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Inlet port flow characteristics are critical in determining the overall performance of diesel combustion systems. The relationship between inlet port geometry and performance has long been a subject of interest to many researchers, although as yet a comprehensive understanding remains elusive. The ongoing need to provide advanced powertrain design solutions in order to meet increasingly stringent emissions legislation, whilst meeting customer expectations and minimising engineering costs, has driven the development of new approaches to engine design. In particular, the fundamental advantages of multivalve technology, coupled with rapidly improving fuel delivery systems has placed new requirements on inlet port performance characteristics. Statistical methods and knowledge-based design are emerging as potentially powerful tools in this field of research, supported by rapid developments in computing power.

The previously introduced fuel droplet heating and evaporation models, taking into account temperature gradients, recirculations, and species diffusion within droplets, are further developed and generalised for the application to a broad range of automotive fuel droplets. The research has been conducted in three directions: modelling of biodiesel fuel droplets, modelling of Diesel fuel droplets, and modelling of gasoline fuel droplets.

This project is questioning our modern way of life. With the current capitalistic economy we are draining the world on resources and creating inequality among people. It is often said the the capitalistic system is lifting people out of poverty and there is no better way. However, it is proven to be negative for our ecology and it is important that we find new ways of develop mobility. So our future generations can enjoy the freedom that we today have become so ac-customed to. What can we do to consume less and respect the world we are living by. Is it a matter of consuming green. Or do we need a fundamental change in how we create things. A bright light in these questions is maybe to head into a circular economy. This project therefore explores how a automotive interior would look like when designed with a circular mindset. Could a Universal Basic Income reduce extraction and what is the role of A.I and automation in the development for better mobility. For this project an in depth literature research was carried out to gather information about our economic system and social factors. The research about digitalisation and automatisation have been gathered from highly regard-ed magazines and web news papers. Second part of the research is also web based, and about sustainable materials that could be used in this interior concept. The design phase started with creation of a user in a chinese context, based from the trend analyzer firm Stylus. China was chosen because it’s a rapid growing economy and it’s the main market for the Chinese-owned car brand Lynk & Co. The collaboration partner for this thesis. The design phase followed with sketching to quickly visualize early ideas. These were then brought into a CAID program to fit the chosen package of a small city car. The design was created around a male mannequin to ensure usability. A full-size mockup was built to test functions and validate design around a large male and the smallest female percentile.  The project resulted in a strategic concept of how a new business model would push for a greener development using a circular mindset. From that perspective a interior was created using sustainable materials. The overall struc-ture is covered in a hard cover manufactured in recycled plastic. The seating and dashboard were design with the highly efficient material Abroform in mind. Abroform is based of Lignin which is a byproduct of the paper indus-try. Therefore no additional extraction is needed making it sustainable. Further it had all the positive design charac-teristics from conventional plastics. The soft seat cushions and the front dash was designed with compressed felt, manufactured from organic wool. These parts created a friendly and soft interior and are easy changeable for maintaining purposes. Overall the interior focused on providing smart storage solutions using few materials with an “bolt-on aesthetic”. The design language is using a friendly surface treatment and to include users make the journey pleasant.

O objetivo deste trabalho é fazer uma contribuição ao Método de Desenvolvimento Automotivo, especificamente sobre a concepção de novos produtos automotivos, por meio de uma análise crítica a partir de uma hipótese proposta de método de um estudo de caso. O estudo de temas pertinentes procurou incluir temas multidisciplinares ligados à Estética do Produto Industrial e à sua História, ao Gerenciamento de Projetos, a Metodologia de Estímulo à Criatividade, a Ergonomia e Fatores Humanos. O Método Proposto por hipótese, baseado na experiência do autor, incluiu de forma sintética quatro fases de desenvolvimento: a pesquisa, a proposição de alternativas, a definição da melhor alternativa e a execução. O estudo de caso está baseado em uma oportunidade de conceber um semi-reboque autoportante para produtos perigosos, o que permitiu que parte do método pudesse ser testada em sua eficiência. As conclusões do trabalho revelaram pontos em que a aplicação do método hipotético mostrou-se satisfatória e outros apresentou oportunidades de melhoria bem como de continuidade da pesquisa. / The contents on this work it is a contribution to Development automotive Method, specific to new products concepts, through a critical investigation. The theme study case was covered multi-disciplines topics such as: Product Esthetics and History, Project Management, Methods & Creativity stimulus and Human Factors. By the hypotheses the method proposal contemplated synthetic four phase development, Research, Alternative Solutions, Definition of he Solution and the Execution solution. The base study is supported by the opportunity to design a new product: No chassis truck trailer, to transport danger liquid materials, also to try this method for efficiency. The conclusions showed several points for hypothetical method applications with a satisfactory results, it is encouraging to continue this research.

This thesis presents laboratory and field studies into the effects of solar radiation on the thermal comfort of vehicle occupants. Whilst, thermal comfort has been widely studied in built environments, there have been relatively few studies into thermal comfort in vehicles. Those studies that have been conducted have noted that the effect of solar radiation is considerable in these confined microclimates. The aim of this thesis was to provide baseline data for the effects of solar radiation on thermal sensation and determine how this information can be integrated to provide a method for the assessment of vehicle thermal comfort. This was achieved using a specially constructed whole body solar chamber in a series of four laboratory studies looking at different aspects of solar radiation on human thermal comfort and an extensive field trial conducted in Seville, Spain. The laboratory studies were as follows:- 1, The effect of the intensity of direct simulated solar radiation on human thermal responses. Eight male subjects were exposed to 4 different intensity solar radiation conditions. Physiological and psychological measurements were taken. It was established that a mean response to 200 Wm"2 of direct simulated solar radiation will give a thermal sensation shift of one positive scale point. 2, The effect of the spectral content of simulated solar radiation on human thermal responses. Eight male subjects were exposed to 4 different spectral radiation conditions, with the same total radiation intensity, 400 wm·2 • There was found to be no significant difference in the thermal sensation responses due to spectra. 3, The effects of glazing type on human thermal comfort responses. Eight male subjects were exposed to 4 different automotive glazings, with a fixed external solar radiation level of 1000 wm·2 • The spectral qualities of glazing can significantly effect human thermal comfort. The lower the transmission of visible radiation through the glazing, the lower the thermal sensation felt by subject in a neutral environment. 4, The effect of direct short wavelength and long wavelength radiation on human thermal comfort. Nine male subjects were exposed to short wavelength, long wavelength and combined short and long wavelength radiation. For the conditions investigated it was established that the addition of reradiation from internal components has an effect on thermal sensation when combined with direct solar radiation. However, it is not considered that it will be a major factor in a real world situation, as dashboards generally do not maintain high surface temperatures in vehicles without high air temperatures. Using the data collected in the laboratory studies a predictive model, PMV sotu, was developed which integrated directed solar radiation into an existing thermal comfort model (PMV) in the form of a factor, Rsolar· Rsolar is a correction factor for the addition of short wavelength radiation which converts actual measured solar radiation to a thermal sensation scale adjustment The PMV solar model was validated with other models in field trials conducted in Seville, Spain. Four male subjects, undertook a series of 32, one hour long experiments over 8 days, whilst travelling on a Spanish highway. Environmental, physiological and psychological measurements were taken throughout the experiments to provide data for validation of THE PMV solar model. The assessment of human thermal comfort in vehicles is complex. Variation in environmental parameters in terms of both spatial and temporal changes, make accurate prediction of thermal comfort difficult. However, the PMV solar model provides an improved level of prediction of the state of thermal comfort of the vehicle occupants, in environments which have a high solar radiation level over existing thermal indices.

M.Com. (Transport Economics) / This study deals with the problem of road user cost recovery in a developing country. Two main problems areas have been identified. The first deals with the shortage of funds for financing road infrastructure. Secondly, the responsibility for financing road infrastructure needs to be established. The first objective of the study was to provide a theoretical discussion on the subject of road user cost recovery. The second objective was to establish how much the road users in the Republic of Transkei currently pay for the use of road infrastructure. Thirdly the study wished to establish how much the road 'users should pay, and the final objective was to find methods for u~ilizing existing and new sources for finance. The empirical data for the study was obtained from licence authorities, a border survey, state departments and municipalities in the Republic of Transkei. The literature study revealed that one of the most important decisions to be made in transport policy is the required level of expenditure on road infrastructure. The two techniques that are generally used to determine this level are earmarking of a fixed percentage of the total goverrunent budget for roads and the establishment of a dedicated road fund. The advantages and disadvantages of a road fund are discussed. The approaches that can be used to recover costs from road users may be divided into three categories: - Tax on vehicle usage that varies with the use of road infrastructure. - Methods aimed at vehicle usage which does not vary with the use of road infrastructure. - Methods that are not based on vehicle usage. The Republic of Transkei applies three methods of road user cost recovery, namely fuel tax, licence fees and levies on abnormal loads. These three methods are a combination of all the basic approaches that can be used to recover cost from road users. The N2 national route is identified as the most important road in the Republic of Transkei. The general condition of roads is poor and not enough funds are spent on maintenance. Costs allocated to road users are maintenance costs, capital costs, and administration costs. The existing method of cost recovery from road users is by means of the road fund levy, by licence fees, customs and excise duty and levies on abnormal loads. An evaluation of the existing recovery system in the Republic of Transkei revealed that the system is unfair, total cost is not recovered and there is no dedicated road funding program. In conclusion it is suggested that the following four elements should be added to the existing method of cost recovery from road users levels: - Increase the tax on fuel. - Reviewing of the existing licence fees. . - Implementation of a border toll system. - Levying of a tax on tyres. It is further recommended that a dedicated road fund is started into which all road user levies are paid. The fund should be administrated by either the Department of Works and Energy or the Department of Transport. The fund should be subjected to all the standard accounting and auditing principles.

M.Com. (Transport Economics) / The responsibility for organising the road transport industry in interest groups is that of the private sector. The central government is the only institution in the Republic of South Africa that can control and regulate the road transport industry. It is, however, the joint responsibility of the government and the private sector to ensure that an economically sound and efficient road transport industry is operated in South Africa ...

<p> For automated driving vehicles to be accepted by their users and safely integrate with traffic involving human drivers, they need to act and behave like human drivers. This not only involves understanding how the human driver or occupant in the automated vehicle expects their vehicle to operate, but also involves how other road users perceive the automated vehicle&rsquo;s intentions. This research aimed at learning how drivers space themselves while driving around other vehicles. It is shown that an optimized lane change maneuver does create a solution that is much different than what a human would do. There is a need to learn complex driving preferences from studying human drivers. </p><p> This research fills the gap in terms of learning human driving styles by providing an example of learned behavior (vehicle spacing) and the needed framework for encapsulating the learned data. A complete framework from problem formulation to data gathering and learning from human driving data was formulated as part of this research. On-road vehicle data were gathered while a human driver drove a vehicle. The driver was asked to make lane changes for stationary vehicles in his path with various road curvature conditions and speeds. The gathered data, as well as Learning from Demonstration techniques, were used in formulating the spacing profile as a lane change maneuver. A concise feature set from captured data was identified to strongly represent a driver&rsquo;s spacing profile and a model was developed. The learned model represented the driver&rsquo;s spacing profile from stationary vehicles within acceptable statistical tolerance. This work provides a methodology for many other scenarios from which human-like driving style and related parameters can be learned and applied to automated vehicles</p><p>

This study was designed to assess the role of secondary education in the employability of operators in the South African automotive industry. Five types of secondary education are referred to, namely, a secondary education including Mathematics and Science as subjects; a matriculation with Mathematics as a subject; a secondary education inclusive of Science as a subject; a technical type Grade 12 qualification and a general form of secondary education. A two-phase aptitude testing selection process, employing three sub-tests from the Differential Aptitude Test (DAT-K) and five from the Trade Aptitude Test (TRAT) batteries, was utilised to assess whether there were significant differences in aptitude test scores of applicants with different types of secondary education. These aptitude measures were administered to 2 463 preselected respondents. Descriptive statistics such as median, mode and frequency distribution graphs were used. Statistical analysis was also carried out, using the Chi-square test of independence, to determine the differences in aptitude test results obtained by the groups in the study. The study‟s findings revealed that the type of Grade 12 qualification held by applicants is an important criterion to be considered in the selection of automotive operators. The findings specifically indicated that a secondary education that included Mathematics and/or Science as subjects resulted in notable performance in the aptitude instruments employed in this study. The findings are broadly relevant to the South African automotive industry and are of value to human resource practitioners, educators, social scientists and other researchers.