehicle-infrastructure integration (VII) has the potential 

to have a more significant impact on our driving experience than 

any other wireless application. VII is a joint effort between 

the U.S. Department of Transportation and the automotive 

manufacturers to use wireless communications to improve 

highway safety and traffic flow. The proposed primary 

communications link is a variation of 802.11, known as 

IEEE 802.11p, or wireless access for the vehicle environment 

(WAVE). As currently envisioned, the system will allow 

vehicles to exchange critical information with each other 

and with roadside infrastructure. Currently, over 100 potential 

applications have been identified including: 

• Warning when approaching stopped or slowed traffic 

too quickly; 

• Warning about upcoming congestion and providing an 

alternate route; 

• Highway merge assistance; 

• Automated vehicle collision avoidance maneuvering; and 

• Dynamic traffic signal phasing to optimize traffic flow. 

It is anticipated that a few high priority VII applications 

will be developed and tested over the next 2 to 3 years, and a 

decision whether or not to deploy the network will be made 

in 2008. If the decision is positive, the initial nationwide 

deployment should be completed sometime in 2011 or 2012. 

AUTOMOTIVE FUTURE 

With all of the wireless network development being completed 

by the automotive industry—Delphi and others—it is inconceivable 

that the vehicle of the future will not include some 

form of wireless data communication. Timing and the specific 

applications are still open questions, but it seems that entertainment 

applications will likely be implemented first, followed by 

service, safety and mobility applications. 

References 

1. “Multiplex Bus Progression,” C. Lupini, SAE paper 2003-01- 

0111. 

2. “Vehicle Multiplex Communication,” C. Lupini, SAE publication 

R-3 40. 

Christopher A. Lupini is Lead Engineer for 

the Delphi Serial Data Center of Expertise at 

Delphi Electronics & Safety. He has worked 

in the data communications industry for 

18 years and has been consulting and teaching 

for 12 years. Past accomplishments include 

assisting in the design and development of 

the General Motors Class 2 and GMLAN 

protocols, as well as specifying and testing numerous J1850 and CAN 

ICs. Mr. Lupini has one patent and has authored a dozen technical 

papers and articles, as well as a textbook. 

Douglas L. Welk leads a group of engineers 

who develop advanced vehicle-based 

applications for a variety of wireless data 

networks at Delphi Corporation. He has 

over 15 years of experience developing 

vehicle-based entertainment and 

information electronics. Past projects 

include FM-Radio Data System (FM-RDS) 

receivers and navigation systems. Mr. Welk has authored several 

technical papers on, and has several patents and intellectual 

property disclosures in, the areas of navigation, information and 

entertainment systems. 


Cutting 

the 

Cord 

The emergence of wireless building controls 

BY MICHAEL F. COOPER, PE 

e have all seen it—busy professionals 

with cellular telephones, networked 

PDAs, laptop computers and probably 

a handful of other devices meant to keep 

them connected at all times. We live in 

an increasingly wireless world, where 

information and people are accessible 

anywhere, at any time. Using wireless 

technology, doctors can monitor a patient’s condition remotely 

from any location; research professionals can collaborate on 

the same experiment with other experts worldwide; and the 

boundaries of a university student’s education aren’t the classroom 

walls, but rather one’s imagination and the world’s 

resources. For some of us, this might seem like an unimaginable 

nightmare. For many, though, it is a dream come true 

with real benefits. 

When we look at the advantages of using wireless 

networks in today’s building management systems (BMSs), 

the question is probably not, “Should we implement wireless 

networks” but rather, “How are we going to implement 

them” Current BMSs are primarily dedicated hardwired 

networks. When a change is made, the network must be 

reconfigured to accommodate the change. A wireless BMS 

would be much different. 

This article will examine the different aspects and 

considerations of wireless building networks, so you’ll 

have the knowledge to make the right decision for your facility. 

WIRELESS BENEFITS 

Until now, wireless building control applications have largely 

been limited to room temperature sensors. The obvious benefit 

associated with these devices is that they can be moved easily 

without rewiring. As we look to the future, such basic wireless 

technology serves as an “enabler” of a larger comprehensive wireless 

data distribution system. When all building control functions 

are integrated into the network, we can achieve many 

other long-term benefits such as: 

• More efficient building operations, with facilities staff 

exchanging and acting on information in real time; 

• Lower project costs, due to the elimination of controls 

wiring and conduit and a reduction in displacement of 

building occupants to implement renovations; 

• Higher workplace productivity by providing staff with 

remote access to operational information; and 

• Safer work environments by continually monitoring facility 

activity and high value equipment. 

LIMITATIONS 

Unfortunately, the news is not all good. There are limitations to 

wireless building technologies that must be considered to properly 

implement a system. 

Radio frequency (RF) technology is limited by distance, 

usually 100 ft or so maximum between control points. It is also 

limited by solid metal and concrete structures, which means 

that extensive site survey work and design coordination are 


necessary to ensure that the signal path will not be impeded. 

RF can also interfere with other unrelated systems. We have 

all heard the feedback and interference that comes through on 

two-way radio systems. In a wireless building network, this 

would be a “show stopper.” 

Infrared signaling (IR) technology is limited primarily by 

line of sight. We know that to operate something as simple as 

a television remote control, we must point it directly at the 

set. If not, nothing happens. In a situation where a dedicated 

air conditioning unit is located in a space along with a wireless 

thermostat, IR technology may be acceptable. In a multiple 

room scenario, IR is not an option. 

Virtually all wireless devices, regardless of how they are 

networked, will require battery power. The reliability and 

capability of the batteries become a key success factor in the 

effective operation of the system. How much data can be 

communicated How far must the data travel How often are 

the communications cycled How will low battery power affect 

the building controls What is the alarming capability of the 

batteries Without a clear understanding of these issues, 

wireless building networks can be a risky proposition. 

WIRELESS INFRASTRUCTURE 

The current state of wireless building networks is far from 

optimum, although growth is undeniable. The use of twoway 

radios, cellular telephones, pagers, PDAs and voice-over 

Internet protocol (VOIP) systems has exploded. Many of these 

systems, however, have been installed in a piecemeal fashion, 

without a systems engineering approach. Communications 

quality is often poor. This is largely due to the lack of a 

comprehensive controls system strategy and the resulting 

interference from sources outside the facility. System security 

is also questionable. If unintended signal interference from the 

outside is possible, then it’s also feasible that somebody could 

knowingly access the system without proper authorization. 

More often than not, poor perceptions are the result of a lack 

of discipline in deployment of wireless networks, not in the 

technology itself. 

When wireless building networks are conceived using an 

engineered distribution system approach, the aforementioned 

issues tend to disappear. Imagine thousands of control devices 

working together to improve the total environment. These 

systems impose discipline in their application and therefore 

enable quality, reliable performance and efficiency. They 

typically require less maintenance, as there are fewer 

components to wear out. They offer freedom of movement 

that will “unchain” key staff members from their desks. They 

offer a facility-based shared infrastructure that would support 

approved wireless devices and applications and contain the 

network so that outside interference is negated. They are 

typically created using Ethernet technology to provide a wider 

frequency range, supporting both current and emerging wireless 

applications. They allow for fewer time-consuming, costly 

relocations. Lastly, they allow building management interface 

to areas that are unreachable with traditional conduit and 

wire systems. 

APPLICATIONS 

With the proper infrastructure, the possibilities are limitless. 

Here are a few applications that would provide tangible benefits 

to whole industries. 

Facility management 

Facility engineers and managers operate on the go. When they 

are able to get real-time systems performance data and adjust 

operating parameters through a networked PDA (or other 

device), they are able to quickly respond to issues and operate 

more efficiently. They would also be able to receive maintenance 

requests from building occupants through a 

Web site and immediately address the problems, without 

having to check in with a central office or spend time on 

needless paperwork. 

Building security 

Building security systems are much more effective when they 

are adaptable to ever-changing conditions. Cameras 

and monitors interfaced through a wireless network can be 

relocated as necessary to focus on critical areas. Hardware 

and other valuable equipment can be tracked with networked 

equipment tags—even people can be monitored if need be. 

Research and development 

Laboratory efficiency can be dramatically improved with 

wireless technology. Researchers are able to monitor ongoing 

research activities remotely and communicate to graduate 

assistants and other support staff in real time. New processes 

and equipment can be integrated into existing operations more 

quickly and at less cost. Environmental health and safety 

(for example, space ventilation and pressurization) can be 

continuously monitored and action taken immediately if 

something falls out of calibration. 

Healthcare 

Hospitals have been using wireless technology for years (for 

example, doctors carrying pagers). We are now seeing a much 

broader application. With wireless networks, doctors and 

nurses can monitor a patient’s vital signs remotely; order 

prescriptions electronically; and monitor the location of 

patients and mobile life-sustaining equipment. Imagine being 

a patient and having the attributes (temperature, relative 


humidity, telephone volume, meal selections) change to your 

liking as soon as you enter a room. 

Higher education 

Institutions of higher education have been integrating wireless 

technology, but still have many untapped opportunities. 

Distance learning, videoconferencing and collaboration with 

industry continue to be priorities, and they’re all enhanced 

with wireless technology. Within an individual classroom, 

students and faculty can share common data and research 

much more effectively with a wireless network in place. 

MANAGEMENT OVERSIGHT 

We have already discussed the notion of proper deployment 

of wireless building networks. As with most business initiatives, 

it falls on executive management to set the tone. Guidelines 

for approved devices and applications must be in place 

to ensure that security breaches and outside interference do 

not render the system inoperable. Loading of software to 

networked personal computers and Internet downloading 

must be controlled so that unrelated programs or files do not 

interfere with proper system operation. Company information 

technology (IT) administrators must know what devices 

the staff uses and tenant firms must understand the owner’s 

rules for IT activity in the building. It is strongly encouraged 

that comprehensive written policies and procedures be 

prepared so that all parties understand the system and how to 

use it effectively. 

OUR CRYSTAL BALL 

Will wireless building controls permeate the construction 

industry It is a safe bet that they will. How will they affect 

your facility Only time will tell. While it not realistic to 

expect that existing hardwired systems will be ripped out in 

place of new wireless networks, or that all new buildings will 

be equipped with such networks, it is reasonable to expect that 

balanced hybrid systems will gain prominence. Proven wireless 

technology will be integrated with tried and true hardwired 

systems to incrementally improve operations. Over time, 

wireless technology should gain acceptance, as some of the 

benefits are realized and validated. 

In the coming years, we should expect new codes and 

standards to be developed that address wireless building 

controls in greater detail. We can also expect that traditional 

hub and spoke control systems (with a central controlling 

device or head end) will be replaced by mesh networks where 

each control device has on-board communications capability 

and logic to function as a router for other devices. In this 

way, a singular device failure has minimal impact on overall 

system performance. 

References 

1. Wills, Jeff, “Will HVAC Control Go Wireless” ASHRAE 

Journal, V. 46, No. 7, 2004, pp. 46-52. 

2. Hill, Byron K., PhD, “Enabling the Wireless Workplace,” 

www.johnsoncontrols.com. 

Michael F. Cooper is a Principal and Senior 

Mechanical Engineer with HarleyEllis. He 

has 15 years of experience in the design 

and management of technology-based 

building projects. Mr. Cooper has a BS in 

mechanical engineering from the University 

of Michigan and an MBA from the University 

of Phoenix. He is a licensed professional 

engineer in Michigan and eight other states. For additional 

information, please contact him by phone: 248-233-0146, or 

mfcooper@harleyellis.com. 

FRUSTRATED with computer or network 

problems 

AFRAID of viruses or network security issues 

TIRED of junk e-mail 

LTI Information Technology is a Microsoft-certified 

partner and Cisco partner experienced in costeffectively 

resolving these problems for engineering 

and manufacturing companies. 

• IT service provider for The Engineering Society 

of Detroit 

• LTI-IT staffs only certified, friendly technicians 

• FREE 30-day trial of Spam Stops Here Anti-Spam 

Anti-Virus Solution for ESD members 

Call us at (734) 332–1200 and ask for Kevin Phillips 

or visit us at www.ltiit.com. 


Wireless Communications 

Applications at 


BY BEIJING WANG, MAJEED KADI, AND STEVE MUENCH 

he task of incorporating the most up-to-date, 

advanced wireless technology in their cars and 

trucks may seem daunting to automotive manufacturers. 

Recent consumer trends hint that on-board 

navigations systems are one of the most desirable 

features in a vehicle, second only to safety-related 

features. Not surprising, because according to the 

J. D. Power survey from October 2004, the number 

of vehicles offering some type of navigation package is on the rise. 

Besides navigational systems, the demand for satellite radio and 

hands-free phone capabilities is also growing. Wireless technology 

looks promising to assist automobile manufacturers in meeting 

consumers’ increasing expectations for mobility, road safety, 

system capacity/efficiency and in-vehicle entertainment features. 

In this article, we’ll discuss the steps taken by the DaimlerChrysler 

Chrysler Group (CG) to meet these expectations and some of the 

communication applications that are expected to affect the 

automotive industry in the future. 

NAVIGATION 

Navigation systems, used in both military and civil applications, 

employ wireless signals transmitted via a global positioning 

system (GPS). The GPS is based on 24 satellites orbiting the earth 

(Fig. 2). The satellites act as reference points from which navigation 

systems triangulate their positions. The GPS was developed by 

the U.S. Department of Defense and can be used for civil and 

military applications for no subscription cost. 

In concept, at any given time, all GPS satellites are defined 

in their orbits in space. A navigation system can mathematically 

define a satellite’s unique position by knowing its relative 

distance to at least four satellites simultaneously. The distance from 

each satellite is calculated by knowing the time the 

satellite signal took to reach the navigation system. A time 

delay is calculated based on the time shift between the received 

code from the satellite and a similar code generated by the 

navigation receiver. 

The mathematical calculations performed to determine 

location (based on travel distance) is correct, but it assumes ideal 

conditions. In reality, using the pure signal provided from the 

GPS, the navigational system has an accuracy of no more than 

30 meters. Inaccuracies are due to multiple factors including 

clock errors, atmospheric delays, multipath and receiver 

errors—assuming there is no intentional error added for security 

measures by the U.S. Department of Defense. All of these errors 

make the implementation of an in-vehicle navigation system a 

very challenging task. 

The accuracy of a vehicle navigation system is the product of 

accurate map databases, powerful real-time processing capability 

and multiple redundancy calculations, in addition to sophisticated 

algorithms of map matching that have the capability of receiving 

and processing the vehicle linear speed and the real-time vehicle 

orientation using an on-board gyrometer. Currently, assuming 

good system implementation and an accurate map in the area, 

there is easily a 10-meter accuracy in vehicle navigation units. 

The CG’s navigation system offers consumers various 

features, for example, user-friendliness, routing capability, 

real-time traffic (international markets only), system response 

speed, map and routing display clarity, carefully designed 

human machine interface (HMI) screens, GPS clock, 

customized personal menu, point of interest (POI) feature, 


automatic route recalculation, trip itinerary and voice 

guidance options. Due to these features, Chrysler’s first 

generation navigation system was ranked eighth out of the 

78 navigation systems surveyed by J. D. Power in October 2004. 

Common ways to enter a destination are: 

• Route by POI; 

• Directly enter a street address; 

• Pull an address stored in the address book; 

• Recall a recent route; 

• Search by phone number; and 

• Guide by street intersection; 

Or simply move the cursor to a destination on the map and 

press . 

As an on-board navigation system, a seamless integration in 

a vehicle directly changes the vehicle’s overall system 

performance and affects the appearance of the system and its appeal 

to consumers. Frequently used navigation buttons are located on 

the radio faceplate to minimize driving distraction when a navigation 

operation is performed. Determining the GPS antenna location in 

the vehicle requires teamwork between packaging and component 

development groups to achieve an optimized system performance. 

All interactions between the navigation system and other 

vehicle modules, including the cluster language display (up to seven 

popular languages for international markets), the measurement unit 

(English or metric) and various vehicle maintenance reminders are 

implemented by module software and bus communications. Figure 

3 shows a navigation screen on CG’s CAN-based navigation radio, 

whereas Fig. 4 is a cluster navigation display screen in a Chrysler 300. 

SATELLITE RADIO 

Satellite radio has become a reality with close to 4.5 million 

subscribers by the end of 2004. In 1992, the U.S. Federal 

KEEPING UP WITH CONSUMER EXPECTATIONS 

The DaimlerChrysler Chrysler Group (CG) launched the first CAN-based vehicle in 2003 (2004 model year) Dodge 

Durango. A few months later, its core audio and telematics group rolled out the first CAN-based on-board navigation 

system in the brand new 2005 model year Chrysler 300. This system has won several awards for its superiority, significance and 

value, including the Car of the Year 2005 by Motor Trend and 2005 Automobile of the Year. Figure 1 depicts DaimlerChrysler 

CG’s 2004 model year CAN audio and telematics system diagram. 

Fig. 1: A diagram of DaimlerChrysler CG’s 2004 model year Controller Area Network (CAN)-based audio and telematics system. 


Communications Commission (FCC) allocated a spectrum in 

the “S” bandwidth (2.3 GHz) for nationwide broadcasting of 

satellite-based digital audio radio service (DARS). In 1997, the 

FCC gave licenses to use part of that spectrum to two companies: 

CD Radio (now Sirius Satellite Radio) and American Mobile 

Radio (now XM Satellite Radio). The two companies had 

similar approaches to their implementation of satellite radio. 

XM Satellite Radio uses two Hughes/Alcatel satellites, placed 

in parallel geostationary orbits. The satellite digital audio radio’s 

(SDAR) signal architecture uses spatial, time and frequency 

diversity to improve the reception performance in a mobile 

environment. Programming is repeated from three sources: two 

satellite paths and one terrestrial path. Sirius Satellite Radio uses 

three SS/L-1300 satellites to form an inclined elliptical satellite 

constellation (Fig. 5). The elliptical path of the satellite constellation 

ensures that each satellite spends about 16 hours a day over 

the continental United States. 

XM Satellite Radio’s ground station transmits a signal to the 

satellites, which bounce the signals back down to radio receivers 

on the ground. In urban areas, where buildings can block out 

the satellite signal, the broadcast is supplemented by ground 

transmitters. The radio receivers are programmed to receive 

and unscramble the digital data signal, which contains up to 100 

channels of digital audio (local- and non-local-based programs 

available with large program-type selections). In addition to the 

encoded sound, the signal contains all the metadata for the audio 

content such as song title, artist and genre. 

The Sirius Satellite Radio receiver includes two parts: the 

antenna module and the receiver module. The antenna module 

picks up signals from the ground repeaters or the satellite, 

amplifies the signal and filters out any interference. The signal 

is then passed on to the receiver module. Inside the receiver 

module is a chipset consisting of eight chips. The chipset 

converts the signals from 2.3 GHz to a lower intermediate 

frequency. Sirius Satellite Radio provides high audio quality 

with an output of downlink processor signal-to-noise radio of 

85 dB. Its frequency response from 100 Hz to 15 kHz is 

within +/- 3 dB. The Sirius Satellite Radio also provides over 

65 commercial-free channels and dynamic bandwidth allocation 

for very high quality music programs. 

The XM Satellite Radio receiver system includes the 

antenna module and a remote receiver module. A separate 

receiver box is used to receive the satellite and terrestrial 

signals. The remote receiver box makes the radio capable of 

receiving the proprietary satellite signal through a custom 

chipset. System mechanization calls for an XM Satellite Radio 

receiver that will interface with the radio receiver packaged in 

the vehicle’s instrumentation panel by means of a data link. 

Satellites provide the primary coverage while the repeaters are 

used to fill in areas where the vehicle will be blocked from the 

Fig. 2: Twenty-four satellites orbit the earth as part of the GPS (Figure 

credit: Peter H. Dana). 

Fig 3: The navigation screen on CG’s CAN-based navigation radio. 

Fig. 4: A cluster navigation display screen in a Chrysler 300. 


Fig. 5: Sirius Satellite Radio’s three SS/L-1300 

satellites forming an inclined elliptical satellite 

constellation. 

Fig. 6: A radio displaying SDAR mode. 

direct view of the satellites. The satellites receive the signal at X-band 

frequencies from earth-based stations and retransmit the signal back 

to earth at S-band frequencies. The antenna module picks up signals 

from two communication satellites positioned in a geostationary 

configuration and a third signal is provided from strategically placed 

terrestrial (land-based) repeaters. The three signals are conditioned 

by means of amplification and filtering networks to provide only 

the desired (clean) signal to the radio. Inside the XM Satellite Radio 

receiver module the base band chipset consists of two STMicroelectronics 

integrated circuits (ICs) supported by discrete components 

around the tuner section. The chipset converts the signals from 2.3 

GHz to a lower intermediate frequency. 

DaimlerChrysler CG, a big proponent of Sirius Satellite Radio, 

is offering satellite radios on most vehicles. Its SDAR receiver 

has three basic operating modes: the fully functional mode, the 

standby mode, and the ignition off draw (IOD) mode. When the 

ignition is on and the SDAR is in the standby mode, repeatedly 

press the MODE button on the radio to reach the satellite radio 

(SAT) mode. Figure 6 shows a radio in the SAT mode, playing 

channel 80 and displaying the current station name, program type 

(PTY), and the artist and title. Other information, such as the 

composer, can be displayed as well, if available. 

The SDAR receiver supports all channel tuning and search 

functions, including seek, tune, and recall, from stored presets 

and search by program type (PTY scan and PTY seek). The handshake 

between the radio and SDAR handles dynamic information 

exchange including the global channel information (GCI) table 

downloading. If the SDAR receiver detects that the GCI table has 

been updated during active play mode, the receiver will operate 

normally while the update is occurring. 

One use case in DaimlerChrysler CG’s audio and telematics 

system involves four modules, radio, SDAR, video entertainment 

system (VES) and cab compartment node (CCN). 

Through VES headphones, passengers in the backseat listen 

to a SDAR channel routed by radio, while the cabin is playing 

VES’ DVD movie through the radio. The driver can advance to 

different chapters in the movie via the remote control buttons 

on the steering wheel (CCN module). 

Similar to the GPS antenna in the navigation system, the 

packaging of the SDAR antenna on different vehicle lines takes 

a common effort from component engineers and platforms 

engineers. The maximum cable length is based on allowable 

signal loss between the antenna and receiver specified in 

DaimlerChrysler’s performance standards. 

HANDS-FREE PHONE SYSTEM 

One of the most complicated tasks when designing an entertainment 

and telematics system for a vehicle is developing a 

system that incorporates the latest technology and features while 

avoiding obsolescence. The paradigm is to design a system that is 

expected to remain current for the life of a vehicle, say 15 years, 

and incorporate consumer electronic devices and technology, 

such as cell phones and personal digital assistants (PDAs) that, by 

design, have a 2- to 3-year life cycle. 

Since 2003, the CG has offered a Bluetooth enabled handsfree 

phone system as a factory option. At the system’s core, there is 

a Bluetooth transceiver capable of wirelessly communicating with 

any other Bluetooth-enabled device. The immediate application 

was to enable our consumers to bring their own cellular phones 

into the vehicle, incorporate the phone’s features into the vehicle 

system and allow drivers to safely use the phone in a hands-free 

manner. The “UConnect” system comprises a microphone array, a 

Bluetooth module enabled with voice recognition technology and 

a Bluetooth-enabled cell phone (Fig. 7). 

The integration of a wireless technology, such as Bluetooth, 

as a standard communication protocol for portable devices 


has enabled Chrysler engineers to design a hands-free phone 

system that can bridge the gap between consumer electronics 

and vehicle applications. Now, as long as the primary link to 

the external system (Bluetooth) remains consistent, vehicle 

implementation is not affected by developments in the cellular 

carrier industry or even the brand and/or form factor of the 

phone. There is no need for phone-specific cradles hanging on 

the dashboard or even an embedded cell phone in the vehicle. 

Bluetooth is a wireless communication protocol that operates in 

the 2.4 GHz frequency range. It is a frequency hopping scheme with 

1600 hops per second over 79 channels, so that the chance of other 

signals interfering is very low. Current specifications deliver gross 

data rates of 1Mb/s over distances of up to 10 meters. Connections 

for 1-to-1 applications allow maximum data-transfer rates of 721 kb/s. 

Several profiles have been established to standardize such applications 

as Hands Free Profile and Personal Area Network. 

Potential vehicle applications include being able to: 

• Use the phone legally in the vehicle (in states where a 

hands-free device is mandated by law); 

• Store phone anywhere inside the vehicle (glove compartment, 

handbag or briefcase); 

• Download and play music files through the radio; 

• Use real-time traffic information for the GPS navigation system 

to intelligently route around traffic jams and road closures; 

Fig. 7: The UConnect system comprises a microphone array; a Bluetooth 

module, enabled with voice recognition technology; and a Bluetoothenabled 

cell phone. 

• Obtain local information on hotels, restaurants and 

other services; 

• Perform remote vehicle diagnostics for production line test 

and dealer service; 

• Deliver Internet content to a multi-function portal; 

• Establish bridge among 2.5G/3G data services, enabling 

audio and data over a wireless personal area networking 

(WPAN), driving down overall system cost; and 

• Eliminate obsolescence by no longer requiring a mobile 

phone to be embedded in the vehicle. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

SkylineClub Ad 

1 

2/13/05, 6:40 PM 


FUTURE AUTOMOTIVE APPLICATIONS 

In essence, wireless technology and automobiles have a 

common characteristic—they allow mobility in a modern 

and dynamic society. The implementation of wireless 

communications technology in vehicle design is a natural 

tendency. Navigation, satellite radio and hands-free capabilities 

have been already implemented in DaimlerChrysler CG’s 

vehicle production. Some other wireless communications 

technologies could further improve their consumers’ mobility, 

safety and convenience. 

Seamless transition between off-board and 

on-board 

An off-board navigation system has the advantage of 

portability and easy access to the latest map database from 

the Internet, however, its small screen size is not suitable 

to be viewed while driving. On the other hand, an on-board 

navigation system has a big screen and is well packaged in a 

vehicle by the original equipment manufacturer (OEM). The 

map database in an on-board navigation system delivered to 

consumers at purchase, however, it is at least a few months 

old. If off-board navigation systems become an extension of 

the on-board navigation system, the combination of the two 

will be a complete navigational tool. 

Access to the Internet 

Imagine that a mobile vehicle can access the Internet from 

virtually anywhere, downloading a favorite MP3 on the way to 

the office while pumping gas at a gas station, or downloading a 

newly released movie to enjoy on the rest of a trip while eating 

in a fast food restaurant. The other important application of 

accessing the Internet from a vehicle is for service updates, for 

example, distribution of a new map database release. 

Car2Car communications 

In the future, Car2Car Communications (www.car-2-car.org) 

will be integrated in the refined telematics platform of vehicles. 

With this technology, as soon as two or more vehicles 

are in radio communication range, they connect automatically 

and establish a network. Because the range of a single 

wireless local area network (LAN) link is limited to a few 

hundred meters, every vehicle is also a router and repeater, 

allowing messages to be sent over multi-hop to more distant 

vehicles. Its applications will mainly involve the following: 

• Advanced driver assistance; 

• Improved local traffic flow; and 

• User communications and information services. 

The challenge of the dynamic routing algorithm is to handle 

quickly changing network topology. 

MEETING CUSTOMER EXPECTATIONS 

A next generation infotainment system is virtually a 

centralized computer in-vehicle that develops and networks 

high-end systems for audio, navigation, TV, telephone 

and rear-seat entertainment to achieve ultimate in-car 

communications and entertainment. Soon our cars will be an 

extension of our offices and homes. 

Beijing Wang joinined DaimlerChrysler 

in 1999, where her strong controller area 

network (CAN)/J1850 expertise led to the 

development of the CAN/J1850 

verification lab, the design of the 

CAN/J1850 Gateway, and the system 

validation of Chrysler’s first CAN-based 

audio and telematics system, which was 

successfully launched in 2003. Ms. Wang is currently working on 

next generation radios in the core audio and telematics 

component group. She received her BS and MS in electrical 

engineering from Nanjing University of Posts & Telecommunications, 

Nanjing, China, and received her PhD in electrical and computer 

engineering from Wayne State University in 2003. 

Majeed Kadi has been leading the core 

audio engineering team at DaimlerChrysler 

Corp. in the area of radio head units and 

navigation systems for the past 4 years. He 

worked on several projects in instrumentation 

design before joining DaimlerChrysler in 

1998 as a member of the interior electronics 

product design and development team. 

Mr. Kadi holds several patents in the area of navigation design. He 

received his BS in electrical engineering from Aleppo University, 

Syria, in 1984, and his MS in electrical and systems engineering from 

Oakland University, Auburn Hills, Mich., in 1987. 

Steve Muench is a Team Leader responsible 

for the development of Video and Multimedia 

Systems for the Chrysler Group. 

Mr. Muench received a BS and an MS in 

electrical engineering from Wayne State 

University in 1999 and 2001, respectively. 

He joined DaimlerChrysler in 1999 as a 

student of the Chrysler Institute of 

Engineering (CIE) program. After graduating 

from the CIE program in 2001 he was responsible for short range 

wireless communications for Chrysler Telematics. 


Thank You to Our Sustaining and Corporate Members, the Foundation of Our Success 


ABC Paving Company 

Aerotek, Inc. 

Albert Kahn Associates, Inc. 

American Axle & Manufacturing 

American Iron & Steel Institute 


Associated General Contractors of 

America 

ATOFINA Chemicals, Inc. 

BEI Associates Inc. 

The Benham Companies, Inc. 

Benteler Automotive 

Boyden-Sullivan Associates 

Brighton Analytical, Inc. 

Bruel & Kjaer Instruments, Inc. 

Building Industry Association of 

Southeast Michigan 


Campbell/Manix Inc. 

Carl H. Schmidt Company 

Central Michigan University 

Chrysan Industries 

Climatek Engineering Inc. 

Construction Association of Michigan 

Contract Professionals 

Cornerstone Controls 

CTI & Associates, Inc. 

DaimlerChrysler Corporation 

Dana Corporation 

Delco Remy America, Inc. 

DeMaria Building Company, Inc. 


Diversified Property Services 

The Dragun Corporation 

DTE Energy 


Dumas Concepts in Building 



Edw. C. Levy Company 

Ecient Engineering Co., Inc. 

Electrical Resources Company 

Elsas Engineering, P.C. 

EMC² Inc. 

EMCON/OWT, Inc. 

Engineering Laboratories, Inc. 


Fori Automation 

Gannett Fleming of Michigan, Inc. 

Gas Recovery Systems, Inc. 

Gates Corporation 

General Dynamics 

General Motors Corporation–WFG 

Gensler 

GHAFARI Associates, L.L.C. 

Giels, Inc. 

Glenn E. Wash & Associates, Inc. 


Graef, Anhalt, Schloemer & Associates, 

Inc. 


H.M. White, LCC 

Haley & Aldrich 

HarleyEllis 

Hartland Insurance Group, Inc. 

Hinshon Environmental Consulting, Inc. 

Hubbell, Roth & Clark, Inc. 

Infrasource Inc. 

Jacobs Sverdrup 

K2 Technologies, Inc. 

Kelly Services 

Kitch Drutchas Wagner DeNardis & 

Valitutti 

Kolene Corporation 


Lear Corporation 

Limbach Company, Inc. 

Link Engineering Co. 

LTI Information Technology 

Masco Corporation 

Mason Contractors Association, Inc. 

Melancon & Company 

Metaldyne Corporation 


Michigan Technological University 

Midwest Steel Inc. 

Midwestern Consulting, LLC 

Modern Engineering, Inc. 

Monetek, LLC 

National Center for Mfg. Sciences 

NextEnergy 

Northern Industrial Mfg. Corporation 

NTH Consultants, Ltd. 

Oakland University 

On Assignment 

Original Equipment Suppliers 

Association 

Parsons Brinckerho 

Patrick Engineering Inc. 

Perceptron, Inc. 

Perot Systems Corporation 

Professional Concepts Insurance 

Agency 

Professional Underwriters, Inc. 

R.L. Coolsaet Construction Co. 

Results Systems Corp. 

Robert Bosch Corporation 

Ruby & Associates, P.C. 

SAE International 

Schenck Pegasus Corp. 

Skanska USA Building Inc. 

Sun Microsystems, Inc. 

Tech-Line Engineering Company 

TECOM-Inc. 

Testing Engineers & Consultants, Inc. 

Trammell Crow Company 

Triangle Electric Co. 

Turner Construction Co. 

UHY Advisors 

U.S. Army Corps of Engineers–Detroit 

U.S. Manufacturing Corp. 

Universal Weatherstrip & Bldg. Supply 

University of Detroit Mercy 


University Of Michigan–Dearborn 

USFilter 

Verstand Engineering, Inc. 

W.K. Krill & Associates, Inc. 

Wade-Trim 


Washington Group International 


Western Michigan University 

White Construction Co. 

Wolverine Technical Stang Inc. 


WORKING WORLD 101: ACHIEVING SUCCESS AS A NOVICE ENGINEER 

Chapter 2: Act Like an 

Engineer, but Think Like 

a Manager 

Michael F. Cooper, PE 

Principal and Senior 

Mechanical Engineer 

HarleyEllis 

mfcooper@harleyellis.com 

248–233–0146 

The second in a series of articles designed to help novice engineers 

OK, now you’re a working engineer, although you may still be 

considered a rookie at your place of business. Hopefully, you’re 

using your engineering skills to tackle your assignments, that 

is, to identify pertinent technical issues, evaluate them 

and develop solutions to improve your client’s situation. 

There is no doubt that your engineering endeavors will be 

filled with unique challenges. Unfortunately, I am going to add 

one more to the already long list: Act like an engineer, but think 

like a manager. 

If you allow it, your engineering projects will keep you 

focused on technical issues. Remember, though, every project 

has a bigger picture. Each project is a process with its own 

objectives for quality, budget and schedule. The successful 

engineer must learn to pursue quality technical solutions and 

to complete the work on time and within budget. This is 

not easy, and many necessary skills are obtained through 

experience. I would like to offer some hints to guide you in 

the right direction. 

UNDERSTAND YOUR ROLE 

In most cases, you’ll be part of a project team. Whether your 

role is large or small, you’re responsible for the quality, budget 

and schedule of your own work. Don’t forget that the success 

of a project or company is built on the achievements of 

individuals. Historians often pose this question, “What makes 

you think that the acts of one person can change the course 

of human history” The answer…they’re the only things that 

ever have. 

MANAGE YOUR TIME 

Maintain a schedule for your activities and do your best to stick 

to it. Use checklists to stay focused on critical tasks. Prepare for 

meetings to keep them shorter and more productive. Many 

time management consultants advise to return voice/e-mail 

messages during predetermined times throughout the day. 

There is a story of a young engineer just out of school, who 

kept in touch with her family and friends via voice/e-mail. 

She didn’t realize, until her supervisor informed her, that the 

amount of time she spent keeping up with messages exceeded 

4 hours per day. Fortunately, her supervisor was understanding 

and recognized the difference between poor performance 

and professional immaturity. He suggested she identify 

30 minutes in the morning and 30 minutes in the afternoon to 

respond to work-related messages. He also advised her to conduct 

personal correspondence during a lunch break or after work. She 

apologized and took his advice to heart. She is now a successful 

project development engineer who mentors younger engineers on 

the importance of time management. 

COMMUNICATE EARLY AND OFTEN 

Be honest with your fellow team members and follow through 

on all commitments. Your ability to build trust and respect is 

forever linked with your integrity. Even if the news is bad, it 

is always better to know sooner (when corrective action can 

still be taken) than later. Listen to what you are being asked to 

do and make sure that you fully understand it. Ask questions 

if you are unsure of the proper course of action. Open-ended 

questions (for example, “What would you do in this situation”) 

usually provide better information than a series of yes/no 

questions. Don’t be afraid to voice your opinion, even on issues 

not directly related to your work: “That is not my job,” should 

never be part of your vocabulary. 

SERVE THE CLIENT 

Every member of an organization, including you, represents 

the firm. At some point, you’ll interface directly with your 

clients on some level. Listen to what they say and understand 

their objectives. Respond to voice/e-mail messages within 

24 hours. If you tell clients you’ll do something for them, do it. 

If you can’t, inform them and let them know when it will be 

done. One strong client relationship will help them feel good 

about the company overall. Remember that quality is not just 

about products but customer service as well. 

With engineering, you’ve chosen a challenging, but incredibly 

rewarding, profession. Your success will represent hard work, 

intelligence and a broad range of professional talents—technical 

and managerial. With a little luck, you’re only at the beginning 

of a long, prosperous journey. 


as

Download - ESD

You also want an ePaper? Increase the reach of your titles

Delete template?

Save as template?