Current Openings at Tata AutoComp Systems Ltd (TACO)

Company Profile:

Tata AutoComp Systems Ltd. (TACO), established in October 1995 by the Tata Group with the aim of participating in and catalyzing the modernization of the Indian automotive components industry. The TACO group, with its 24 manufacturing plants, 5 engineering centres and three export-oriented units, is rapidly expanding its business within India as well as Overseas. Its current OE customers include DaimlerChrysler, Fiat, Ford, General Motors, Honda, Hyundai, Mahindra and Mahindra, Piaggio, Tata Motors, Toyota, and Volvo.

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Current Openings:

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1. Stores Executive- TACO IPD, Sanand

Required Experience: 3 – 6 Years ¦ Location: Ahmedabad

Job Description:

Looking for a Stores Executive for Interiors & Plastics Division of TATA AUTOCOMP SYSTEMS LTD, Sanand, Gujarat.

Key deliverables:

• Knowledge of SAP- MM Module
• Inventory management Maintain Minimum and Maximum level stock in plant & Inventory Analysis
• Knowledge of Scrap / Rejection send to Vendor
• Logistic Management Material unloading & empty Logistics return to vendor
• MIS Stock report / BOP Shortage report
• Monitor record & maintain compliance of Audits
• Knowledge of basic- 5S/FIFO/KANBAN system

Salary: Not Disclosed by Recruiter
Industry: Automobile / Auto Anciliary / Auto Components
Functional Area: Supply Chain, Logistics, Purchase, Materials
Role Category: Logistics Executive
Role: Logistics Executive

Key Skills: SAP MM Module, Warehouse Management, Inventory, Material Management

Desired Profile:

Education:UG -Any Graduate
PG – Post Graduation Not Required
Doctorate – Any Doctorate – Any Specialization, Doctorate Not Required

To apply for this job click here.

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2. Engineer Production Planning & Control (Diploma Mechanical)

Required Experience: 1 – 4 Years ¦ Location: Pune

Job Description:

• Giving input to generate daily BPR – Buffer Penetration Report
• Generation of TOC Report
• Monthly Line-wise / Machine -wise Capacity mapping & giving alternate solutions /idea for bottlenecking, improve flexibility, reduce changeovers etc
• Create Reservation & Plan order, and generate Material; shortage list for MTO and critical customer requirements
• Follow up with Production & Logistics for completion of Critical models
• Customer wise tracking for schedule Vs Dispatch
• Follow up with Production and Logistics for completion of Critical models

Salary: Not Disclosed by Recruiter
Industry: Automobile / Auto Anciliary / Auto Components
Functional Area: Production, Manufacturing, Maintenance
Role Category: Production Manager
Role: Production Manager

Key Skills: Production Planning and Control, SAP

Desired Profile:

Education:UG -Graduation Not Required, Any Graduate – Any Specialization
PG – Post Graduation Not Required, Any Postgraduate – Any Specialization
Doctorate – Doctorate Not Required, Any Doctorate – Any Specialization

To apply for this job click here.

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3. Assistant Manager – Projects at Tata TOYO Radiator Ltd

Required Experience: 3 – 5 Years ¦ Location: Pune

Job Description:

1. Project Planning

• Collection of overall requirement from the management regarding Project Scope
• Obtain list of Customers to be served from the said plant location
• Prepare list of Products to be supplied from the said plant
• Preparation of preliminary layout with the help of ME and finalize overall plant area.
• Preparation of Utility list with the help of ME and finalize requirements of Utility equipments.
• Prepare APQP linked planning related to Civil, Equipments, VD, Engineering, Quality, HR and admin related activities, SCM, Customer audits with key responsibilities defined
• Prepare Project Cost Estimate and support in preparing Business Case with the help of Marketing and Finance
• Prepare comprehensive timeline in-line with Management recommendation and customer SOP dates.

2. Project Control

• Periodic updating of Project timeline and reviews with IPT
• Periodic updating of Budget Vs Actual Statement.
• Prepare Project Cost Expense forecast to ensure expenses are within approved budget.
• Prepare Project Status update / progress report and publish to management bi-weekly.
• Management review report circulation every fortnight.

3. Project Execution

• Primary responsibility for delivering project goals
• Leads IPT and execution of important milestones related to internal and customer approvals till SOP
• Coordinates with external agencies for project implementation

4. Project Closure

• Complete all the activities in order to initiate commercial production and hand over the plant to operation.
• Prepare Project Closure report with lessons learnt.
• Prepare Final Budget Vs Actual Statement.

Salary: Not Disclosed by Recruiter
Industry: Automobile / Auto Anciliary / Auto Components
Functional Area: Site Engineering, Project Management
Role Category: Project Manager-Production/Manufacturing/Maintenance
Role: Project Manager-Production/Manufacturing/Maintenance

Key Skills: Project Planning, Project Control, SAP, Budgetary Monitoring

Desired Profile:

Key responsibilities include : Coordination of Budget creation and approval,Tracks and monitors Project Budget approved, Builds and monitors Comprehensive Project Time-plan with respective process owners (ME, Operations, VD, Engineering, Civil related, Logistics, HR, Regulatory, Finance etc). SOP of the Project and handover to operations

Competencies : Knowledge and Skills
Project Planning
Budgetary Monitoring
Project Control
SAP knowledge
Knowledge of MS Projects

Education:UG -Graduation Not Required, Any Graduate – Any Specialization
PG – Post Graduation Not Required, Any Postgraduate – Any Specialization
Doctorate – Doctorate Not Required, Any Doctorate – Any Specialization

To apply for this job click here.

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4. Purchase Executive, TACO IPD

Required Experience: 3 – 6 Years ¦ Job Location: Pune

Job Description:

To PLAN and PROCURE Indirect Materials, Maintenance Spares, Consumables, disposal of scrap and hiring services WITH AN OBJECTIVE to meet the Factory associated requirements and to facilitate uninterrupted flow of production WITHIN production limits. Graduate WITH 3-6 years Experience in an Automotive / plastic processing industry.

Key deliverables:

• Supplier Selection
• Planning & Procurement
• Supplier Performance
• Negotiation and Order Release
• Continuous Cost Reduction
• Improvements
• Data Maintenance

Salary: Not Disclosed by Recruiter
Industry: Automobile / Auto Anciliary / Auto Components
Functional Area: Supply Chain, Logistics, Purchase, Materials
Role Category: Purchase Executive
Role: Purchase Executive

Key Skills: Procurement, Vendor Development, Sourcing, Supply Chain

Desired Profile:

Education:UG -Graduation Not Required, Any Graduate – Any Specialization
PG – Post Graduation Not Required, Any Postgraduate – Any Specialization
Doctorate – Doctorate Not Required, Any Doctorate – Any Specialization

To apply for this job click here.

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For more details visit the company website.

6 Indian Railway Stations With Stories to Tell. Must Visit places for all the Curious Travelers

UNESCO World Heritage Structures, Spectacular Architectures, Colonial Landmarks, Stunning Art Works, Beautiful Gardens, Haunted Hill Top Station, Largest Station Complex of India, Oldest Operational Station, …. Each Station has its own story. Must visit places for a curious traveler.

Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus, Mumbai. Photo: Joe Ravi via Wikimedia Commons

1. Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus, Maharashtra

Without a doubt CST is Mumbai city’s busiest railway station. But the metropolitan city’s transport hub is also a UNESCO World Heritage structure and one of the best examples of Gothic Revival architecture in India. Gargoyles jut out of the high walls of this 19th-century masterpiece; they often spout water from their mouths during the monsoon. A high-arched ceiling painted with golden stars covers the ticket counter, while statues and carvings of peacocks, tigers, and other wildlife cover walls and crevices. An octagonal ribbed dome atop the structure is its crowning glory. Known as Victoria Terminus until 1996, CST is an arterial city station, one which took almost a decade to build.

Charbagh Railway Station, Lucknow. Photo: Mohit via Wikimedia Commons

2. Charbagh Railway Station, Uttar Pradesh

The city of nawabs welcomes passengers in style at the splendid red-and-white Charbagh Railway Station. Built in 1914, the sprawling structure blends Mughal and Rajasthani architecture, and overlooks a huge garden located outside its front entrance. It was here, under the station’s cupola-studded structure, that Jawaharlal Nehru is said to have first met Mahatma Gandhi in 1916. In aerial views, the structure with its small and large domes resembles a chessboard laid out with pieces.

Painted by the artists of Ranthambore School of Art, Sawai Modhapur, Rajasthan. Photo: The Better India

3. Sawai Madhopur Railway Station, Rajasthan

When passengers alight at Sawai Madhopur station, gateway to Rajasthan’s Ranthambore National Park, they’re struck by the bright murals that adorn its walls. There is a giant painting of a banyan tree that covers the entire ceiling of a central hall. It is modelled after a real tree inside the national park, one of the largest in India. A number of forest dwellers inhabit its branches. Paintings of tigers, flocks of birds, and sloth bears cover platform walls and pillars of the small station, offering a colourful peek into life in the jungle. Painted by the artists from the Ranthambore School of Art, the spectacular murals capture the hearts of all who visit this National Tourism Award-winning station.

The Beautiful Barog Railway Station. Photo: Mridula Dwivedi via Travel Tales from India

4. Barog Railway Station, Himachal Pradesh

This little railway station on the Kalka Shimla Railway, part of a UNESCO World Heritage list, has a colourful history. Built in 1903 by a Colonel Barog, it has Scottish-style gabled roofs and is surrounded by stunning mountain views. The station lies at the mouth of a tunnel which the army man had also commissioned. He went about it in an unusual way, starting excavations at both ends with the intention of meeting in the middle. A miscalculation prevented that from happening, and the disappointed colonel shot himself inside the incomplete tunnel and was buried near it. Not surprisingly, tales of ghosts have haunted the station ever since. A new tunnel was later completed with the help of a local holy man called Baba Bhalku. Today, the station and the tunnel are popular stops on this heritage route.

Started in June 1865, Royapuram Sation is the oldest operational railway station in India. Photo: RailNews

5. Royapuram Railway Station, Tamil Nadu

The very first train to run in South India rolled out of Chennai’s Royapuram station in the monsoon of 1856 and travelled to the town of Arcot in Vellore district. Royapuram was southern India’s first station, in what was then known as the Madras Presidency. The original structure still stands today, making it the oldest functional railway station in the country. The simple red-and white colonial building with grand Corinthian pillars is a heritage structure. The station underwent extensive restoration in 2005.

With 23 platforms, Howrah Junction Railway Station is the Largest Railway Complex of India. Photo: Lovedimpy via Wikimedia Commons

6. Howrah Junction, West Bengal

With a mind boggling 23 platforms, this is one of the busiest stations in India. A melee of bookshops, tea stalls, and fastfood stands provide succour to passengers. This is one of the oldest stations in India, and the first train from Howrah ran on 15 August 1854, to Hooghly. It was the proverbial feather in the cap for British engineers, representing a new era in the colonial dream of expansion. Located on the banks of the Hooghly River, with the Howrah bridge leading up to its cherry-red facade, the station has starred in many a poster shot promoting the state. Its architecture is a mix of Romanesque and traditional Bengali styles, very much in sync with its surroundings.

Total 274 passenger trains Start/End/Pass through Howrah Railway Station. Total 1219 Stations are directly connected to Howrah Railway Station via these 274 passenger trains. Its twenty-three platforms handle over six hundred trains each day, serving more than a million passengers, making it the one of the busiest railway platforms in India . It is served by two zones of the Indian Railways: Eastern Railway and South Eastern Railway.

– Natgeotraveller India (Appeared in October 2016 as “Whistle Stop”.)

GM Partners With Boston Startup WiTricity For Future Wireless Charging Technology

Illustration of wireless charging. Image Source: Link

General Motors has made yet another move as it bets big on electric vehicles in the near future. Electrek reports GM and Boston, Massachusetts startup company “WiTricity” have partnered to collaborate over future wireless charging technology.

The ultimate goal of the partnership is to develop wireless charging pads for EVs, ideally installed beneath a layer of concrete or other flooring materials garages. By parking over the pads, the vehicle would be charged automatically with no plugging required.

“The electric vehicle has been recognized as central to the future of mobility, and GM has been a leader, making EVs accessible to the broader market. The convenience of wireless charging will help accelerate adoption even further,” said Alex Gruzen, CEO of WiTricity, about the alliance. “Wireless charging for EVs, based on industry standards, is inevitable as we move toward a future of self-driving and autonomous vehicles, and this project brings us one step closer to realizing our vision of a world powered wirelessly.”

GM has agreed to lend a 2017 Chevrolet Volt to WiTricity to conduct tests with its wireless charging technology. The company claims it can reach 90 percent efficiency through its wireless charging, which would match traditional plug-in charging systems.

WiTricity has aimed for a 2017 release for the wireless charging pad.

About Witricity Corporation

WiTricity is an American engineering company that manufactures devices for wireless energy transfer using resonant energy transfer based on oscillating magnetic fields. The term WiTricity was used for a project that took place at MIT, led by Marin Soljačić in 2006. The research project was spun off into a private company, also called WiTricity.

Via: GM Authority

TriLumina Demonstrates 3D Solid-State LiDAR and ADAS Systems for Autonomous Automotive Vehicles at CES2017

*Image for illustrative purpose only

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M., Dec. 27, 2016 / TriLumina Corp (www.trilumina.com), the leader in high-power, pulsed, solid-state, low-cost illumination modules for LiDAR, will be demonstrating a new 256-pixel 3D LiDAR solution at CES2017. This high-resolution 3D LiDAR represents a true breakthrough in automotive sensing.  Powered by TriLumina’s illumination modules, this solid-state LiDAR solution is the enabling next-generation ADAS and autonomous vehicles. Built in collaboration with LeddarTech, this LiDAR platform accelerates the path to wide deployment by providing a reliable, high-performance, low-cost system demanded by OEMs for mass-market ADAS applications.

TriLumina powered 3D automotive LiDAR units will also be showcased at CES2017 at the Renesas Advanced and Autonomous Track Experience at the Las Vegas Convention Center.

TriLumina’s new powerful illumination modules accelerate the development of low cost LiDAR sensor systems for a wide variety of applications on any vehicle platform.  TriLumina’s illumination modules replace the expensive, bulky scanning LiDARs being used in today’s autonomous vehicle demonstration programs with high resolution and long-range sensing in a small, robust and cost-effective package, enabling the successful commercial deployment of semi-autonomous and autonomous vehicles.

According to Brian Wong, CEO of TriLumina, “TriLumina’s illumination modules address some of the most difficult technical hurdles facing solid state LiDAR development.   At TriLumina, we are building complete Illumination modules with our patented, back-emitting, flip-chip VCSEL arrays and driver circuits to provide the highest efficiency and most powerful illumination solutions available.  The 3D solid-state LiDAR solutions presented at CES will demonstrate the incredible capabilities of our laser solutions and how they can be rapidly deployed to enable new signal processing capabilities such as those in the LeddarCore ICs.”

Customers, partners, and members of the press may request a demonstration of TriLumina’s laser illumination solutions and the opportunity to meet with TriLumina’s senior management team during CES2017 at CES@trilumina.com.

TriLumina has developed eye-safe semiconductor lasers enabling market-leading laser illuminator solutions. TriLumina’s technology accelerates the automotive industry’s adoption of semi-autonomous and autonomous vehicles by providing lasers for 100 percent solid-state LiDAR products and Advance Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS) and depth sensing for industrial robotics, commercial and consumer electronics markets. TriLumina Corp. is headquartered in Albuquerque, New Mexico.

Source: TriLumina Corp. Via: PRNewswire

Tata Motors signs on Akshay Kumar as brand ambassador for its Commercial Vehicles Business

On the one hand, Bollywood’s most bank-able star, on the other, the country’s most reliable commercial vehicles brand. While one fits into any role with absolute ease, the other masters every terrain with complete nonchalance. Driven, ambitious and versatile, they both have a lot riding on them. But they are both made of sterner stuff, and have what it takes, to bear the ‘load’ of others’ expectations.

Tata Motors, the country’s largest automotive player and among the top 10 truck and bus manufacturers globally, today announced the appointment of Bollywood film star Akshay Kumar, as the brand ambassador for its Commercial Vehicle Business Unit. Indian Cinema’s ‘original Khiladi’ will make his blockbuster entry in this new role at the launch of Tata Motors’ latest offering in Commercial Vehicles, slated in January 2017.

Tata Motors’ association with Akshay Kumar for Commercial vehicles will be supported by a high-decibel, multi-media campaign, beginning in the first week of January 2017. Besides products and solutions, Akshay will be actively involved in a host of innovative marketing and customer experience initiatives to be rolled out by Tata Motors.

Mr. Ravindra Pisharody, Executive Director, Commercial Vehicle Business Unit, Tata Motors, said, “We are delighted to announce versatile and reliable Bollywood actor Akshay Kumar as the new face of Tata Motors’ Commercial Vehicles Business Unit. Akshay embodies dynamism, popularity, machismo, performance and style. More importantly, he blends well with the core values of trust, reliability, responsibility and good leadership of Tata Motors’ Commercial Vehicles Business. Besides, today we are catering to an audience that defines the driven, ambitious, forward-moving, non-stop pulse of India and Akshay understands the pulse of this audience well. That is why, with careful selection and preparation, he goes on to entertain and enthral his fans with one performance after another. Just as Tata Motors constantly endeavours to understand the ever-changing needs of its customers and builds innovative platforms to provide customised products and solutions catering to different segments. We are confident that Akshay’s popularity will further help complement and articulate the future direction of the Tata Motors commercial vehicles brand.”

Speaking on the association, Akshay Kumar said, “The Tata brand is one that most of us have grown up with and now to be associated with them is indeed an honour. No one understands Indian trucking better than Tatas and there couldn’t have been a better and more apt brand to promote. It was fun being in the driver’s seat of one of those monster machines, during a product shoot”

The last six decades has been exciting for Tata Motors in the commercial vehicles space. Tata Motors has been the market leader in India in Commercial Vehicles with an unparalleled product range from sub 1 tonne to 49 tonne load applications. The company has been a pioneer in introducing innovative platforms like Ace, Prima and building customized solutions for all segments, including the defence business. The company has rolled out a series of initiatives to deliver best customer value, with technology being at the forefront. Today, the Tata Motors stable accounts for more than 70% of the last mile cargo-running mini-trucks in the country.

In its endeavor to make a meaningful contribution to the society, in 2013, Tata Motors conducted a successful pilot initiative ‘Hamare Bus Ki Baat Hai’ with interactive sessions designed with the objective of sensitizing school bus staff, on the safety of children during school bus travel. In 2014, this initiative was launched across the country and today Tata Motors has trained over thousands of school bus staff on school bus safety.

About Tata Motors

Tata Motors Limited is India’s largest automobile company, with consolidated revenues of INR 2,75,561 crores (USD 41.6 billion) in 2015-16. Through subsidiaries and associate companies, Tata Motors has operations in the UK, South Korea, Thailand, South Africa and Indonesia. Among them is Jaguar Land Rover, the business comprising the two iconic British brands. It also has an industrial joint venture with Fiat in India.  With over 9 million Tata vehicles plying in India, Tata Motors is the country’s market leader in commercial vehicles and among the top in passenger vehicles. Tata cars, buses and trucks are being marketed in several countries in Europe, Africa, the Middle East, South Asia, South East Asia, South America, Australia, CIS and Russia.

Via: Tata Motors

Tata Steel Launches Lightweight High-Strength Chassis Steel

Tata Steel has launched a new, hot-rolled (HR), complex-phase, advanced high-strength steel grade (HR CP800-UC) for chassis and suspension applications. HR CP800-UC is an uncoated steel which combines the high strength required to meet stringent performance requirements with good formability, allowing automotive engineers to design relatively complexly shaped chassis components.

Image for representative purpose only

This product development was driven by customer demand for a strong yet formable steel that would also give customers the opportunity to reduce chassis weight, which is regarded as unfeasible using conventional high-strength steel grades. The development forms part of the company’s strategy to support automotive manufacturers to meet weight-reduction targets in a cost-effective manner, while delivering the best performance possible.

There are a number of parts within the vehicle chassis and suspension system that require especially high strength, in particular the lower control arms, suspension link arms and twist beams. The parts must be strong enough to withstand typical in-service load cases –the parts must not fail through material rupture when the wheel hits a pot-hole, for example – and at the same time stringent European emissions regulations mean that reducing weight in these parts is becoming increasingly important. For these reasons high-strength (HSS) and advanced-high-strength (AHSS) steels are the common choice in such applications.

However, the challenge with many conventional high-strength steels is that as they become stronger, they also become less formable. This can cause problems when creating complicated chassis parts. The new HR CP800-UC is a multi-phase steel grade from the advanced high-strength steel family, offering improved formability – in particular how far steel can be stretched without splitting or tearing – while maintaining strength.

The new grade provides a number of other essential performance characteristics. HR CP800-UC’s properties are provided by its fine-grained bainitic matrix microstructure, which improves material fatigue, resulting in a high tensile strength of approximately 800MPa – the stress it can withstand before failing – and a high yield strength that promotes uniformity of strength in the final part. It meets both euronorm (EN) and Verband der Automobilindustrie (VDA) specifications, HCT780C (EN) and HR660Y760T-CP(VDA) and so can meet the stringent automotive safety requirements demanded by vehicle manufacturers globally.

Sander Heinhuis, Tata Steel’s European Marketing Manager for Automotive, said: “Demand for steels that are appropriate for lightweighting is only going to increase, but the focus on reducing weight in the chassis system has lagged behind product development in body in white. This new grade offers the best balance on the market between formability, strength and weight, with no increase in cost, due to its excellent processing properties.

“This product is an important addition to our portfolio of advanced high-strength steels and through working closely with our automotive tier partners to develop this grade, we have been able to ensure it has the characteristics they need to process it easily in house.”

HR CP800-UC is being produced now at Tata Steel’s IJmuiden plant in the Netherlands and is commercially available in a range of dimensions, from 2.5-4.7mm thick and up to 1650mm wide. Over coming months Tata Steel will further extend the product’s dimensional capability.

HR CP800-UC Data Sheet

For further details visit Tata Steel Europe’s Automotive website.

Toyota Mobility Foundation and World Resources Institute Explore Improved Connectivity to Bengaluru Metro

Bengaluru, India (December 22, 2016) – Toyota Mobility Foundation (TMF) has entered into an agreement with World Resources Institute (WRI) to seek possible solutions in first- and last-mile connectivity to metro transit in Bengaluru, India.

Bengaluru (formerly Bangalore) with a population of around 12 million people has experienced rapid urban growth and development in part due to its status as the IT capital of India. This surge has powered the economy, but has also resulted in issues of congestion and limited access to mobility. To overcome these, the city has invested in a metro line within the city and currently aims to enhance its ridership.

TMF and WRI want to improve accessibility to metro transit in Bengaluru and increase its usage through a process of research, capacity building, open collaboration, and testing. This would provide more Bengaluru citizens better ease of movement throughout the city.

Bengaluru Metro  Image Source:DC

TMF and WRI will collaborate with various stakeholders in Bengaluru including the state government, public agencies, and Bengaluru’s IT industry. They will develop a project called the Station Access & Mobility Program (STAMP), also referred to as the Bengaluru Mobility Project, which will run from December 2016 to March 2018.

In the first year of the project, TMF and WRI will build a stakeholder network and invite them to identify practical and feasible solutions to first and last mile connectivity issues. They will propose these ideas through an open innovation challenge. TMF and WRI will support winning solutions and aim at scaling them in Bengaluru and other cities. After evaluating the results of the project, TMF will determine the scope of future activities in India.

Shigeru Hayakawa, President of the TMF Secretariat and Senior Managing Officer, Member of the Board of Directors of Toyota Motor Corporation, said “TMF will make efforts in the Bengaluru Mobility Project to realize an ever better mobile society by identifying opportunities to integrate public and private mobility. We will do this in partnership with various stakeholders including the city government, NGOs, and IT entrepreneurs.”

Acknowledging complete support to the project, Mr. Shekar Viswanathan, Vice Chairman & Whole Time Director, Toyota Kirloskar Motor said, “We welcome the initiative undertaken by Toyota Mobility Foundation and WRI in India. This collaborative effort to find possible solutions to improve access to mobility in Bengaluru will make the lives of citizens who face issues of congestion more comfortable. As safety leaders, we at Toyota are committed to ensuring a safer mobility experience in India. To supplement the activities of TMF and WRI, we at TKM will share our best practices with regard to road safety campaigns across India and extend necessary support to this program. Finally, we appreciate the support across all stakeholders in the city in taking this campaign forward.”

Mr. Amit Bhatt, Director -Integrated Transport, WRI India, observed, “Access to mass transit systems has often been a major issue in many Indian cities. If there is safe, efficient and seamless connectivity to and from the Metro stations, it will not only be used, but will also boost the ridership of these high capacity systems. To provide this access is our endeavor.” Pawan Mulukutla, Urban Transport Expert, WRI India, added, “Bengaluru’s Rs. 14,000 crore Metro system can be more effective if an efficient first and last mile connectivity is established providing access to a larger population. The last mile connectivity should provide safe access, offer good quality of services to the users and minimize environmental impact using technology as a key driver to achieve this.

About the Toyota Mobility Foundation

The Toyota Mobility Foundation was established in August 2014 to support the development of a more mobile society. The Foundation aims to support strong mobility systems while eliminating disparities in mobility. It utilizes Toyota’s expertise in technology, safety, and the environment, working in partnership with universities, government, non-profit organizations, research institutions and other organizations to address mobility issues around the world. Programs include resolving urban transportation problems, expanding the utilization of personal mobility, and developing solutions for next generation mobility.

About World Resources Institute

World Resources Institute (WRI) is a global research organization that spans more than 50 countries, with offices in Brazil, China, Europe, India, Indonesia, Mexico, and the United States. Our more than 450 experts and staff work closely with leaders to turn big ideas into action to sustain our natural resources—the foundation of economic opportunity and human well-being.

WRI India works closely with the government, businesses, civil society and other non-governmental organizations, to help solve the four most urgent challenges in India – rapid urbanization, the demand for energy, responding to climate change and the large-scale degradation of natural resources.

Via: Press Release, Toyota Mobility Foundation

SAE International Honors Walter P. Moore Structural Diagnostics Engineer Dr. Kasra Ghahremani with Henry O. Fuchs Student Award

WARRENDALE, Pa., Dec. 21, 2016 – SAE International announces that Kasra Ghahremani, PhD, Structural Diagnostics Engineer with Walter P. Moore, is winner of the Henry O. Fuchs Student Award.

Established in 1991, this award recognizes a graduate or recently graduated student (i.e. post doctorate or new professor) that is working in the field of fatigue research and applications. The purpose of this award is to promote the education of engineering students in the area of fatigue technology.

This award honors the memory of Professor Henry O. Fuchs. Professor Fuchs participated in the SAE Fatigue Design & Evaluation Committee’s research projects, was a member of the faculty who founded the SAE Fatigue Concepts in Design short course, published extensively in SAE and elsewhere in the technical community, and actively participated in the Surface Enhancement Division of the Committee which is responsible for many standards relating to surface treatments of metals for withstanding fatigue damage.

Dr. Ghahremani’s research during his graduate studies was primarily focused on the fatigue performance, assessment, and retrofitting of metal structures in the long-life regime. His research outcomes have been published in co-authorship with his scientific advisers and other collaborators in 20 journal and conference research papers.

Prior to joining Walter P Moore, Dr. Ghahremani was a Post-Doctoral Research Fellow at George Mason University conducting research on detecting structural damage in 3D point clouds. He has received several national and institutional awards and scholarships including the prestigious Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC) Scholarship.

Dr. Ghahremani received his PhD and MASc degrees in Structural Engineering from the University of Waterloo and BSc in Civil Engineering from Sharif University of Technology.

SAE International is a global association committed to being the ultimate knowledge source for the engineering profession. By uniting more than 127,000 engineers and technical experts, we drive knowledge and expertise across a broad spectrum of industries. We act on two priorities: encouraging a lifetime of learning for mobility engineering professionals and setting the standards for industry engineering. We strive for a better world through the work of our philanthropic SAE Foundation, including programs like A World in Motion® and the Collegiate Design Series™.

Suzuki launches new Solio & Solio Bandit hybrid cars in Japan

 

 

 

 

Suzuki Motor Corporation has launched new versions of Solio and Solio Bandit compact cars equipped with newly-developed hybrid system in Japan on 29 November, 2016.

Equipped with Suzuki’s unique hybrid system, the hybrid versions of the Solio and Solio Bandit become the most fuel-efficient models in the compact height wagon class in Japan^*1 at 32.0km/L^*2. The system also realizes strong driving performance with acceleration feel, all while keeping the original features of the Solio series that realizes compact body and roomy cabin.

The newly-developed hybrid system adopts Suzuki’s unique parallel hybrid system, which combines a Motor Generator Unit (MGU) to an Auto Gear Shift (AGS). MGU is a compact driving motor that instantly boasts a big amount of energy, while AGS is a lightweight, compact, and efficient transmission. Together, they realize smooth acceleration by supplementing with MGU’s driving force while changing shifts.

With the synergy effect of MGU and AGS, they combine “further improvement of fuel efficiency” to “strong driving performance with acceleration feel”. The system offers two driving modes of “Normal mode” and “Eco mode” to let the driver select between brisk driving in start and acceleration, and driving with priority on fuel efficiency by increasing the frequency of EV driving. The hybrid versions also offer special blue-based exterior and interior that give the image of eco. Plus, all variants qualify for eco-car tax breaks in Japan.

Through introducing hybrid versions that combine fuel efficiency to strong driving, in addition to the conventional mild hybrid versions to the Solio and Solio Bandit, they will offer first-of-its-kind compact height wagons that let the customers select the versions depending on their lifestyles and usages.

<Main features of hybrid versions of Solio and Solio Bandit>

• 1. Suzuki’s unique hybrid system that realized EV driving
  The most fuel-efficient models in the compact height wagon class in Japan^*1at 32.0km/L^*2
• 2. Two driving modes that realize both brisk driving and driving with priority on fuel efficiency
• 3. Special exterior and interior colour that give the image of eco

• *1 Based on Suzuki research in November 2016 on compact height wagon (two-row, five-seater with engine displacement of 1.5L or less and overall heights of 1,600mm or more). Measured in JC08 test cycle and verified by Japan’s Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism.
• *2 Measured in JC08 test cycle and verified by Japan’s Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism.

<Features of hybrid versions of Solio and Solio Bandit>

1. Suzuki’s unique hybrid system that realized EV driving
The most fuel-efficient models in the compact height wagon class in Japan^*1 at 32.0km/L^*2

• – K12C type DUALJET engine is equipped with Suzuki’s unique lightweight, compact, and high-efficiency parallel hybrid system which combines MGU (driving motor that can also generate electricity) to AGS (transmission with high efficiency).
• – Original feature of the Solio series of roomy cabin is kept while adopting a hybrid system that enables EV driving, such as by storing a 100V high-voltage lithium-ion battery under the luggage space floor.
• – Electricity is generated during driving and stored to a 100V high-voltage lithium-ion battery, and that electricity is supplied to the MGU. The MGU not only assists driving with its motor function, but also enables EV driving. The system automatically stops the engine and switches to EV driving when the vehicle is running at a constant speed, such as during creeping and when the vehicle speed is 60km/h or slower.
• – By combining AGS to MGU, they realize brisk driving with acceleration feel, and smooth shift change.
• – All variants achieved vehicle weight of less than 1,000kg by thoroughly pursuing weight saving and downsizing.
• – All variants qualify for eco-car tax breaks in Japan by making them the most fuel-efficient models in the compact height wagon class in Japan^*1 at 32.0km/L^*2

2. Two driving modes that realize both brisk driving and driving with priority on fuel efficiency

• – Offer of two driving modes: “Normal mode” with strong and brisk driving, and “Eco mode” that supports eco driving by increasing the frequency of EV driving.
• – Both modes enable EV driving when the vehicle is running at a constant speed in 60km/h or slower.

[Normal mode]

• – In this mode, the engine is responsive and has more driving force, hence lets the driver enjoy brisk driving with acceleration feel.

[Eco mode]

• – In this mode, driving force by engine is controlled to support eco driving without changing the usual driving manner by making the acceleration milder and increasing the frequency of EV driving.
• – Plus, the Eco mode enables creeping with the motor in stop-and-go situation. It lets the vehicle suppress fuel consumption by moving in silent EV driving in traffic congestion and parking, where there are frequent stop-and-go.

3. Special exterior and interior colour that give the image of eco

Exterior design

• – Blue metallic-look parts on the skeleton part of the front grille.
• – Clear blue lens are adopted on the rear combination lamps and reversing lamps.
• – Special emblems on the left and right fenders and on the back door.

Interior design

• – Metallic blue-coloured upper garnish of the instrument panel.
• – The meter has a special blue-based design, and adopts a motor power meter that displays activating situation of the MGU.

*Note: All the features mentioned in the following press release are of Solio and Solio Bandit that are exclusively distributed in the Japanese domestic market. All the the details mentioned are as mentioned in Suzuki Global Website.

 

Toyota Motor Corporation announces Sales & Production plans for CY2017

Toyota City, Japan, December 15, 2016―Toyota Motor Corporation announces today its 2017 sales and production plans, including those for subsidiaries Daihatsu Motor Co., Ltd. and Hino Motors, Ltd., as shown below.

CY2017 Sales and Production Plans

		Toyota	Daihatsu	Hino	Total
	Japanese sales*1	Approx. 1,600,000(2%)	Approx. 570,000(0%)	Approx. 64,000(0%)	Approx. 2,234,000(1%)
	Sales outside Japan	Approx. 7,670,000(1%)	Approx. 200,000(5%)	Approx. 109,000(1%)	Approx. 7,979,000(1%)
	Worldwide sales	Approx. 9,260,000(1%)	Approx. 770,000(1%)	Approx. 172,000(1%)	Approx. 10,202,000(1%)
	Japanese production*2	Approx. 3,210,000(2%)	Approx. 810,000(11%)	Approx. 149,000(2%)	Approx. 4,169,000(3%)
	Production outside Japan*3	Approx. 5,770,000(-1%)	Approx. 390,000(15%)	Approx. 37,000(16%)	Approx. 6,197,000(0%)
	Worldwide production	Approx. 8,980,000(0%)	Approx. 1,200,000(12%)	Approx. 186,000(4%)	Approx. 10,366,000(1%)
*1Includes production outside Japan; *2Includes kits for assembly outside Japan; *3Excludes kits from Japan; All figures rounded; ( ) change from previous year’s result

ReferenceCY2016 Results Forecast

		Toyota	Daihatsu	Hino	Total
	Japanese sales*1	Approx. 1,570,000(5%)	Approx. 570,000(-7%)	Approx. 64,000(4%)	Approx. 2,204,000(2%)
	Sales outside Japan	Approx. 7,590,000(-1%)	Approx. 190,000(4%)	Approx. 107,000(-0.2%)	Approx. 7,887,000(-1%)
	Worldwide sales	Approx. 9,160,000(-0.3%)	Approx. 760,000(-4%)	Approx. 171,000(1%)	Approx. 10,091,000(-1%)
	Japanese production*2	Approx. 3,160,000(-1%)	Approx. 730,000(4%)	Approx. 146,000(-2%)	Approx. 4,036,000(0%)
	Production outside Japan*3	Approx. 5,820,000(1%)	Approx. 340,000(21%)	Approx. 32,000(26%)	Approx. 6,192,000(2%)
	Worldwide production	Approx. 8,980,000(1%)	Approx. 1,070,000(9%)	Approx. 178,000(2%)	Approx. 10,228,000(1%)
*1Includes production outside Japan; *2Includes kits for assembly outside Japan; *3Excludes kits from Japan; All figures rounded; ( ) change from previous year’s result

The figures stated above are based on judgments and assumptions using currently available information and other factors. There is no guarantee that actual results will be as projected in view of the uncertainties involved in the judgments and assumptions, as well as possible fluctuations resulting from changes in conditions worldwide.

Source: Newsroom, Toyota Motor Corporation