The autonomous vehicle industry is predicted to generate $7 trillion, and the electric vehicle market is expected to grow fivefold, thus reaching an impressive $567 billion by the year 2025. However, while many may be well aware of the growing popularity of autonomous and electric vehicles, innovations can be seen far and wide within the automotive industry — especially in regards to vehicle manufacturing. From cutting edge 3D printing technology to how implementing artificial intelligence into the production process can take the industry to new heights, here’s what you should know.
3D printing and its numerous uses
With 3D printing technology becoming more affordable, companies are able to use it to their advantage, and in a number of different ways. For example, the technology is extremely useful when it comes to creating custom and high performance car parts. Volkswagen presents as a great example of a larger company using the 3D printing technology in conjunction with traditional means when it recreated the 1962 Microbus. On the other hand, smaller companies can benefit greatly from 3D printing as well, such as by eliminating the worry of the time intensive manufacturing processes that often comes with custom work, according to formlabs.com. In addition to the value of creating custom car parts, 3D printing holds great value in elevating the prototyping process, by allowing automotive designers to create a prototype much quicker. Formlabs also explains that this use of the technology can “ultimately guide products through a series of validation stages toward mass production,” with rapid validation being imperative.
Thermal management systems and EVs
Owners of traditional cars may be quite familiar with aspects of maintenance, such as caring for the radiator. The radiator, which is essential in venting heat from the engine during operation to prevent overheating, involves the use of coolant in order to conduct heat away from the engine, thus allowing the radiator to do its job. While proper maintenance of the radiator involves preventative care — such as checking the coolant levels regularly and flushing it to remove any contaminants, electric vehicles that don’t happen to have radiators have alternative methods for keeping the internal parts working smoothly.
EVs are known to use large packs of Li-ion batteries, which require an appropriate temperature in order to perform efficiently without overheating. Due to this, a battery thermal management system (BTMS) is a necessity, and there are different cooling methods out there. Liquid cooling systems are particularly noteworthy due to the current innovations, with the Audi e-tron using 5.8 gallons of coolant that circulates through a 40 meter tube in combination with a heat pump, according to an article on prescouter.com. The Chevy Volt, on the other hand, uses another unique cooling solution, which involves the use of aluminum cooling plates that contain coolant paths, which are then stacked between battery packs.
The use of AI in production operations
While robotics have been used for some time in the automotive industry, the implementation of artificial intelligence (AI) has the potential to elevate production operations, with assembly areas and production lines already using the tech in various ways. For instance, perhaps one of the most innovative ways that AI is being used is through the use of collaborative robots, which “use AI to detect and sense what human workers are doing and adjust their motions to avoid injuring their human co-workers,” according to Automation World. As such, the use of collaborative robots not only works towards elevating safety, but does so in a way that wasn’t previously possible via robotics originally, as they didn’t permit human incursion due to safety reasons.
While many are well acquainted with the growing popularity of electric and autonomous vehicles, there are additional and equally innovative technologies out there to be aware of. From the use of 3D printing to artificial intelligence and even how EVs are continuing to transform, its clear that there are multiple innovations that are working to transform the auto industry as we know it.
Hi there! I’m Sethu, your go-to guy for all things tech, travel, internet, movies, and business tips. I love sharing insights and stories that make life more interesting. Let’s explore the world together, one article at a time!
