September 30, 2022

Electric Vehicles - Part 1

Ben Cruz
K Building, Room 324

The automotive industry is undergoing dramatic change as it moves from internal combustion engines and fossil fuels and to energy-efficient electric vehicles that can use renewable energy. These advances create new challenges for engineers and engineering technicians who design the vehicles, and service technicians who maintain and repair them. This Workshop provides an overview of the reasons why every major automotive manufacturer and many start-ups are committing to electric vehicles.

Specific topics include:

• Topic 1. Overview electrified vehicles and their characteristics.
• Topic 2. Motor drives and power electronics for electrified vehicles.
• Topic 3. Advanced battery systems for hybrid and battery electric vehicles

Electric Vehicles - Part 2

Nelson Kelly
K Building, Room 324

Professional Development Workshop on Electric Vehicles, Part II Hydrogen fuel cell vehicles generate power from the reaction of hydrogen and oxygen and emit water. The State of California is committed to promoting fuel cell electric vehicles by financing the building of hydrogen fueling stations, and Michigan’s American Center for Mobility test track at Willow Run will be getting a modular hydrogen production system in 2023. Hydrogen fuel cells requires additional training for technicians. This Workshop provides an overview of the reasons that fuel cells will be an important component in the electric vehicle initiative.

Specific topics include:

• Topic 1. Fuel cell electric vehicles and hydrogen as an energy carrier.
• Topic 2. Fuel cells versus batteries for electric vehicle energy and power
• Topic 3. Coupling renewable energy to the advancement of fuel cell and other electric vehicles

Advanced Driver Assistance Systems

Nelson Kelly
K Building, Room 324

A major in the automotive industry is the increasing ability of a vehicle to sense and communicate with its surroundings and to use that information to control important vehicle functions. Using cameras, radar, wireless technology, and powerful computers to control steering, braking, and acceleration, the vehicle can assist the driver or even drive itself.

Topics of discussion include:

• How sensors such as cameras, radar, and Lidar, along with computer-controlled devices can assist the driver at different levels of automation.
• How adding wireless connectivity to other vehicles, the infrastructure, and precision global positioning information can increase the level of automation to the level that the vehicle can drive itself.
• The need for cybersecurity as vehicles use wireless technology and become increasingly connected to the outside world to reduce vulnerability to hackers.