Marco Münster’s research while affiliated with German Aerospace Center (DLR) and other places

The global trends of urbanisation, modularisation, electrification and higher levels of automation (1) offer the opportunity to systematically develop innovative vehicle concepts and bodies with new levels of freedom and requirements. In the future, vehicles will be automated and electrically powered. In addition to new materials and production methods, many aspects of vehicle construction are being rethought. Thanks to various modules, particularly for the body structure, the furutre vehicle can be constructed to meet different requirements: as a small city utility vehicle or even as a large, fully-automated "cargo mover" able to transport loads and goods. The components of the Urban Modular Vehicle (UMV), developed at the German Aerospace Center (Deutsches Zentrum für Luft- und Raumfahrt; DLR) provide such an opportunity - the UMV Basic, a 2 + 2 seater that is 3.6 metres in length; the UMV Long, a 2 + 2 seater with a length of 4.0 metres, including a larger boot; the UMV2 + Cargo, a small delivery vehicle; the fully autonomous UMV Peoplemover with 2 + 2 seats; and the UMV Cargomover, a fully autonomous delivery vehicle.

Deflection of the crash opponent is a well-known method to improve general crash behavior, as seen with safety fences on motorways. Within the DLR’s Next Generation Car (NGC) project this behavior was applied to the suspension functions of the Urban Modular Vehicle (UMV), a small, fully battery-electric car for four passengers to cover the needs of the inner city inhabitants. To achieve this, a patent pending concept was developed, in which independent wheel actuators turn the car’s front wheels to act as a deflection shield. In addition to the steering actuator, the safety of the UMV is also increased through a second actuator for each wheel controlling the camber angle. Because of the holistic approach of the suspension concept, it weighs less than the suspension of a reference car, but with enhanced driving dynamics through wheel independent toe-in and camber actuators.

Current development in the mobility sector is driven by various trends such as electrification, automation, individualization and safety. A breakthrough of electrified powertrains relies on further range increases, which in turn require novel packaging concepts for the accommodation of larger energy storage systems and drastic reductions in vehicle masses. Powertrain concepts with use of safety-critical energy storage in particular require novel safety concepts for crash scenarios. The German Aerospace Center (DLR) addresses these challenges within the research meta-project “Next Generation Car” (NGC), which serves as multiplier for DLR system and technology competences by networking and integrating research institutes, infrastructures and demonstrators in the transport sector based on three vehicle concepts: Urban Modular Vehicle (UMV), Safe Light Regional Vehicle (SLRV) and the Interurban Vehicle (IUV).

Three new vehicle concepts are being developed at the German Aerospace Center (DLR) as part of the Next Generation Car META-project: Urban Modular Vehicle (UMV), Safe Light Regional Vehicle and Interurban Vehicle. A high grade of modularity is the main design specification of the UMV concept. This significantly influences the design of the main structural components. In the presented contribution, the focus lies on the development of an intelligent design and optimisation process for this highly modular vehicle concept. Therefore, a crash optimisation strategy was developed which allows the identification of the right material and the required geometry for the main crash related components

Die globalen Trends Urbanisierung, Modularisierung, Elektrifizierung sowie hohe Automatisierungsgrade bieten die Chance, neue Fahrzeugkonzepte und -karosserien mit neuen Freiheitsgraden und Anforderungen systematisch zu entwickeln. Eine Antwort darauf bietet der am Deutschen Zentrum für Luft- und Raumfahrt (DLR) entwickelte Baukasten des Urban-Modular-Vehicle (UMV). Er ernöglicht eine breite Modellpalette vom Kleinwagen bis hin zum vollautonomen Lieferwagen.

With the German Aerospace Center (DLR) Next Generation Car (NGC) Metaproject, the concepts and technologies, tools and methods for selected vehicles are developed in a networked research infrastructure. In the various disciplines of vehicle concepts, vehicle structure, drive train, energy and thermal management, vehicle intelligence and mechatronic chassis, the three vehicle concepts of the NGC are presented virtually and partially as demonstrators in various technological areas. The Urban Modular Vehicle (UMV) addresses an urban intelligent electric vehicle with a modular body in white. The Interurban Vehicle (IUV) is distinguished by its long range, comfortable interior and a CFRP body, and the Safe Light Regional Vehicle (SLRV) is a lightweight fuel cell vehicle with an aluminium sandwich vehicle body of the L7e class. Flexibility in production will be especially required in the future if the production volume of highly automated electric vehicles during market launch continues to be low. The submitted contribution therefore presents the strategy of the modular platform concept for the vehicle body variants of the UMV. The UMV specifically illustrates the ability to move from conventional self-driven road vehicles to completely autonomous vehicles. The NGC UMV offers this flexibility via an intelligent, modular platform concept in the vehicle body structure, in the power train and in the different levels of automation. The analysed and presented variants of the UMV are: - UMV Basic, 2 + 2 seats, length 3.6 m - UMV Long, 2 + 2 seats, length 4 m with a larger boot - UMV 2 + Cargo, a small delivery vehicle - the fully autonomous UMV Peoplemover with 2 + 2 seats - UMV Cargomover, a fully automated delivery vehicle.

Im Projekt Next Generation Car erarbeitet das Deutsche Zentrum für Luft- und Raumfahrt (DLR) innovative Technologien und Methoden zur Entwicklung zukünftigen Fahrzeugarchitekturen und Karosseriestrukturen. Erste Ergebnisse der interdisziplinären Zusammenarbeit werden auf der Tagung WerkstoffPlus Auto am 15. – 16. Februar 2017 in der Alten Reithalle Stuttgart ausgewiesenen Experten und Ausstellern aus Industrie und Wissenschaft vorgestellt.

Due to the strict discussions regarding energy saving and the goal to reduce CO2 emissions to 95 g CO2/km, specified for the year 2020 (BUMD, 2009), there is a strong demand for lighter and lightweight design automotive structures to support the energy saving targets. In view of a holistic approach, and to prospectively meet the requirements of the automotive sector, economic and production-orientated aspects, as well as joining technologies within the scope of multi-material design must also be considered to achieve a great leap towards medium to large-scale production.