THE AUTOMOTIVE WORLD CONFRONTING IN ITALY

“Take A Breath”: 12 countries and 50 companies to discuss the future and potential of the automotive industry

12 countries, 50 companies - including automobile manufacturers (OEMs), automotive component manufacturers (Tier 1) and the international scientific community - met in Italy in Marche region, to discuss the future of the motor.

In a world that is increasingly committed to the sustainability of daily activities and production processes, the participants to the third edition of Take A Breath, the workshop organized by Loccioni to discuss the potential of innovation in the automotive industry, confronted on 'efficiency of existing fossil fuel engines in order to contain the environmental issues and create innovation. Take A Breath is now perhaps the only format in which the entire car industry, from component manufacturers to producers of finished product and research chorally approaches the problems and potentials of the sector. It is also a valuable opportunity to combine the theme of technological innovation with the valorization of the territory as adding to the value of relationships and business.

The international speakers parterre - from Volksvagen to Daimler, from General Motors to Ferrari, with Denso, Magneti Marelli, Continental, Delphi, Bosch, IAV, Cummins, Fev, Ricardo with the Polytechnic of Turin and Chalmers University - has drawn the technical, economic and scientific scenario of the sector as well as the current international strategies.

Currently more than 90% of the circulating car park is supplied with fuel or diesel and in the next 20 years, although this percentage can go down, the impact of internal combustion engines will remain crucial. It is therefore essential, in addition to the development of alternative solutions, such as hybrid and electric, to improve the performance of traditional motors also to be in line with new European, Chinese and American standards, increasingly restrictive in terms of pollutant emissions and consumptions.

Surely there is still much to do to optimize both diesel and gasoline motors. Despite the extraordinary results achieved up to now the Diesel still has room for improvement and the advent of new diagnostic and measurement tools will allow a refinement of the production of components and combustion processes. The Gasoline is in the midst of its revolution with the final transition from indirect injection to injection into the cylinder.

Today, on the threshold of 2020, we are paradoxically facing a new car innovation process that involves not only the necessary step towards electrification, but also the improvement of the "old" gasoline and diesel engines and their components (injectors, pumps, turbo) to ensure a more sustainable mobility and accessible to all.

During the two-day conference guests also had the opportunity to experience the historical, tourist and oenogastronomic excellences of Marche region and Esino valley, a memorable mix of tradition and innovation.

An overview on the future of the automotive industry:

The scenario on the mobility of the future "We are entering a period of unprecedented change in powertrain engineering, in which I believe there will be no single engine type or powertrain configuration that will dominate the market. Instead over the next 20 years we will see an increasingly diverse range of technology solutions - from pure electric traction and range extended architectures to alternative fuels and advanced IC engine combustion technologies - each serving the requirements of different market niches and duty cycles in the most carbon-optimal manner. " Director Ken Pendlebury_Ricardo_Gasoline Engine

The development of the diesel engine market in the world "GM is fully engaged to respond to future diesel demand globally. Actually General Motors is already present in all the significant markets for diesel vehicles including US - where we have recently announced a new version of the Chevrolet Cruze diesel specifically developed for US and coming up in 2013 - and Asia with a frugal 1.0 diesel engine for the Indian market and a more powerful engine for pick truck all across Asia." Mike Potter – General Motors_Chief Engineer for advance diesels

The possible strategies for CO2 reduction “In view of the strict CO2 reduction strategies worldwide and respecting the delayed market penetration of electric driven cars, Internal Combustion Engines have to ensure ~47 g/km CO2 savings on a fleet-wide base. Based on a typical, EU-split of about 50:50 between petrol and diesel aggregates, these ambitious targets for the mid-term future can be realized by tailored technology packages, like downsizing and downspeeding, further refinement of gas exchange and combustion process, lowered friction and reduced losses and improved thermal management of the drivetrain in conjunction with enhanced control functionalities, while incorporating only moderate electric assistance, but mandatory for the next steps. The breakthrough to next generation mobility is a comprehensive evolution of fine-tuned integrated technologies” Thomas Koerfer_Fev_VP Business Unit Passenger Car Diesel Engines

What will happen after Euro6? “The world after EU6 will be strongly marked by “off cycle” Emissions. The large aim lies to reduce the emissions in the entire engine map drastically. The challenge is to find an appropriated compromise between total cost and performance”. Franz Paul Gulde_Daimler_Advance Engineering – Car Diesel Engine Manager

F1 as a test for new technological solutions “From 2014 the engine will be turbocharged with limited fuel consumption for each regime. The engine capacity reduction and the supercharging series engines is already in place and you can expect the same trend in the future to reduce fuel consumption. The engine capacity necessary for the maximum efficiency can be obtained with the cylinders deactivation or with the variable valve lift. The turbocharger will provide higher performance and the union with the electric car would increase the efficiency even in hybrid cars”. Fabio Bedogni_Ferrari_Engine Performance and Emission Manager

The importance of the Die “Take A Breath wants to highlight all the automotive industry chain since we are sure that in order to design a more sustainable future of the automobile it is essential that not only engine or component manufacturers but also the strategic suppliers will develop new skills and new technologies. The contribution that the scientific community and technological partners such as Loccioni Mobility can provide is essential in order to improve the components already at the limit of their own performances and the only way to do this is by developing new instruments capable of measuring infinitesimal differences”. Luca Marassi_Loccioni_Mobility Business Unit Director

Twitter: #takeabreath2012 (@LoccioniGroup) Linkedin&Facebook: Loccioni Group page