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Cover Story

Design Trends from the L.A. Auto Show

The pandemic dealt a serious blow to conventions and trade shows but it was far from fatal, as the Los Angeles Auto Show demonstrated last week. Sure, Stellantis and its subsidiary brands didn’t participate due [reportedly] to the United Auto Workers strike, but such absences did little to dull the reception received by the more progressive – or, in one case, preposterous – vehicles on display.

The star of the show was unquestionably the Lucid Gravity, an electric SUV with a record-breaking 440-mile driving range. Lucid, which was founded by the former chief engineer of the Tesla Model S, is no doubt hoping the Gravity’s big splash will help turn the company’s fortunes around.

Financial issues aside, Lucid does make some impressive efficiency claims for the Gravity, including a 25% longer range despite a 13% smaller battery than the competing Rivian R1S, as well as a drag coefficient of less than 0.24, which beats out the Tesla X to make it the most aerodynamic SUV in production.

Lucid may have been the standout, but every major automaker in attendance had electric or hybrid vehicles to show. Kia debuted two EV concepts as well as a Sorento hybrid and plug-in SUV hybrids that are launching next year. Kia’s concepts even made a nod to sustainable materials, incorporating a “mushroom-based leather alternative” along with recycled fabrics and bioplastics. 

Also notable this year was the outsized presence of campers and overlander trucks – a legacy of the pandemic, when camping and outdoor recreation saw a surge in new interest. With even electric vehicles pushing into the off-road space, future designs may lean more rugged, with greater emphasis on utility and overall capacity.

Of course, not every design trend is positive, as demonstrated by the Aitekx Robotruck. A clear knock-off of Tesla’s Cybertruck, the vehicle on display was of such poor quality that Aitekx’s own representative appeared to disown it. While it’s unlikely to win any design awards, the Robotruck does make clear the influence of Tesla’s controversial configuration.

In the News

Fracking for a Low-Carbon Future

Fracking is practically a four-letter word these days, but the technique might soon yield some environmental good. A new proof-of-concept power plant in Nevada is generating geothermal energy by using fracking to create artificial hot springs. Created by a start-up founded by two engineers, the plant is currently being used to power some of Google’s data centers as part of the company’s pledge to make them all green, eventually.

The World’s Most Famous A.I. Guy Speaks

Whether or not you care about the Sam Altman micro-saga, this interview with OpenAI’s former-turned-current CEO is well worth the read. Conducted two days before Altman’s shock firing, it lays out his unique perspective on the future of artificial intelligence. Find out why Altman objects to talking about artificial general intelligence, why he’s hesitant to put up too many “guardrails” around what ChatGPT can do, and what he thinks about regulating A.I.

A.I. + Simulation = 10⁶x. Solve for x.

You probably won’t find many theoretical physicists who moonlight as Formula One engineers, but Robin Tuluie is the exception. His new venture, PhysicsX, has just announced a $32-million Series A funding round, led by General Catalyst. What makes this start-up worth watching–aside from its founder’s unique pedigree–is its focus on simulating physical systems using artificial intelligence. PhysicsX claims this can make simulations run up to 1 million times faster. The company is starting in the automotive space, but promises that its A.I. models will have a much broader range of applications.

Recommendations

The Legend of Zelda: Machine Design 101

What beleaguered undergraduate student hasn’t dreamed of courses built around watching movies, listening to music or playing video games rather than learning the nuances of machine design? What if you could do both? Well, not so much for movies or music, but a new course at the University of Maryland is using The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom to teach mechanical engineering. Not surprisingly, the students love it.

Telescopes Might Be Maxed Out

The European Southern Observatory’s aptly named Extremely Large Telescope is the largest telescope currently under construction, but it could be the largest one ever. What’s hampering bigger telescopes from being produced isn’t just the cost and engineering challenges, but also some fundamental laws of geometry (registration required).

The Marvel of the Thames Tunnel

It’s easy to appreciate how far we’ve come in engineering when you look to history. Consider this photo tour of the Thames Tunnel in London, England. Opened in 1843 – 18 years after the first shovel struck ground – it’s the first subaqueous tunnel ever built. Factoring in a seven-year layoff due to insufficient financing, construction of the 1,200-foot tunnel proceeded at a rate of just four inches a day, “a good measure of how sorely the project tested the technology of the day.” 

From engineering. com

New Headset Brings VR/AR Close to Just R

The launch of Varjo’s new virtual-reality (VR) and mixed-reality (XR) headset, the XR-4, marks the company’s latest step along the path to making VR/XR practical for engineering design. With some impressive specifications powering environments real enough for pilot training, the fourth-generation headsets are designed to leverage the power of industrial workstations. Varjo already counts 15 of the top 20 automakers among its customers. Will the XR-4 win over the remaining five?

The Power of Imperfect Simulations

The phrase “back of the napkin” often comes off as a pejorative, but every engineer knows what it’s like to feel inspiration strike when there’s no workstation at hand. Don’t be ashamed to jot down some notes on whatever writable surface is available – just make sure you convert those scratches into a 1D simulation to save yourself time and money in the long run.

How to Use Shapr3D on a Workstation

Initially developed for the iPad, Shapr3D is now available for use on other tablets as well as laptops and desktops. This tutorial explains how to use the 3D-CAD software with a traditional mouse-and-keyboard setup. Follow the steps to create a simple part using sketching, view manipulation and some basic workflow practices.