SEMINAR TOPIC

THE USE OF COMPUTER FOR

AUTOMOBILE DESIGN
 ABSTRACT
Automobile manufacturers continually modify product designs to reduce costs and improve
customer satisfaction through better field performance. Managers prioritize and approve proposed
changes using a variety of methods that generally include some type of cost benefit analysis. An
implied assumption of the cost justification process is that reliability bench tests provide an
accurate prediction of product field performance. This research suggests that manufacturers use
historical data to verify that a correlation exists between the bench test and actual field (warranty)
performance. Further, manufacturers should analyze design changes using post hoc tests on
observed field failure (warranty claim) data. This analysis can assist the manufacturer in
determining the actual financial consequences of the design change. We demonstrate the
recommended analysis techniques using manufacturer provided automobile warranty data
 INTRODUCTION
An Introduction to Modern Vehicle Design' provides a thorough introduction to the many aspects of
passenger car design in one volume. Starting with basic principles, the author builds up analysis
procedures for all major aspects of vehicle and component design. Subjects of current interest to
the motor industry, such as failure prevention, designing with modern materials, ergonomics and
control systems are covered in detail, and the author concludes with a discussion on the future
trends in automobile design with contributions from both academics lecturing in motor vehicle
engineering and those working in the industry, "An Introduction to Modern Vehicle Design"
provides students with an excellent overview and background in the design of vehicles before they
move on to specialised areas. Filling the niche between the more descriptive low level books and
books which focus on specific areas of the design process, this unique volume is essential for all
students of automotive engineering
 BACKGROUND INFORMATION
Starting in the late 1700's, European engineers began tinkering with motor powered vehicles. Steam,
combustion, and electrical motors had all been attempted by the mid 1800's. By the 1900's, it was uncertain
which type of engine would power the automobile. At first, the electric car was the most popular, but at the
time a battery did not exist that would allow a car to move with much speed or over a long distance. Even
though some of the earlier speed records were set by electric cars, they did not stay in production past the first
decade of the 20th century. The steam-driven automobile lasted into 1920's. However, the price on steam
powered engines, either to build or maintain was incomparable to the gas powered engines. Not only was the
price a problem, but the risk of a boiler explosion also kept the steam engine from becoming popular. The
combustion engine continually beat out the competition, and the early American automobile pioneers like
Ransom E. Olds and Henry Ford built reliable combustion engines, rejecting the ideas of steam or electrical
power from the start.
 CONTINUATION
Automotive production on a commercial scale started in France in 1890. Commercial production in
the United States began at the beginning of the 1900's and was equal to that of Europe's. In those
days, the European industry consisted of small independent firms that would turn out a few cars by
means of precise engineering and handicraft methods. The American automobile plants were
assembly line operations, which meant using parts made by independent suppliers and putting
them together at the plant. In the early 1900's, the United States had about 2,000 firms producing
one or more cars. By 1920 the number of firms had decreased to about 100 and by 1929 to 44. In
1976 the Motor Vehicle Manufacturers Association had only 11 members. The same situation
occurred in Europe and Japan.
 PROBLEM STATEMENT

High development cost of vehicle parts.

Decrease in quality and innovation

Decreasing in product variety

 LITERATURE REVIEW
Automobile designs are increasingly becoming more efficient. To increase design efficiency, light-weight floor systems utilize components
such as joists and composite construction to increase both strength and span lengths. While strength is not a limiting factor in these floor
systems, serviceability may be compromised. Due to decreased floor mass and longer span lengths, floor vibrations have become an area
of concern.

Design criteria (Allen and Rainer 1975, Allen 1990b, Murray 1991) are available to help designers minimize annoying vibrations in floor
systems. In general, floors that comply with the criteria and are used for their original purpose are found to be acceptable to the
occupants. Office and residential settings require different criteria than gymnasia or assembly halls. Typically, vibrations are induced
primarily by walking in office or residential environments, and partitions and furniture provide damping to the floor system. Gymnasium
and dance hall environments necessitate different criteria due to vibrations induced by rhythmic activities, in addition to walking, and
because of relatively little damping.

Floor vibration problems often arise when floors designed for office environments become retrofitted for health clubs. Aerobics induced
vibrations may not be annoying to the participants; however, occupants of adjacent parts of the building which may be used for quieter
activities often experience unacceptable levels of vibration.
OBJECTIVES OF THE PRESENTATION

To lower development costs

To increased quality and innovation

To increase product variety

 ADVANTAGES OF AUTOMOBILE DESIGN
Easier inventory management/smaller number of parts

Platform sharing allows for fewer parts for different models of vehicles and therefore the
task of inventorying those parts is greatly reduced.

Lower development costs

Platform sharing allows manufacturers to cover many different market segments when a
platform sharing strategy is implemented. This is exemplified by Ford Motor Co. in the
case of the Ford Explorer, Mercury Mountaineer and Lincoln Aviator. They are essentially
the same only they are considered mass-market, near luxury and luxury vehicles.
 CONTINUATION
Increased quality and innovation

Platform sharing allows manufacturers to design parts with fewer variation. A byproduct of this is
increased quality, which results in lower defect rates.

Global standardization

Platform sharing allows manufacturers to design flexible platforms that can be tailored to a
country's specific needs without compromising quality. It also allows for manufacturing
standardization and improved logistics.

Greater product variety

Platform sharing allows manufacturers to build/design differentiated products faster and cheaper.
This is possible because the development and cost of the original platform have already been paid
for.
 DISADVANTAGES OF AUTOMOBILE DESIGN
Badge engineering

Manufacturers that practice platform sharing have the ability to create several models based on the
same design, but with different names. This leads to the public looking over certain models and
cannibalized sales from competing divisions with essentially the same product. This was prevalent
among U.S. domestic manufactures from the 1970s onward.

Incompatible changes to platforms

The two elements of platforms are constant and non-constant. If the non-constant elements are not
designed to be easily integrated into the constant elements of the platform, extensive and expensive
changes will have to be made in order to make the elements compatible again. Failure to do so
negates the purpose of platform sharing in that it increases costs as opposed to reducing them
 CONTINUATION
Product dilution

Platform sharing has the ability to be used in too many different models. However, in the
mind of the consumers, the products may be too similar and more expensive products may
be perceived to be

Risk concentration/Higher recall rate

The propensity for a higher number of recall is greatly increased with platform sharing. If a
defect is found in one model and that model shares its platform with ten other models, the
recall would be magnified by ten thus costing the manufacturer more time and money to
fix.
 MERIT OF CARS

- Ease of transportation
- Families can go out together
- Fast commute from one place to another
- Advantage to old and sick people
 DEMERIT OF CARS

- Increase in Pollution
- Dependence on cars
- Decrease in practices such as walking and cycling
- The above decrease has led to a number of diseases.
 CONCLUSION
Vehicle technology can improve the transport system in many ways, but specifically in the context of this paper, it
has the potential to reduce the number of accidents on the roads.

There are a vast number of new technologies available on new vehicles or top of the range vehicles that will
become more common in future, there are also many more technologies being researched. All of which are
designed to alert, assist, or take control from, the driver, and all respond to different dangers at different intervals
before an accident occurs.

It is important that the most beneficial of these technologies are identified at an early stage and emphasis is put
on introducing them as early as possible. This emphasis must consist of; ensuring that resources are dedicated
towards developing the technology and validating its safety effects, promoting the safety benefits of the
technology to the public in the wider context of road safety, and ensuring early take up of the technology where
possible.
 CONTINUATION
The success of this emphasis is dependent upon developing vehicle safety policy as much as it is the
engineering aspects of vehicle safety. A policy framework that identifies how and to what extent
technology will play a part in meeting targets in the larger road safety strategy and indeed national
transport strategy needs to be in place.

All stakeholders need to take a proactive approach to the inclusion of vehicle technology in road
safety, and indeed health and safety, policies. It is important that road safety policies and strategies
develop with technology.

We have recently seen an example of how early versions of priority technology can support road
safety enforcement and education activities. The Road Safety Act allows courts to use Alco locks as
part of the sentence following a drink-drive conviction.
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