Building High MPG Cars a Priority

General Motors and the Model T Ford both mark their centennial anniversaries this year. While we celebrate the anniversaries of these automotive icons, we also need to remember 2008 as the year that America went on the attack against gas-guzzling vehicles. By early summer, oil prices had topped $130 a barrel and sagging truck and SUV sales shuttered a number of manufacturing plants.

Last May, the U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration issued proposed fuel economy standards for the 2011-2015 model years - 35.7 mpg for cars and 28.6 mpg for trucks. These were the first major mileage increases in three decades and will boost the U.S. fleet average to 31.6 mpg. By the middle of the next decade, our industry will be producing vehicles that on average will be 31 percent more efficient than 2007 models. Meeting the pending national and state legislation to reduce carbon dioxide emissions is a challenge that our industry must accept.

No one product will provide 'the solution.' The good news is that there already are products that can boost fuel economy, if manufacturers and consumers are willing to invest in vehicles with improved technologies. With increasing gas prices, these necessary investments will pay dividends over the life of the vehicle. At Hella KGaA Hueck & Co., we have a number of proven lighting and electronics products in place that are designed to support the fuel economy objectives of our auto-industry customers.

For years, Hella has worked intensively with its customers and partners - including Behr, joint ventures such as Behr Hella Thermocontrol (BHTC) and Intedis - to develop strategies for improving fuel economy. Taking a holistic approach to energy management, we have integrated our skills to offer car makers a variety of energy management solutions. Among them are: weight reduction of vehicles, primarily through optimization of the electrical/electronic architecture with weight optimization of the wiring harness; energy management solutions including the use of driver assistance and other electronic vehicle enhancements; electric aggregates which replace mechanical 'always-on' functions with 'on-demand' alternatives; and sensors and actuators helping to make today's combustion engines more efficient.

Hella's portfolio of fuel efficient and CO2-reducing technologies includes an adaptive cruise control system, now on the Chrysler 300, that trims fuel consumption and CO2 emissions by one percent. Our other products include Hella's automatic start-stop controls, battery sensors, and voltage stabilizers. Integrated with other systems on the BMW 1 Series, Hella's technologies boost 1 Series' fuel economy up to 24 percent and trim emissions by 21 percent.

Other current Hella technologies include Xenon and LED (light emitting diode) headlamps that reduce energy consumption. Equipping a vehicle with a combination of 35 watt Xenon headlights and halogen brake lights can achieve energy savings of 25 percent. LED daytime running lights not only improve road safety, but also can reduce U.S. fuel consumption by an estimated 2.49 billion gallons a year when compared to halogen running lamps. Working with Hella, Cadillac engineers developed the 2009 Cadillac Escalade Platinum as the first SUV and the first high-volume vehicle of any kind to offer LED headlamps that are brighter for nighttime driving, while reducing glare to oncoming drivers.

The automotive industry's first challenge is not meeting the new regulations, but overcoming a mindset that says, 'they're too difficult or impossible to meet.' We can design and build our cars smarter, while reducing waste and keeping them affordable. Integrating existing technologies and products, developing strategic partnerships and adopting a 'never retreat' attitude will drive us toward a cleaner, healthier world.

Dr. Martin Fischer is president of Hella Corporate Center USA (www.hella.com)