Africa Automotive News September-October digital issue 2019

to target a 50% reduction in the weight
of the exhaust. It’s about 13kg, from a
total mass of 26kg. We did that through
using different materials, downgrading
other materials and then developing all
the joining and forming technologies
needed to go with that.” The system is
currently at the prototype stage but Perrin
hopes it will move into production later
in the year.
Another project has been with Jaguar
Land Rover, where the focus has been
to reduce the weight of the muffler
box on exhaust systems by using
acoustic technology rather than physical
components to eliminate noise. “It means
we can deactivate some of the cylinders
so we’re burning less fuel, but we can still
make it sound like a V6 or V8,” he says.
Connecting the dots
Another big area for the sector has been
the development of internet-enabled or
“connected” vehicles. Research by JATO
Dynamics suggests 18% of vehicles
registered in the UK in 2015 had some
form of internet connection, and this
figure will undoubtedly rise in the future.
In the car, this is giving rise to a number
of new developments designed to give
owners or users more control. “Apps for
connected cars, along with the telematic
box – an in-car SIM – will enable users
to manage their car remotely, so to check
gas levels, lock the door, check driving
performance, receive theft notifications,
and control other elements such as
starting up the engine or putting the
alarm on,” says Munoz. “The ultimate aim
is to do all of this via a smartwatch.”
The technology also opens up
possibilities around vehicles
communicating with each other or with
broader infrastructure. Examples here
include intelligent transport systems
which could alert drivers to traffic
conditions, tolls and optimum routes,
as well as driver assistance systems
to control speed, stability and even
emergency braking if required.
Proportion of steel has fallen from 43%
to 35% of total weight since 1998
Nick Reed is academy director at The
Transport Research Laboratory, which has
recently been working on a European
project called COBRA, looking at the
benefits and concerns around such
systems. He foresees a future where car
journeys become more personalised –
with apps advising drivers to park some
distance away from their destination to
reach a step target for the day – as well
as vehicles providing information and
assistance around parking and warning
drivers when services or repairs are
needed.
But he also has concerns. “Drivers and
passengers will be able to experience
smoother, faster and more coherent
access to smartphone functionality
such as calls, email, social media and
multimedia applications, but it is critical
to recognise the potential for driver
distraction,” he says. “With more devices
to catch their attention, drivers may miss
critical information as they are engaged
in other activities or browsing through
menus.”
There are also fears around security,
warns Simon Viney, director of
cyber resilience with Stroz Friedberg. “This
offers the opportunity for cyber- attackers
to steal valuable data, goods or vehicles,
or disrupt the operation of ‘connected’
cars,” he says. He gives the example of
the Jeep case, which forced Fiat Chrysler
to recall several million vehicles in 2015
after hackers managed to gain control of
a vehicle.
“In addition, some 6,000 cars were
reportedly stolen in London in 2014,
after hackers identified a way to readily
bypass a keyless entry system used by
several manufacturers,” he adds. “Attacks
such as these only become more
sophisticated and easier to conduct once
an attack is successful.”
It’s a concern shared by Mark Taylor,
technical manager, technical innovation
at ICAEW’s IT Faculty. “You tend to find
on engineering projects that people get
very excited and think about great things,
and then they think about security after,”
he says. “It’s important to think about
security when you’re starting to build the
system; it will only get worse unless car
manufacturers think more about this in
the process.” Privacy of customer data is
also a concern if vehicles communicate
with call centres, he adds.
Electric avenue
Opinion
Electric vehicle technology is – finally
– starting to make a real impact, as
concerns over driving range and charging
infrastructure start to subside. According
to The Society of Motor Manufacturers
& Traders, some 2,400 electric vehicles
a month were registered in 2015,
compared to just 500 the year before.
Today, there are more than 75,000
electric vehicles in the UK.
“I believe that this growth will continue
and result in 85% of all new car sales
being electric by 2035,” says Erik
Fairbairn, founder of POD Point. “What’s
really driving the growth is a recognition
of their superiority over vehicles with
internal combustion engines. Put simply,
electric cars are easier to drive, quieter on
the road, require less maintenance, cost
less to run and are altogether more fun
than their petrol counterparts.”
Nick Reed forsees a future where car
journeys become more personalised, with
apps advising drivers, as well as vehicles
warning when repairs are needed
Part of this is also due to the emergence
of manufacturer Tesla, which is pushing
a combination of new models and
investments in battery technology, and is
currently seeking to acquire SolarCity as
it attempts to tie in renewable technology
with electric charging capabilities in the
home. The new Models S and X have a
range of over 300 miles, helping to make
electric vehicles a more viable option for
those looking to do more than local trips
or city driving.
But electric vehicles or hybrids are not
necessarily the only option in moving
away from petrol or diesel. “In the
future there will be a range of fuel
types dependent on actual transport
needs, from pure electric vehicles to
gaseous-powered vehicles, including
hydrogen,” says Chris Chandler, principal
consultant at Lex Autolease. production
and distribution of hydrogen that many
people do not fully appreciate.
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September-October issue l 2019
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