Delphi reports having achieved outstanding results in a recent independent evaluation of original equipment (OE) braking systems, sharing that “rigorous testing” of its none asbestos organic (NAO) ceramic and low metallic pads against six “top-tier brands” highlighted Delphi’s “exceptional performance across key metrics,” including dust emission, noise levels, and pedal consistency.
Horiba Mira has announced its plans to upgrade and enhance significantly its Passive Safety Engineering Centre. The West Midlands testing centre said that the upgrades would “safeguard the UK’s future as an automotive safety test engineering powerhouse”. The investment will extend the safety centre by more than 40 per cent and enable the delivery of legislative and NCAP crash test protocols. The project is receiving support from the West Midlands Combined Authority funding partner, Frontier Development Capital. It will position Horiba Mira as a full-service provider of active and passive testing, according to the company, boosting the UK’s “unique” capability in passive safety engineering.
Horiba Mira proving grounds in Warwickshire has extended its European New Car Assessment Programme (Euro NCAP) accreditation to conduct official active safety system testing on passenger cars and light commercial vehicles. The facility is globally recognised as a leader in vehicle safety engineering, with a long-standing association with Euro NCAP. It has been accredited for passive safety testing since 2012 and is currently supporting the development of the organisation’s new heavy truck rating scheme testing protocols.
The Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) has put limiting road casualties, emissions and particulate matter within its Strategic Plan to 2025 and Vision to 2030, which were published 4 April 2023. DVSA’s Strategic Plan and Vision also seek to demonstrate how the agency will harness data in order to improve MOT quality control. Both are likely to impact the way garages and fast-fits that offer MOT testing operation in future.
Testing, consulting, information, and compliance services provider Smithers has added ISO 19447 testing, a method for measuring the relative ice grip performance of passenger car tyres, to its scope of accreditation. The ISO 19447 test method is very similar to ECE R117 C1 Braking, which is currently pending approval in Europe.
Swedish company AstaZero is about to officially open (on 28 April) the world’s longest indoor track for testing active safety systems and autonomous technologies for all types of vehicles. Vehicle operators are able to conduct tests 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. AstaZero Dry Zone is the world’s first full-scale independent testing and demonstration facility for future road safety, and it is now being expanded to house the world’s longest indoor track: 700 metres long and 40 metres wide.
AB Dynamics is showcasing its ability to replicate simulated swarm tests quickly and accurately in the real world and vice-versa. According to the company, this work enables the testing and development of ADAS and autonomous systems to be significantly accelerated whilst also reducing risk and cost.
Akron Rubber Development Laboratory, Inc. (ARDL) has purchased all Experimental Services Inc’s (ESI) assets on 16 October, ARDL announced in a statement on 5 November. ESI describes itself as, “An engineering laboratory for engineers and researchers.” Providing static, dynamic, fatigue and vibration testing for the past thirty years, ESI’s focus has “allowed it to become the best at what it does” ARDL stated.
The Independent Garage Association (IGA) is urging the Government to remove the six-month MOT extension with immediate effect, following the Prime Minister’s announcement that further social distancing measures will be relaxed from 4 July.
Following the news that the DVSA will restart heavy vehicle testing from 4 July 2020, Tyres & Accessories understands that the government Department for Transport (DfT) is consulting on ending the rolling MOT extension initiated at the start of lockdown in March 2020. While DVSA published a statement on 19 June 2020 relating to restarting HGV tests, DfT has not yet answered T&A’s car MOT-related questions on the subject.
However, when we approached the National Tyre Distributors Association for a tyre industry perspective on the reports, the NTDA gave is full support to proposals to end the current temporary car MOT extension currently being given to the expiry dates of MOT tests as they become due. Specifically, the NTDA called for government to “restart with immediate effect” the normal MOT process.
Led by Senior Electronics Development Engineer, Michael Crookes, the introduction of the new electronic testing facility and role will “enable PCL to test and develop electronic products in-house at its state-of-the-art Sheffield HQ”, according to the company.
Continued disruption, restructuring and re-shaping of the automotive industry will be required to make increasing levels of R&D affordable whilst simultaneously representing a major growth opportunity in the year ahead, according to engineering consultancy Horiba MIRA.
Following the company’s recent acquisition of high-precision tyre balancing solution Magnum+, Martins Industries sent the system’s tempered glass beads to TÜV SÜD for testing. The tests were performed in December 2019 and the results that came later in January have confirmed that Magnum+ is approved for safety of the tyre, valves, TPMS.
The UK government’s £300 million-odd funding for connected and autonomous vehicle (CAV) projects is unlikely to establish the country as a leader in CAV technology. However, it is well positioned to become a global hub for CAV testing and regulatory development, according to GlobalData, a leading data and analytics company.
Horiba Europe GmbH has successfully completed the acquisition of FuelCon AG. FuelCon – now to be called Horiba FuelCon – has become part of Horiba Automotive Test Systems – a leading supplier in the fields of engine, driveline, brake and emissions test systems.
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