CAAT Tracks
July 2016
Center for Advanced Automotive Technology
Working with educators and industry to drive the skills needed for the next generation of automotive technicians, engineering technologists, and designers.
In This Issue
Don't Miss the Next CAAT Webinar on Fuel Cell Electric Vehicles: The Other Electric Vehicle?

This webinar will explain the operational characteristics of proton-exchange membrane fuel cells, compare them to other energy storage systems, and outline the start of the new fuel-cell educational programs.

 

Speakers for the webinar will be CAAT Assistant Director, Nelson Kelly, and John Frala, from Rio Hondo College's Advanced Transportation Technology area. Frala is also an alternative fuels instructor and NSF principal investigator.

 

This informative webinar will be held on August 23rd from 1:00 - 2:30 PM EDT.

 

Click here to learn more about the webinar and to register.

It's Official! Macomb Community College to Host the 2017 NACAT Conference!

Macomb Community College (MCC) was recently selected to host the 2017 Conference for the North American Council of Automotive Teachers (NACAT). The event will be held at MCC's South Campus in Warren, MI, from July 17- 20, 2017. This week-long, international event brings together hundreds of instructors and trainers of automotive technology from all parts of the United States and Canada.

CAAT Director Bob Feldmaier, CAAT Assistant Director Sherri Doherty, and MCC Automotive Technology Professor, Dan Claus, recently attended the 2016 NACAT Conference hosted by San Jacinto College in Pasadena, TX.  Each of them will be instrumental in planning the 2017 NACAT Conference at Macomb. The Macomb planning team also includes many other MCC faculty and staff, including Joe Petrosky, CAAT PI and Dean of Engineering and Advanced Technology, and Jennifer Seger, Associate Dean of Automotive and Applied Technology.

The Goals of the NACAT organization include:
  • Facilitate the exchange of educational materials, training, and ideas among members
  • Facilitate continuing education for NACAT members
  • Provide professional development through an international conference
  • Represent secondary and post-secondary automotive educators through representation on national and international industry, governmental, and public service action committees
  • Provide support groups for automotive programs
  • Promote NACAT within industry, secondary, and post-secondary education
We are currently seeking seminar presenters, trade show exhibitors and sponsors for the 2017 conference.  If interested, please contact Sherri Doherty at dohertys@macomb.edu or visit the CAAT's NACAT 2017 page today!
Recent CAAT Activities
Macomb Community College Hosts the 2016 SAE Battelle CyberAuto Challenge

The fifth SAE Battelle CyberAuto Challenge was held July 25 th - 29 th at Macomb Community College's South Campus Sports and Expo Center in Warren, MI. The 5-day Challenge had teams comprised equally of students and professionals, including automotive engineers, government engineers, and ethical 'white hat' hackers, working on real cars to find real answers to the challenges posed by cybersecurity in automobiles. The teams worked to identify automotive cybersecurity trends and developed talent in a new technical discipline in a high-tech industry.

The interactive event offered a series of classroom lessons and discussions alternating with hands-on work. It fostered collaboration and creativity among different cross-sectors of the automotive and cybersecurity industries. Industry professionals benefited from the fresh perspectives offered by their high-performing high school and college teammates. Students gained valuable exposure to industry experts and had unparalleled hands-on learning experiences. All parties benefited from the relationships developed at this event.

The Challenge demonstrated that the automotive community:
  • Is keeping the core automotive engineer connected to the cyber community
  • Is prioritizing cybersecurity and mitigating potential risks from cyber/auto development
  • Is developing a common "community of interest" around the cybersecurity issue
  • Is developing a cyber/auto talent "pipeline" among high school and college students
CAAT Attends Global Automotive Cybersecurity Conference

Mary Hojnacki, CAAT Program Manager, attended the Billington Automotive Cybersecurity Summit held on July 22 nd at the Cobo Center in Detroit, MI. This inaugural automotive cybersecurity summit was independently produced by Billington CyberSecurity. The summit came at a critical time for the automotive industry as it grapples with the security implications - and the potential best practices - of securing connected cars, ride sharing, and autonomous vehicles. The event was attended by more than 400 senior-level representatives from multiple OEMs, Tier 1 and Tier 2 automotive industry suppliers, security researchers, academia, and technology companies.

Speakers included:
  • Mary Barra, Chairman and CEO, General Motors, the largest automotive manufacturer in the US
  • Anthony Foxx, US Secretary of Transportation, the top automotive official in the US
  • Dr. Mark Rosekind, Administrator, National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), the leading regulatory authority of the automotive sector
  • Logan Green, Co-Founder and CEO, Lyft
  • Phebe Novakovic, Chairman and CEO, General Dynamics
  • David Johnson, Associate Executive Assistant Director, Federal Bureau of Investigation
  • The Honorable John Carlin, Assistant Attorney General for National Security, US Department of Justice
Some of the major topics covered at the conference were:
  • Automotive cybersecurity standards, best practices and regulations
  • Emerging cybersecurity issues and best practices surrounding the connected car
  • The future of autonomous vehicles and cybersecurity
  • Cyber threats - perceived or real
  • Security risks and solutions in infotainment and telematics cybersecurity
  • New paradigms in information sharing
Professional Development Course on Electric-Drive Vehicle Technology Hosted by Erie Community College

CAAT and Wayne State University held a free professional development course on electric drive vehicle technology July 21-22 at the Vehicle Technology Training Center at Erie Community College in Orchard Park, New York. 

The workshop covered the fundamentals of electric-drive vehicle powertrain configurations, electric propulsion components, energy storage systems, and lightweighting materials. The event was attended by 29 high school science/technology teachers, community college instructors, and 4-year college/university engineering and technology faculty, as well as automotive industry professionals.

The course focused on four key topics:
  • Hybrid, electric, and connected vehicle technology
  • Advanced battery systems for hybrid and electric vehicles
  • Power electronics and traction motors for electric-drive vehicles
  • Lightweight automotive materials
Participants explored state-of-the-art advanced automotive technology including electric-drive vehicles, connected vehicles, energy storage systems and lightweight materials. They also discussed emerging technologies, challenges and development with industry professionals.

Anyone interested in hosting this workshop in the future should contact the CAAT at 586-445-7126 or caat@macomb.edu.  
What's New on the CAAT Website?

As Macomb Community College and the CAAT are hosting the 2017 NACAT Conference (see article above), we have added a NACAT 2017 page to the CAAT website. Visit the page to see our save-the-date flyer, a preview presentation and a video featuring highlights of the City of Detroit and Macomb Community College.
Resource Library What's New in the CAAT Resource Library?

Resources recently added to the FREE CAAT Resource Library.

Fuel Economy Testing of Autonomous Vehicles:
This paper develops a method to incorporate the impacts of AV technology within the bounds of current fuel economy tests, and simulates a range of automated following drive cycles to estimate changes in fuel economy.
Micro-Climate Assessment of Grid-Connected Electric Drive Vehicles and Charging Infrastructure - Final Report:
This paper contains the results of three U.S. Department of Defense-based studies. These studies were conducted to identify potential transportation systems that are strong candidates for introduction or expansion of plug-in electric vehicles (PEVs).
The Automotive Aluminum Joining Manual:
The intention of this document is to provide information about the wide range of technologies applicable to join aluminium alloy components with other parts made from aluminium alloys or dissimilar materials, in particular for automotive applications.
Did You Know_
Did you know...  the city of Columbus was recently awarded $50 million in Smart City grants to be the U.S. Department of Transportation's Smart City? The city beat out six other finalists for grant funding from the federal government and Vulcan Inc. to develop Columbus into the nation's proving ground for intelligent transportation systems. Source Did you know... the 2017 North American International Auto Show (NAIAS) to be held in Detroit in January will feature a 1.5-mile outdoor closed test track along the Detroit River to showcase advanced self-driving technology and driver-assist features? Click the link below to learn more about this and AutoMobili-D, a companion event to be held in conjunction with the 2017 NAIAS focused on the rapidly evolving global automotive and mobility landscape. Source
Did you know... General Motors will be testing autonomous vehicles at the Tech Center located in Warren, Michigan?Employees will be able reserve a ride, via a smartphone app, to be shuttled around the campus. Source Did you know... the state of Michigan has established a 125-mile test bed for connected vehicle technology in Southeast Michigan? It is bounded roughly by I-94 between Ann Arbor and St. Clair Shores, I-96 and I-696 between St. Clair Shores and Brighton and U.S. 23 between Brighton and Ann Arbor. Source
Did you know... the CAAT recently submitted its 2016 annual report to the NSF? Click the link to learn more about CAAT's activities over the past grant year. Source Did you know... Sweden has a section of road that charges electric trucks via overhead wires and pantographs installed on the top of specially-equipped trucks? Wires cover 1.24 miles of the E16 motorway. Source
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