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This dissertation analyses the determinants of demand for new passenger vehicles in South Africa over a ten-year period, between 1995 and 2005. The following investigation into the determinants of demand for new passenger cars, is based both on a statistical and empirical analysis of the performance of the South African new passenger car market. Firstly, in Chapter 2 a brief history of the South African motor in industry provides a background for the analysis which follows in this dissertation and gives some insight into the historical developments that created the structure of the industry during the period analysed by the study. The theoretical components of the thesis focus on the macro-economic theory of demand, which seeks to explain the influences which determine consumer demand when purchasing durable goods and more specifically new passenger cars. Chapter 3 explains how consumers trade off preferences and substitutes in their efforts to maximise their utility. When comparing the general theory of demand to the theory of demand for durable goods and more specifically the theory of demand for new passenger cars, it is demonstrated that the theory of demand for new passenger cars is inherently different to that of non-durable goods. New passenger cars and other durable goods require a relatively higher investment, last longer than non-durable goods and literally retain some of their value, as they get older. Chapter 3 creates a theoretical foundation upon which the determinants of demand for passenger cars will be analysed in Chapter 4. Chapter 4 forms the base upon which the South African New Passenger Car Market will to be analysed. In Chapter 4 the study statistically and graphically analyses the primary economic determinants of demand for new passenger cars. The analyses first present the relationship between price and new passenger car demand. It was found that demand for new passenger cars was price elastic. It was also identified that price elasticity of demand changed over the ten-year period analysed. Next, the impact of population growth and personal disposable income on new passenger car demand was analysed. It was discovered that should the population grow faster than the economy; relative prices unchanged, personal disposable income will decline and thereby affect desired stocks of new passenger cars negatively. The effect of disposable income on the sale of new passenger cars was found to be income inelastic. Income elasticity also, however displayed signs of change over the analysed period. The effect of the rate of interest on the demand for the new passenger cars was also analysed. The analysis indicated that changes in interest rates resulted in changes of various proportions in all rates of interest in the economy; such an effect filtered through to the new passenger car market. After this, the effect of GDP on the demand for new passenger cars was examined. The examination found that changes in the new passenger car market correlated very closely with GDP growth changes, hence GDP changes served as an important indicator of the new passenger car market. The result of changes in the price of fuel on new passenger car demand was also examined. The result showed that the structure of the market, i.e. the size of cars, etc. was more affected than the volume of sales. Finally, the effect of the level of confidence in new passenger car demand was analysed. Business and consumer confidence were found to be good indicators of the new passenger car market. Chapter 5 concluded and summarised the findings of the dissertation. The study also noted that the effects of South Africa’s upgraded public transport system in the form of the Bus Rapid Transport System (BRT) and the Gautrain on the demands of new passenger cars could be a case for future research. / Thesis (MCom (Economics))--North-West University, Vaal Triangle Campus, 2012

For precision spacecraft structures used for antennas and reflectors of telescopes, determination of in-orbit structural displacement and its control is very important. While this kind of measurement is relatively easy to carry out in a laboratory setting, it can be problematic in a real world environment. A procedure for the real-time determination of displacements at any point of a vibrating body can be utilized by measuring strain that is present. The procedure could employ measurement devices like Fiber Bragg Gratings, which are capable of very fine strain measurements. This thesis presents the finite element analysis of a truss similar to the NPS Space truss to observe the behavior of the strain relative to the displacement. A relationship between strain and displacement for the truss is derived.

The Army is undergoing a Transformation process, the outcome of which will be an enhanced warfighting capability via the Objective Force. Space is a key enabler for the Army's Objective Force capabilities and Joint combat operations. The Army has a long history of success in the space mission area that stretches back to the 1940s. The Army established doctrine for conducting space operations in support of the Objective Force. This thesis explains why the Army is involved in space from historical, doctrinal and policy perspectives. The Army created force structure for Space Support Elements (SSE) at the tactical level and organic to Division headquarters, and has planned and proposed additional space elements at the Brigade, Corps and Army organizational levels. The FA40, (Space Operations), Career Field is a relatively new personnel category that brings space products and services to the warfighter. Proper distribution of the FA40 personnel pool is a critical part of assuring the success of the FA40 Career Field. This thesis presents recommendations on how the Army can better organize its space force structure, allocate personnel and develop future space capabilities requirements documents to ensure relevancy in a transformed Army.

This thesis investigates the feasibility of projecting ground-based laser power to energize a spacecraft electrical bus via the solar panels. The energy is projected through a telescope, using modern optical compensation systems, at controlled wavelengths. Research conducted on high-energy lasers has matured to the point today, that the bulk of the power required by spacecraft on orbit can be projected from the surface of the earth. With battery life being the greatest limitation on spacecraft lifespan, the ability to provide electrical power from the surface to a satellite in eclipse with degraded batteries could mean multi-billion dollar cost savings by extending the lifetime of current and future satellites. / US Navy (USN) author.

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University of Macau / Faculty of Science and Technology. / Department of Electromechanical Engineering

Most of recent studies indicate that people are negatively predisposed toward utilizing autonomous systems. These findings highlight the necessity of conducting research to better understand the evolution of trust between humans and growing autonomous technologies such as self-driving cars (SDC). This research therefore presents a new approach for real-time trust measurement between passengers and SDCs. We utilized a new structured data collection approach along with a virtual reality (VR) SDC simulator to understand how various autonomous driving scenarios can increase or decrease human trust and how trust can be re-built in the case of incidental failures. To verify our methodology, we designed and conducted an empirical experiment on 50 human subjects. The results of this experiment indicated that most subjects could rebuild trust during a reasonable timeframe after the system demonstrated faulty behavior. Furthermore, we discovered that the cultural background and past trust-related experiences of the subjects affect how they lose or regain their trust in SDCs. Our analysis showed that this model is highly effective for collecting real-time data from human subjects and lays the foundation for more-involved future research in the domain of human trust and autonomous driving. / Includes bibliography. / Thesis (M.S.)--Florida Atlantic University, 2018. / FAU Electronic Theses and Dissertations Collection

Este estudo faz uma análise dos níveis de emissões veiculares relacionados com os problemas de poluição na cidade de São Paulo. Utilizando a metodologia denominada bottom-up, avalia de forma teórica os índices de poluentes que saem pelo tubo de escapamento da maior frota de veículos leves do país. São abordados tópicos relacionados com o dia-a-dia da cidade como crescimento da frota, combustíveis, transporte público, poluição atmosférica e seus efeitos à saúde e ainda a influência atmosférica na região. Foram feitas diversas simulações no decorrer do estudo denominadas de cenários, que são baseadas na simples, porém eficiente, aplicação da metodologia bottom-up que utiliza, para os cálculos, os fatores de emissões de acordo com a evolução das fases do PROCONVE para obter a quantidade de determinados poluentes emitido por ano. Os cenários permitem a substituição dos veículos mais velhos por veículos novos e apresentam resultados positivos para o meio ambiente, dentre eles aqueles que podem ser considerados como alternativas ousadas e outros podem ser vistos como alternativas mais conservadoras, mas todos demostram melhorias significativas para a qualidade do ar na cidade de são Paulo. A evolução das fases citadas trouxeram muitos benefícios ao meio ambiente por meio das novas tecnologias desenvolvidas e embarcadas nos veículos novos e que não deixam de ser a solução para o futuro, onde melhorias nas condições atmosféricas devem ser alcançadas. Questões como políticas públicas e legislações específicas para a substituição dos veículos velhos da rua, não saem da teoria. Na prática o trânsito está cada vez mais caótico, em partes pela quantidade de carros em péssimas condições de uso que ainda circulam e quebram todos os dias, afetando diretamente a qualidade do ar na metrópole paulista. / This study presents an analysis of the levels of vehicles emissions related to the pollution problems in São Paulo City. Using a methodology called bottom-up, this thesis presents a theoretical evaluation on the rates of pollutants coming out the exhaust pipe of the largest light vehicles fleet in Brazil. Issues related to daily city activities such as the fleet growth, fuels, public transportation, air pollution and its effects on the population health and the atmospheric influence in the region as well are presented. Simulations for scenarios drawn were based on a simple but efficient, implementation of bottom-up approach that employs, for calculations, the emission factors according to the changing phases of PROCONVE (the Brazilian National Program for the Pollution Control of Vehicles) for the amount of pollutants emitted per year. The scenarios consider that replacement of older vehicles by new ones is positive for the environment. Some scenarios may be considered as non-conservative alternatives and others can be seen as conservative, but all demonstrate significant improvements to the quality of air in São Paulo City. The evolution of the phases mentioned have brought many benefits to the environment through new technologies developed for new vehicles and represent a solution for the future, when improvements in atmospheric conditions must be met. Issues such as public policies and laws specific to the replacement of old vehicles still have to be improved. In practical means, the traffic is increasingly chaotic, in part by the amount of cars in poor use that still run and break every day, directly affecting the air quality in metropolitan region.