7 Series is AEI’s Best Engineered Vehicle 2001 SAE President makes his mark for 2002 The SAE presidency can be a engineers. He also developed an difficult job, but in 2001, SAE action plan with SAE China that The BMW 7 Series was selected by the readers and editors of AEI as Best President Neil Schilke met each furthers the relationship between Engineered Vehicle for 2002 because it points the way for not only luxury/ task with aplomb. His accom- SAE and SAE China by identifying performance sedans but also other vehicle segments. Company product plishments varied, but at the core five specific areas (professional developers integrated many new technologies into the fourth-generation of each was the high level of development, translation/exchange BMW flagship in an effort to set new standards in performance and commitment that defines GM’s of technical articles for publication, efficiency, as well as luxury, design, and safety. General Director, Engineering, international conference coordina- With help from its suppliers, BMW has produced a vehicle that blazes the and the focus he promised to tion, standards development, and engineering trail with innovations that will influence passenger vehicles for deliver this year on the so-called membership) with actions and due years to come. Engineering advances include a powertrain featuring a three “I”s that would shape his dates for measurable progress. revolutionary throttle-less family of engines (January 2002 AEI) and the term: impact, involvement, and Other activities that Schilke innovation. was directly involved with Among his many major include: accomplishments to date as SAE • Reorganized SAE Board of President, Schilke has signed 2001 SAE President Neil Schilke. Directors (BOD) and annual Memorandum of Understandings nominating process to ensure (MOUs) with such pivotal groups automotive and consumer better connectivity of SAE to as the Guangzhou China-based electronics industries for technical industry and create the opportu- automotive companies; CATARC meetings and standards develop- nity for more senior level industry (Chinese Automotive Technology ment, and he formalized an intent influence on SAE programs and & Research Center); ICAS of cooperation agreement with priorities. (International Council of the the Taiwan Industrial Develop- • Institutionalized top-tier mea- Aeronautical Sciences); SAE- ment Bureau, which defines SAE’s sures, which drive SAE staff and all Australasia; and Autovaz in position to facilitate government/ operating boards and committees Russia. industry/academia interface and to focus on and be measured BMW’s 7 Series. In addition, Schilke has to collaborate on meetings, against agreed-to priorities. established a working agreement professional development • Established the SAE Diversity world’s first six-speed automatic transmission (excluding CVTs). Other with the Consumer Electronics programs, and general interac- Acceleration Council to aid the engineering firsts for the car include: Association (CEA), which connects tion with Taiwan and Taiwanese BOD in its diversity initiatives. • Engine intake manifold with continuously variable intake-tube length • Exhaust system that combines a Helmholtz resonator with an exhaust valve Continued on page 21 • Aluminum brake calipers and brake booster • Electromechanical parking brake • MOST-based navigation and multimedia systems. Ford takes lead role in SAE 2002 Today’s Congress To enable improved ride comfort and handling, the 7 Series combines an Getting the thousands of parts in as technical excellence. That has highlights all-aluminum suspension with Active Roll Stabilization to reduce body roll a typical vehicle to work in been proven time and time again.” • OESA Panel "Supplier Best concert is no easy task for Moreover, he added, “The during cornering. One of the most significant advancements—though one Practices in e-Business—Room that will require user training—is called iDrive, which enables a drastic automotive engineers, and the job importance of engineering is W1-51,9:00-11:00 a.m. reduction in and reorientation of controls with an innovative human/machine may not get easier anytime soon. increasing because the competition • Modeling of Diesel Engines— That’s the good news. The bad interface. Safety innovations include active head restraints, active knee is increasing. People in the business Room D3-22/23, 9:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m. protection, and inflatable head protection for rear- and front-seat passengers. news is that engineers who don’t are getting better and better, • Magnesium Technologies for the Kevin Jost raise their game to the next level customer expectations are getting Automotive Industry—Room may end up not having a job higher and higher, government D3-24/25, 9:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m. anytime soon. requirements are getting tougher • Foresight Vehicle Technology— Digital Car Conference this week In the words of Will Boddie, the and tougher, and economic Room W2-64, 9:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m. The inaugural Digital Car Conference (DCC), originally slated for this past fall Ford Motor Co. Vice President of pressures are getting stronger and • STS Conference Within a Confer- and postponed after the events of 9/11, will be held this week in Cobo Global Core Engineering who is stronger. You add all that up, and ence—Room D2-15, 9:00 a.m.- Center. While registrants to either conference may visit the other’s exhibi- serving as Chairman of the SAE most of those problems are solved 12:00 p.m. and 1:00-5:00 p.m. tion, the same will be so for only certain technical sessions. DCC-only 2002 World Congress, “Product in some way through product interactive technical sessions will be restricted to 400 people onsite (Cobo • Hot New Body Styles for the Future development and engineering are development. So, as all those and Why They’re Catching On— Center’s Michigan Hall). Attendees will be provided with laptops wired to the absolutely critical success factors in pressures intensify, the value of Room O2-33, 1:00-3:00 p.m. speakers’, enabling real-time exchanges between the presenters and the this business. You cannot be high-quality product development audience (Internet “attendees” will have the same capability). Under this • Hybrid/Fuel Economy—Room successful without having an becomes greater.” arrangement, speakers will be able to poll the audience and display the D0-04AB, 1:00-5:00 p.m. outstanding product development As does the importance of results almost instantaneously. Similarly, those attending can compose • Blue Ribbon Panel: Environment capability and organization, as well SAE’s Congress, which offers a questions for the speaker as they listen to the presentation. and Regulatory Policy—Room Continued on page 3 W1-51, 4:00-6:00 p.m. AEI Show Daily Monday, March 4, 2002 1 Ford takes lead role...continued from page 1 one of his top lieutenants, Susan Cischke, Vice President-Environ- Blue Ribbon Panel scheduled today Young Engineers mental & Safety Engineering. The theme of this afternoon’s Blue Ribbon Panel is Environmental & Lounge James Padilla, Group Vice Presi- Regulatory Policy: The Role of the Modern Diesel. Ford as host SAE’s f(c) program for young dent-Ford North America, will be company selected the environmental Congress theme. Company professionals will host a Young the principal speaker at Thursday Chairman and CEO William Clay Ford Jr. is an environmentalist who Engineers Lounge on the exhibit evening’s banquet. has expressed concern over his own company’s production of certain floor at the SAE 2002 World The basic blocking and tackling vehicles with poor fuel economy. The company in 2000 launched a Congress. Young engineers can issues associated with hard-core campaign called Cleaner Safer Sooner, with the pledge to, among engineering and product develop- other things: stop by Booth 3447 to take a ment will be covered, as always, in • Improve the fuel economy of its SUV fleet by 25% break, check e-mail, and grab some the technical sessions and on the • Make its light trucks, SUVs, and Windstar minivans low-emissions refreshments. The lounge also will show floor. Numerous panels will vehicles feature a mini-basketball free throw bring to light to a range of technical • Put a fuel-cell vehicle on the road by 2004 contest with a Palm Pilot for the and non-technical issues; among the • Develop a hybrid version of the Ford Escape for road use by 2003. week’s best score. On Monday at most important will be Executive While Cleaner Safer Sooner (part of a broader strategic vision 10 a.m., the lounge will host a Will Boddie of Ford Motor Co. is Panels, a new Congress feature. serving as Chairman of the SAE called “sustainable mobility”) is not listed as such in the Congress breakfast with members of the VIP 2002 World Congress. They should be of great value not program, the technologies that will enable it to be achieved will be Tour, providing the opportunity for just for senior-level executives addressed thoroughly in technical paper presentations. younger engineers to meet and motherload of automotive informa- interested in hearing what their network with SAE and industry tion detailing the industry’s counterparts have to say, but also executives. On Tuesday at 2:30 challenges and business strategies for engineers, Boddie said. One of Ford’s PowerSmart transaxle case houses p.m., attendees are invited to form for overcoming them. Boddie did his the goals of Congress organizers a traction motor and a teams and compete against other best to get out the word about the was to increase attendance among generator. To be used engineers to build a winning vehicle value of Congress while making sure executives, who will be able to gain on the Ford Escape with the parts from SAE’s “A World that prospective attendees from Ford valuable insight not just by observing HEV planned for launch in 2003, it is In Motion: Challenge 2” kits.