COMMENT December/January 2021 Automation Smarter solutions for industrial efficiency
automationmagazine.co.uk January 2021
Level and pressure specialist VEGA invests in training centre and UK HQ SUPPLEMENT
Industry 4.0 & Smart Factories
Topics in this issue: Coding, Marking & Labelling Machine Safety Machine Vision
Materials Handling & Conveying 06 16 20
Automation Bumpy road for EVs
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t was some 28 years ago, following a press conference at a successful trade show, when the debate fell on cars and their future. At that time, industry leaders were publicly praising the move to environmentally-friendly, rechargeable electric cars, away from the petrol- and diesel- guzzling vehicles that fully relied on fast-depleting fossil fuels. However, the post-event debate reflected the private thoughts of the same industry leaders who claimed that the then ecosystem of car makers, automotive parts suppliers and petrol companies was so complex and reliant on the existing setup that no-one was really going to move on to electric vehicles any time soon. Well, soon it wasn’t! Thirty years on, we are just now feeling the momentum gathering behind electric cars (EVs). Largely mandated by governments in their efforts to clean up the air and save the planet, we are seeing a growing ecosystem for EVs emerge, supported by automotive component suppliers – from batteries to connectors to complex multi-processor control systems. Yet, at present, there’s no comprehensive EV charging infrastructure; there are several competing technologies for charging and energy storage in EVs, as well as for not-so-hot efficiencies of their battery packs – not to mention the unimpressive driving ranges.
Batteries are at the heart of EVs, but for them to be truly sustainable, they should also be recyclable and even have a second life.
From the mechanical and electronic perspective of the EV, there’s a lot of tweaking to be done, where performance must improve whilst vehicle weights drop. Interference and other electrical noise under the bonnet will need to be managed precisely, considering that the car will also be an infotainment hub, full of sensors and transceivers. Many standards will be needed to cover all these aspects, not just within a country but internationally too, especially when it comes to charging the EV when taken for a spin abroad. And this is just the beginning, since we shouldn’t forget self-driving vehicles. So, seeing how complex and complicated future cars and their needs will be, it may yet be another 30 years before we see a proper, smooth- running network of EVs on our roads. Brace yourselves – it could be a bumpy ride.
Svetlana Josifovska, Editor
Editor Svetlana Josifovska Tel: 01732 883392
SJosifovska@datateam.co.uk
The statements and opinions expressed in connectingindustry/Automation magazine are not those of the editor or Datateam Business Media Ltd unless described as such.
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Low cost compact level and pressure sensors
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