Photo Credit: Saab Car Division of Saab-Scania

This photo was provided to Saab History a few years ago and today I have decided to let it surface.

I am hoping that anyone that is familiar with this concept, can help share their knowledge about what it is exactly, why it was developed, etc.

In the meantime, we can add this engine to the list of the many engines that never came to be included in production cars. These engines consist of the 9-cylinder steam engine developed the same decade, the Saab V-8 concept in the late eighties as well as two other engine concepts developed in the early 2000′s, those being the SVC and SCC engine concepts three decades later.

If there are other engines developed, that never surfaced, I would be interested in learning more about those as well!

Photo Credit: Raimo

According to a Saab History frequent visitor, Ivor M, the Saab Car Division worked with Saab-Scania to produce their first V-8 engine, effectively two combined 2.0 liter 4-cylinder engines in 1989.

He’s actually be in touch with one of the original design engineers responsible for the production of this engine! Great work Ivar! Although this is an interesting project, I believe it’s probably best that it was not given the green light because it would go against Saab’s philosophy of “rightsizing” anyways.

I have spoken with the test driver, design engineer and the person responsible for the production (all the same person) of totally 10 engines from SisuDiesel in Linnavouri.

Only 2 were assembled. 8 engines went back to SAAB Valmet factory and according to Valmet today, they have no parts or tools for casting left and they do not know what happened with the parts after the project was shut down by GM.

The engine had a specially made gear box and it will be very difficult to reproduce this engine again.

I will search more in Finland, if somebody assembled more engines from the parts of the remaining 8 engines.

Best Regards

Ivar M

With all of the news lately, especially with the Swedish legislature banning fossil fuel vehicles by 2025, what will the next innovation be from Saab Automobile?

There has been a lot of “real” hybrid projects (not concept cars) receiving research and development funds lately, which will of course, only lead to being an interim solution until a fully electric option becomes available.

These projects include the Scandinavian collaborative between Saab, Volvo and Vattenfall as well as the Swedish vehicle hybrid center.

If we look back, we see a lot of progressive innovations for the times from Saab, so could the next solution be the answer to this legislation with a fully-electric sustainable grid powered vehicle?

What are your thoughts?

Although things have been tough for them sales wise over the past few years, they will finally begin to see some strong new product introductions by the fall of 2009, but is it too late?

I want to begin with the idea of the Saab 9-1 / Saab 9-X BioHybrid because as Steve Shannon pointed out at the Saturday night dinner at the recent 2008 Saab Owners Convention, it was the first concept evidently built on a “compact premium” platform, so it can be produced as-is and is not a one-off like the prior concept cars, so why the delays and uncertainty? The need is certainly there so just build it!

Secondly, we have the Saab 9-3 XC or Cross-Combi, produced in Trollhättan, Sweden, that has been rumored to be debuting this fall as a direct competitor to the Audi Quattro, Volvo XC and Subaru Forrester. The interesting piece about this segment is that Saab should have had this back in 2002, but the project was halted due to GM at the time, stopping all product development in order to reel in costs.

The Saab 9-4x, the successor to the 9-7x, will be coming by the fall of 2009, produced in Mexico for the North American market as a cross-over as we’ve seen in the recent production photograph, very close to the concept vehicle shown in January this year, however that’s all we know at this point. I was specifically told at the 9-4x BioPower concept car’s launch in Detroit, that it will come with a turbocharged 4-cylinder and be touted as the halo vehicle for E-85 in North America. Although there’s been much speculation in the media of this vehicle coming in with a non turbo larger engine, I am optimistic that what I was told couldn’t be anything other than the truth and that we’ll see a 4-cylinder turbocharged crossover when it debuts. If anything other than that is actually produced, what’s the point, really?

Lastly, we have the new 9-5, shown as a rough design sketch also at the 2008 Saab Owners Convention, it also appears to be debuting just after the Saab 9-4x. It should be interesting to see what becomes of this launch because as old as the current 9-5 is, (10 years), this model to be produced at a GM Europe factory in Germany, must deliver as sales for the current 9-5 are totally flat. I worry that the idea of a larger premium sedan for Saab is another pointless exercise at this time as they should be focusing on smaller vehicles, which brings me to my last point.

There Saab Automobile is, with three out of four products set for launch by the fourth quarter of next year. So here’s the question, as Saab has traditionally been a company all about small “rightsized” vehicles, why wouldn’t the smaller premium compact segment be introduced prior to the 9-3 XC, 9-4X and New 9-5?

If GM is committed to seeing the Saab Automobile brand succeed, why not introduce a vehicle that is actually in demand? I question the need for more gas guzzling large vehicles such as crossovers and premium sedans.

I am also deeply concerned that these three vehicles although nice, won’t significantly contribute to turning the sales around for Saab Automobile as the 600 pound gorilla in the corner of the room (a small premium “rightsized” hatchback) would.

Having read this, what are your thoughts? I have included a poll below to see what you think Saab should focus on first, so let’s see what the results show over time.

Update: As of Saturday, September 6th, I am seeing the following votes:

I would like to ask those who have voted for the new 9-5, why did you choose this? Was it because you believe Saab really needs a new 9-5, or that you may own a 9-5 and would like to see and/or own the new version?

What are your thoughts about this type of orwellian Saab innovation?

You are in your Saab cruising along at 55 mph when you approach a 35-mph zone, you slow down but not quickly enough so that you pass the sign at 42 mph. Suddenly, the throttle pedal pushes back hard at you causing you to decelerate to the speed limit. Shortly after, you pass a 55 mph sign, so you push the throttle hard down to accelerate past a bus, only to receive another severe jolt in the right leg as you hit 55 mph. The trouble is, you are in the left lane, the bus by now is going the same speed, and you have someone on your tail–and you want to turn right at the next intersection. While there is a clear road in front of you and the bus, there is nothing you can do about it. Welcome to the new world of motoring, the world where external forces take away some of the important controls from the driver. It is happening now, in Sweden,on an experimental basis. So far…

Trollhattan, Sweden, is virtually a one-horse town. It has a population of 53,000, 7,000 of whom work for Saab. Last year, its road death toil was two.

It is here, though, that it was thought appropriate to carry out an experiment to see whether external forces on the car (e.g., clearer roads signs and various traffic calming measures) led to an even further reduction in road injuries and to generally safer drivers. The designated 39 km of road, six in the town itself and 33 forming a loop to the east, run in co-operation between various local and state transport and road authorities plus Saab Automobile, is part of the Swedish government’s “Vision Zero” concept. This is a project aimed at reducing human injury on the roads to nil through a variety of cost-effective measures.

As the headquarter town of Saab, the Swedish automaker is naturally at the heart of this experiment, providing some cars that have been rigged out with all kinds of apparatus including external control and a detection kit that makes the driver take a breath test before it will start if it detects any alcohol on his or her breath–an admirable but Orwellian touch.

This introduction to a future that looks to some bleaker by the minute was but a preamble to a safety seminar held at Saab’s auto museum in Trollhattan which concentrated on a real-life accident scenario and the lessons to be learned.

Like many automakers, Saab has an accident investigation unit that investigates up to one or two accidents a day while a thorough investigation is normally carried out once a week by its engineers at a dealer workshop. One such accident, where a three year old 9-5 that failed to stop at a major road had been T-boned more or less side on by a Toyota Hiace van, was the subject of Saab’s safety seminar.

Looking at the car, it seemed improbable that anyone could survive, but the Saab’s driver did, as did the Toyota’s, who was fortunately wearing his safety belt. Unbelievably (for we are talking Sweden), the Saab driver was unbelted, but as she was hit from the side, it was stated that it would not have made any difference in this situation, anyway. While she did suffer torn insides, there were no fractures. In fact, the only casualty was her dog in the rear seat that had to be put down with a broken back.

Saab’s safety engineers learned a great deal about their wreck of a car. As there is less scope for deformation to absorb crash energy in side impacts, the side body structure has been designed to distribute impact forces as widely as possible via reinforcements in the sills and the B-pillar. In addition, the latter is designed to behave as a pendulum during heavy side collisions. The centre section is made from high-strength steel and is very rigid so that it will not deform and intrude into the interior. In effect, the entire pillar “hinges” inwards, like a pendulum, from the point where it joins the roof structure. In this way there is unlikely to be sudden intrusion, and the most robust part of the human body, the pelvic area, will be subjected to most of the crash energy. This reduces the risk of injury to more sensitive parts of the body, such as the rib cage, head and chest.

However, one of the things that worried Saab’s safety experts on this particular car was the fact that the base of the A-pillar had started to tear, something that had not shown up before in testing, while the rear door lock was also torn due to the severity of the impact. One item that did perform as designed, though, was the cross-member in the seat back that deformed in the way that Saab predicted by moving forward rather than backward. One factor, though, was while the Toyota hit the Saab from the side, it was slightly angled to the front. All these factors will be taken into account in the design of the next-generation Saab.

While all the airbags did their job, Saab is also Investigating how the car’s occupants can be kept more in place rather than thrown around, and maybe out of their seatbelts, thereby sustaining further injuries. Its answer, although only in the experimental stage, is the Saab Supplementary Belt (SSB). This concept features an additional two-point shoulder belt mounted in the top of each front seatback, at its inboard side, which is pulled down across the occupant’s chest. It can be used as an optional addition to the conventional three-point harness. It also acts as a pre-pre-tensioner, taking up any slack if it detects panic braking, as it is activated through an accelerometer in the brake pedal.

SSB has been devised to be most effective in side impact scenarios on the opposite side of the car from the driver or front passenger, frontal impacts with a small 10-15% overlap, oblique “side swipe” impacts along the side of the car, or fast continual roll-over actions. It has to be said, though, that in the test rig that Saab used at the seminar to show its efficiency, activated when a special button caused the high-speed electric motors to take out the slack, that not one single woman liked the experience, catching different parts of their body in a rather gripping and uncomfortable way.

What was more usefully gained out of the seminar were some interesting figures produced by Prof. Dr. David Viano, the person accredited with devising the active head restraint. First seen on a Saab, and therefore branded the “Saab Active Head Restraint,” it was actually a Delphi invention–or so we have always been led to believe. It turns out, though, that the inventor as such, has always worked for General Motors and not Delphi, even when it was part of GM.

Introduced on the Saab 9-5 as a world-first in 1997, the active head restraint has been the subject of a great deal of research to see whether it really does make any difference. One major study has been conducted in Sweden by Dial, one of the country’s leading insurance companies, to compare its performance against earlier Saab models fitted with conventional head restraints. It was also used to assess the validity of laboratory test results using dummies. All the accident studies took place on Swedish roads over an 18-month period from September 1998 to April last year, and involved single rear-end impacts only. In almost 80% of the cases, the cars were stationary.

Injuries were categorized as short-term pain, lasting up to one week, medium term injury, up to 10 weeks, and long-term injury, persisting for more than 10 weeks. A total of 85 cases involved Saab 900/9000s with standard headrests and 92 cases in Saab 9-3 and 9-5s with active head restraints.

The report showed that the proportion reporting no injury at all rose from 47% (40 cases) in the 900/9000 group to 59% (54 cases) in the 9-3/9-5 group, a significant 25% improvement. Whilst the proportion reporting short-term pail was more or less similar in both groups, 35% compared to 37%, there was a remarkable 75% improvement in medium- and long-term injuries. Just four people in the 9-3/9-5 group complained of medium- to long-term pain compared to 15 in the other. An analysis of the long-term injury cases showed in the 9-3/9-5 group that all three individuals had a pre-existing whiplash condition that was not aggravated at all. In the 900/9000 group, five out of the seven long-term sufferers complained that their pre-existing condition had worsened. Interestingly, no women using the active head restraint suffered from whiplash injury and none of the seats had to be repaired or replaced.

“These finding demonstrate conclusively the effectiveness of the Active Head Restraint system,” said Stefan Olsen, Saab safety development engineer. “Our tests with dummies during its development worked well, but this study shows that in real-life situations it functions even better than we had expected.”

Saab thus keeps the momentum going as a standard bearer of safer cars. Whether it might be overstepping the boundary with its remotely controlled throttle pedal and alcohol-detection device is for others to decide, but it nevertheless ensures that it remains at the cutting edge of vehicle safety technology.

Sources :

http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m0FWH/is_7_113/ai_76878482/pg_1?tag=artBody;col1

http://www.sweden.se/templates/cs/Article____16182.aspx

In 1985, Saab Automobile created a new innovation called “Direct Ignition”, DI for short.

This system effectively eliminated the ignition cables and distributor. Each spark plug in the DI cassette unit had a separate coil which produced a spark voltage of 40,000 volts.

The result of this system involved improved combustion as well as a much improved cold start performance.

The first production vehicle to include direct ignition was the 1990 model year Saab 9000.

Click this link to visit all of Saab Automobile’s innovations.

This technology stands for high performance combined with environmental and economical concerns. The turbocharging technology is a vital component to this development along with Saab’s Trionic engine management system.

The Saab ecopower system ensures that the engine is running as cleanly and economically as possible, at all times.

1995: Ecopower – Saab’s engine development does not simply focus on performance. Power should be instantly available but not at the expense of economy and environmental concern. Ecopower is the collective name for our efforts in this field. Turbo, ignition, engine management and catalytic converters are not treated as separate units, but are optimised to create a harmonious power source

Photo Credit: Saab-Scania AB

In 1974, Saab-Scania Sweden’s Saab Car Division began developing what is known as the “Saab Nine Cylinder Axial Steam Engine” also known as project ULF.

This 250-hp nine cylinder steam engine was quite small, but it packed a punch while requiring a boiler and a large condenser with a buffer tank. The best part about this engine was that it required minimal fossil fuels and included miniscule carbon emissions.

At the time, Saab believed that they had overcome the most difficult obstacles with this engine that included everything from freezing, lubrication, cooling and starting time.

The steam generator itself operated at a working pressure of 100 bar at a temp of 662 degrees fahrenheit. This generator consists of 120 parallel tubes, spirally wound and brazed together. The tube’s internal diameter is only one mm.

The main expander included nine cylinders arranged axially in a ring around the verticle shaft, with a swashplate drive to the fina-drive unit and differential integrated with the crankcase. It is a uni-flow type with a variable cut-off control. This unit was geared to run at 3000 rpm at 90 miles per hour. The exhaust temperature from this engine was lower than one would expect at 180 degrees to a maximum of 482 degrees fahrenheit.

There was a liquid fuel burner that warmed up the water boiler that poured into the main expander engine. so there was a slight use of fossil fuels.

This quiet engine was designed and operated to drive the front wheels directly just like a conventional engine of its time and many to this very day.

It is notable that at the time, the Environmental Protection Agency in the United States awarded Saab-Scania AB for this successful steam engine development at the same time they were sending funds directly into stateside research steam-baed projects that never went as far as this project did.

According to a number of the research articles in this source, Saab-Scania AB’s Saab Car Division not only planned to continue this project well into the 1980′s, but they also planned to apply this nearly completed project to all of their production cars in the future.

So here is the question, what happened to this innovative breakthrough from Saab? It would appear that a project like this that was apparently shelved, should be reinstated, updated and included in Saab’s research and development today for alternative energy sources such as their ongoing BioPower and Hybrid programs. It would seem logical that the idea of using water to create steam is not a new idea and that it would be probably a less expensive and simpler solution than all of the existing alternatives being developed today.

Source: The Printed Word For ’74 – Saab-Scania of America, Inc.

In the promotional video above, although in Swedish, illustrates the engineering and practicality of the Saab APC system in a 1982 Saab 900 Turbo.

1980: APC – Growing concern for the environment and reduced emissions led to the development of APC, Automatic Performance Control. APC enables the engine to run on fuels with a lower octane rating, with no loss of efficiency and durability. This is achieved using combustion process monitoring to control the turbocharger.

The initial Saab Traction Control system was first introduced in 1992 on Saab 9000 Turbo models and 9000 CD models and the system always-on, and no off switch. I

It was on the 1995 9000 model that the system where a newer modified system included a switch to disengage the Saab Traction Control system or (TCS).

Please take a look at the video below that does a good job describing this new system for 1992 model year Saab 9000 turbos.

The Saab Trionic innovation is an advanced engine management system that measures all areas that are part of the combustion process. This Saab trionic system also measures ionisation within each cylinder of the engine block while the car is running. The information gained from these measurements in the trionic system, ultimately control the turbocharing, fuel injection and ignition systems.

Saab Trionic was developed by Saab Automobile back in 1991. It was first implemented in the 1994 model year Saab 9000 as well as the new generation Saab 900 models.

There have been three types of Saab Trionic since the very beginning, starting with Saab Trionic 5. Saab Trionic 5 was first implemented in the Saab 9000 as well as the new generation Saab 900 series. The second type of Saab Trionic system installed in the Saab 9-3 and Saab 9-5′s included the Trionic 7 system. The Saab 9-3 Sport Sedan platform including the SportCombi use the latest version of Trionic called Trionic 8.

For more information as to the details of each of these systems, please consult a well seasoned and trained Saab service technician.

Trionic 5

Saab 9000CS (1994-1998)
Saab 900NG (1994-1998)

Trionic 7

Saab 9-3 (1999-2003)
Saab 9-5 (1998-PRESENT)

Trionic 8

Saab 9-3 (2003 – PRESENT)

Here is a press release from 1994 that outlines the finer points in the Saab Trionic system.

This Saab-developed system automatically and instantly adjusts ignition, fuel injection and, in turbocharged models, turbo boost pressure, thereby offering both environmental and performance benefits. Previously, Saab Trionic was only offered on turbocharged 9000 models.

Powered by a 32-bit microprocessor, Saab Trionic engine management improves performance by constantly monitoring the combustion process, then adjusting engine operating parameters to eliminate, for example, harmful engine knock. The special “trick” within Trionic is the utilization of the simple spark plug, which performs double-duty by also serving as a combustion sensor. Ionization voltage is measured across the plug gap to determine combustion efficiency, and Saab Trionic then adjusts engine systems for optimal performance and efficiency.

Courtesy of Trionic, Saab engine performance is improved and peak torque is available at decreased rpm levels, which translates to greater acceleration capability at lower speeds.

By controlling the combustion process so stringently, Saab Trionic engine management also contributes to improved fuel economy and lower exhaust emission levels.

For its innovative design and application, Saab Trionic was recently selected as a finalist in the automotive category of the prestigious 1993 Discover Maaazine Awards for Technological Innovation. In addition, Saab Trionic was acclaimed for “technical innovation” by the Motoring Journalists’ Club of Denmark.

Here is an informational video taken of the Saab Trionic system “in application”.

The ventilated seat in a car is a world’s first for Saab Automobile and this innovation was first implemented in the Saab 9-5 and continues to be available as an option today.

Power-ventilated seats-a world first

The new Saab 9-5 continues to offer heated seats as an option, both for the front and rear occupants. But, when the weather is hot and sticky, the Saab 9-5′s optional electrically-ventilated seats are there to deliver maximum comfort.

The innovative ventilated seat option for the Saab 9-5 is an auto industry first. Two flat electric fans in each front seatÑone in the seatback and one in the lower cushion-extract warm, humid air that is normally trapped between the person and the seat upholstery. The fans operate in three operator-set speed modes, drawing warm air through the perforated seat leather and venting underneath the seat.

The heated and ventilated seats contribute to safe driving by keeping the driver more comfortable and alert especially on long trips. Previously used only for premium buses, trucks and construction equipment, where driver alertness is particularly critical, this is the first time that power-ventilated seats have been offered in a passenger car.

Film Credit: Saab Automobile USA

The Saab Night Panel, formerly known as the Saab Black Panel as depicted above in the 2005 Saab 9-3 Sport Sedan television advertisement for the U.S. market, is a notable Saab innovation derived from the aeronatics industry.

The Saab Black Panel was first developed in 1993 and first introduced into the New Generation Saab 900 (NG900) which continued until 1998 until that model ended. Beginning in 1999 the name was changed to “Saab Night Panel” for more clarity. The Saab Night Panel was implemented in the 1999 9-3 as well as the 9-5 and continues to be integrated into both the Saab 9-3 as well as the 9-5 today.

The Saab Night panel as illustrated by the two photos below show the night panel before and after it has been switched on.

Photo Credit: Wikipedia

I leave you with a quote from Saab Automobile AB that describes the Saab Night Panel function:

This function blacks out the instrument panel, apart from the speedometer. This reduces the risk of distraction while driving at night. All the systems still work in the background and the appropriate guage or lamp will light up when the driver’s attention is required. A good example of our aircraft heritage.

Photo Credits: Saab Automobile AB

Saab History Launches Section on Saab Innovations

Saab Automobile has continues to prove that they are a leader when it comes to firsts in the industry. It is about time that these industry firsts and other innovations are best represented in an an easily accessible and intuitive format.

In an effort to promote these innovations, Saab History has launched an entire section on the website devoted to Saab Automobile’s innovations past and present.

This section will be easily accessible on the right-hand navigation panel titled “Innovations” identified with a graphic of an iconic innovation, the Turbo.

I have compiled the list of Saab’s innovations below so that I can begin to populate it. Within the list below you will notice innovations that are hyperlinked. These hyperlinked innovations indicate that they are currently included on the site within the innovations section. As time permits, I will continue to populate this list and hyperlink the remaining innovations so that this work-in-progress will reflect all innovations to date and all innovations will reside in the innovations section.

This list again is a work-in-progress, so if you see areas that you can contribute to either in content such as descriptions or photographs, videos, etc, please contact me.

Saab Innovations from 1947 to Present:

1947: Transverse two-stroke engine, front wheel drive, sturdy safety cafe, aerodynamic low drag design

1955: Three Cylinder engine, tubeless tires – (Needs description)

1958: Safety Belts – Saab was the first car manufacturer to introduce seat belts as standard. From the very start, Saab played an active part in the development of safety components – in-house as well as in co-operation with subcontractors.

1963: Dual Brake Circuits – The diagonally split brake system reduced the risk of losing brake power in the event of damage to the system

1967: Collapsible Steering Column – With Saab’s design, the steering column does not penetrate the cabin in a head-on collision. Compared with other similar designs this has the advantage of not affecting the driver’s ability to steer the car even after an accident

1969: Headlamps switch off with ignition – Driving with headlamps in the daylight is a documented safety enhancement. The automatic on/off switch eliminated the risk of discharging the battery by accident.

1969: Ignition lock between front seats – The traditional position of the ignition key caused severe knee injuries, even in minor accidents. Placing the ignition lock between the front seats gets it out of the way. Furthermore, the position is logical, adjacent to the seat belt lock, handbrake and gear lever.

1970: Headlights wash and wipe – Rain and dirt can remove 90% of headlamp illumination. Saab’s simple yet unique solution was to create a wash and wipe system, which later became a legal requirement in many countries.

1971: Energy Absorbing Bumpers – With conventional bumpers, even a minor collision could result in costly repairs. With energy absorbing bumpers, collisions at speeds up to 8km/h require no repairs at all.

1971: Electrically Heated Seats: A major comfort enhancement. Originally it was developed from a health perspective; sitting in a cold seat is not good for anyone. Today, this Saab innovation is a part of the standard equipment in almost any car.

1972: Side Impact Protection – Saab was the first car manufacturer to introduce reinforcement members in the doors, in order to provide side impact protection. Surprisingly enough, the Saab was for many years the only car that offered this added safety.

1976: 3-Way Catalyst Converter – To comply with rigorous emissions regulations, Saab was one of the first car manufacturers to use a Lambda sensor controlled 3-way catalyst converter. Today, this is naturally a standard feature on all Saab cars and continued development work is being carried out to maintain and improve our position in this field.

1976: Turbocharging – Saab was the first car manufacturer to develop a turbo engine with the reliability and durability that is required for everyday use. Turbocharging provides increased output and huge torque at low and medium revs, without the usual increase in weight, cost and fuel consumption.

1978: Cabin Air Filter – Allergies are an increasing problem. The quality of the air is very important for people who suffer from hay fever or other allergies. Our electrostatic cabin air filter removes pollen and other particles, down to a size of 0.004mm from the incoming air.

1980: Automatic Performance Controll (APC) – Growing concern for the environment and reduced emissions led to the development of APC, Automatic Performance Control. APC enables the engine to run on fuels with a lower octane rating, with no loss of efficiency and durability. This is achieved using combustion process monitoring to control the turbocharger.

1981: Split-field Side Mirror – This Saab innovation eliminates the blind spots when looking to the rear. Simple, inexpensive and subsequently standard de facto.

1982: Asbestos-free Brake Pads – Saab was probably the first car manufacturer to take advantage of the new materials to replace asbestos.

1985: Direct Ignition – By the direct ignition system, Saab eliminated the ignition cables and distributor. Each spark plug has a separate coil which produces a firing spark voltage of 40,000 volts. The result is improved combustion and better cold-starting performance.

1988: Saab Traction Control (TCS) – Reduces the risk of skidding first installed in the 9000 CD

1991: Saab Trionic – Saab Trionic was developed in-house and is still one of the world’s most advanced systems for engine management. It measures all the parameters which play a significant part in the combustion process. The data is used for real-time control of turbocharging, fuel injection and ignition. The system also includes ionisation measurement inside the cylinders while the engine is running.

1991: Light Pressure Turbo – With the light pressure turbo, Saab has introduced turbo technology for standard cars with a less pronounced performance profile. Light pressure turbo is used to optimise driving characteristics and overtaking performance.

1991: CFC Free Air Conditioning – By tradition, the coolants used in air conditioning systems were of the CFC type – efficient but with a documented harmful effect on the atmosphere. In the early 90’s alternatives became available and Saab was one of the first to introduce this as standard.

1993: Saab Safeseat – The Saab Safeseat was introduced as a safety design philosophy. The aim is to ensure that all the interior safety features interact correctly and provide maximum protection.

1993: Night Panel – This function blacks out the instrument panel, apart from the speedometer. This reduces the risk of distraction while driving at night. All the systems still work in the background and the appropriate guage or lamp will light up when the driver’s attention is required. A good example of our aircraft heritage.

1995: Ecopower – Saab’s engine development does not simply focus on performance. Power should be instantly available but not at the expense of economy and environmental concern. Ecopower is the collective name for our efforts in this field. Turbo, ignition, engine management and catalytic converters are not treated as separate units, but are optimised to create a harmonious power source.

1996: Saab Active Head Restraint (SAHR) – The number of whiplash injuries would decrease dramatically if all cars had head restraints that were shaped and correctly positioned. That is why Saab has developed the Active Head Restraint. It automatically takes up the correct position in a rear-end impact and controls the movement of the head and vertebrae.

1997: Electronic Brake Force Distribution – To optimise the effect of the brakes, this function distributes the correct amount of the force to the front and rear axle
respectively. It is sensitive to the load distribution in the car and, unlike a traditional reduction valve, it does not reduce the total amount of available braking power.

1997: Ventilated Seats – Saab 9-5 is the first car with ventilated seats. As a compliment to air conditioning this provides an outstanding level of comfort and helps the driver to stay fit and alert.

1997: Comsense – Saab introduced a system that reduces the risk of distraction by briefly delaying incoming phone calls and lower priority alerts when the brakes or turn indicators are activated. This helps the driver to stay focused, for example when turning, overtaking or approaching a crossing.

1997: Saab Cup Holder – A sleek cupholder design to keep liquid cannisters safe and secure from flying through cabin and out of the way in an accident.

1997: Asymmetric Turbocharged V6 – The Saab 9-5 was the first car in the world to be equipped with an asymmetric turbocharging system. This engine concept uses one turbocharger on the front cylinder bank, driven by exhaust gases from only those three cylinders. The single highly-responsive Garrett GT17 turbocharger delivers compressed air to all six cylinders in both cylinder banks. Combined with a boost pressure that reaches only 3.6 psi (0.25 bar), this technology allows a patented boost control system that eliminates the need for a wastegate. The advanced 24-valve 3.0L turbo V-6 engine uses a narrow angle of 54 degrees between the cylinder banks. The engine’s strong maximum torque of 229 lb.-ft. at only 2,500 rpm, available all the way up to 4,000 rpm, provides useful performance to reduce passing times and avoid potentially hazardous situations. The high torque also allows longer gearing, which improves fuel economy and reduces engine noise at speed.

1998: Cargo lug system in the 9-5 Wagon – (Needs description)

1998: Sliding Load Floor 9-5 Wagon – (Needs description)

2000: Saab Variable Compression (SVC) – Saab launched an entirely new engine concept named SVC. Owing to the SVC engine’s unique design, it offers performance on a par with units twice its size but with the fuel consumption of a small engine. The SVC engine is a 5-cylinder 1.6 litre unit producing 225 bhp and it delivers no less than 305 Nm of torque.

2002: Saab Combustion Control (SCC) – The Saab Combustion Control (SCC) system is a new engine control system developed to lower fuel consumption while radically reducing exhaust emissions, without impairing engine performance. By mixing a large volume of exhaust gases into the combustion process, Saab’s fuel consumption can be reduced by up to 10 percent, and exhaust emissions lowered enough to comply with the California Ultra Low Emission Vehicle 2 (ULEV2) requirements, set to take effect in 2005. Compared to today’s Saab engines with equivalent performance, this will reduce the carbon monoxide and hydrocarbon emissions by almost half, and will cut the nitrogen oxide emissions by 75 percent. The SCC system is based on a combination of direct injection of gasoline, variable valve timing and variable spark gap.

2002: Electronic Stability Program (ESP) – Saab’s ESP works like this: it assists the driver in the direction of his steering efforts. If he goes into a corner on which there is less grip than he had anticipated, resulting in an oversteering slide as the tail starts to lose control, the ESP system applies brake force to the outer wheels to nullify the yaw rate of the car and gently bring the car back into line. In that way it complements the driver at the wheel, rather than aggressively offering help at the last available moment. The new Saab ESP system also works when a slippery road causes the car to understeer – when the nose of the car starts to push wide instead of following its intended course. ESP offers just enough brake-force control to help bring the car back into line, because too much assistance might suddenly switch the car from an understeer to an oversteer situation.

2002: ReAxs System – Saab 9-3 Sport Sedan was introduced with a chassis geometry system that ensures smooth interaction of the steering, front suspension and multi-link rear axle. ReAxs enables the rear wheels to steer slightly when turning, helping the car move in the intended direction. It provides crisp steering feedback and contributes to enhanced driving stability in curves.

2003: Cargowing – Serves as a spoiler when lowered. When raised it becomes a functional rack for special holders to carry objects such as skis and snowboards.

2003: CargoSET – A function introduced for Saab 9-3 Convertible that automatically expands the luggage capacity as you raise the soft-top. The space occupied by the folded soft-top becomes available for luggage, providing a total of 380 litres.

2004: Saab Alcokey – The Saab “Alcokey” concept includes a small mouthpiece in the car?s key fob. A transponder communicates with the car?s electronic control unit, preventing the engine from starting if a breath sample from the driver is found to contain alcohol above legal levels.

2005: Saab BioPower – An 85% Ethanol Powered / 15% powered engine – (Needs description)

2006: Saab E100 BioPower – The Saab BioPower 100 Concept, showcases the first production-based turbo engine to be optimized for pure, eco-friendly bioethanol (E100) fuel. The result is a level of performance never seen before from a road car using this fuel.

2006: Saab BioPower Hybrid – The innovative Saab BioPower Hybrid Concept, delivers zero fossil CO2 emissions, enhanced performance and a range of energy-saving features by combining the use of pure bioethanol fuel and electric power generation for the first time.

2007: Saab TTid – (Needs description)

2007: XWD (Cross-Wheel Drive) – A Saab/Haldex AB innovation, the most advanced all-wheel drive system in the world.

2007: Saab Driver Attention Warning System

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Photo Credits: Saab Automobile AB/Haldex AB

In the next few weeks, we will be hearing more about the XWD system from Saab Automobile with the Turbo-X as the vehicle that will be showcasing this XWD technology. The Turbo-X XWD will be launched in the United States at the Boston Auto Show, beginning on November 27th and will be at the Boston Convention Center until the 2nd of December.

In August I test drove a 2008 Saab 9-3 XWD prototype shipped over by Saab Automobile Sweden for the 2008 Saab 9-3 Drive event here in Washington, D.C. As part of this driving experience, I also managed to get that test-drive filmed in order to share that experience. I think you will find it interesting if you have not already seen it.

If you would like to find out more detailed information on the Haldex XWD in addition to the press release below, I have also provided detailed downloadable pdfs that cover the technical specifications of this technology.

Here is an updated press release on this technlogy from the Swedish Company, Haldex, from Saab Automobile USA

2007-11-14

Saab XWD “Cross Wheel Drive”: World’s First Application of the Innovative Haldex 4.0 All-Wheel Drive System

* Intelligent Saab XWD “Cross Wheel Drive” offers new levels of vehicle handling and stability under all driving conditions
* New Haldex 4.0 system offers class-leading performance, up to 100% rear torque transfer
* Innovative all-wheel drive technology: pre-emptive engagement and active rear Limited Slip Differential
* New rear sub-frame and suspension geometry
* Available in the Saab Turbo X and 9-3 Aero XWD as of early 2008 calendar year

DETROIT – Developed in Sweden with Haldex of Stockholm, the Saab XWD “Cross Wheel Drive” system is designed to optimize vehicle handling and stability in all driving conditions. It is offered in the 2008 Saab Turbo X and Aero versions of the 9-3 Sport Sedan and SportCombi, in combination with an uprated 280 hp (206 kW), 2.8 V6 turbo engine which now delivers almost 15% more maximum torque (400 Nm/295 lbs/ft) to exploit the greater traction available. It comes with a choice of six-speed manual or automatic transmissions.

This state-of-the-art all-wheel drive system includes two innovative features: pre-emptive engagement of the rear wheels to optimize traction at take-off; and an active rear limited-slip differential (eLSD), allowing variable torque transfer between the rear wheels.

Saab XWD is a fully automatic, on-demand system capable of sending up to 100% of engine torque to the front or rear wheels whenever necessary. While offering new Saab Turbo X and 9-3 Aero XWD owners sure-footed handling in low-grip conditions, its sophisticated operation also adds a further sporty dimension to the driving experience in all road conditions. Fine balancing of the drive torque between the front and rear axles raises the threshold at which ESP throttle and braking interventions are triggered, providing more scope for closer driver involvement.

The system is governed by its own electronic control unit, which functions in harness with the engine, transmission and ABS/ESP control modules. The hardware consists of a Power Take-off Unit (PTU) in the front final-drive that transmits engine torque through a prop-shaft to the Rear Drive Module (RDM). This incorporates a Torque Transfer Device (TTD) and an electronically-controlled Limited Slip Differential (eLSD). Both are wet, multi-plate clutch units from Haldex.

At take-off from rest, the TTD is initially activated when the clutch plates are forced together under hydraulic pressure, thereby engaging the RDM. This pre-emptive function is a valuable improvement in current technology, which requires the detection of wheel slip before the TTD is activated. For the driver, the enhanced functionality gives maximum traction immediately for smooth, strong acceleration from rest without the possibility of any initial hesitation.

On the open road, drive torque is seamlessly and continuously varied between the axles by the control of a valve in the TTD, which increases or reduces the pressure on the wet clutch plates. When cornering, Saab XWD rewards the driver by providing enhanced, more finely balanced chassis dynamics. Data from the vehicle’s ABS/ESP sensors – measuring wheel speed, yaw rate and steering angle – is utilized, and careful programming of Saab XWD enables the application of rear drive to balance oversteer and understeer characteristics, improving stability and roadholding.

In highway cruising conditions, when traction or optimum grip is not an issue, only 5% to 10% of engine torque is typically transmitted to the rear wheels. This helps provide the driver with a measure of greater stability, while helping to save fuel.

The ultimate ‘icing on the cake’ with Saab XWD is the eLSD. This is the first application of an electronically-controlled, rear limited slip differential in this segment of the market. The eLSD is installed alongside the RDM and operates via pressurized clutch plates on a principle similar to the larger TTD. In icy or wet split-friction conditions, for example, it uses inputs from the rear wheel speed sensors and can transfer up to 40% of torque between the drive shafts, to whichever wheel has more grip.

The eLSD also gives the driver enhanced control when cornering hard or completing a high speed maneuver, such as a lane change, by momentarily applying more or less torque to either of the wheels to help the rear of the car more closely follow the direction of the front wheels. This yaw damping effect can keep the car better balanced and more tightly controlled, without requiring ‘outside’ intervention from electronic stability aides.

Installation of Saab XWD includes the fitment of a new rear sub-frame to carry the RDM, revised rear suspension geometry and new wheel hubs for the drive shafts. The three piece prop-shaft runs through two bearings with constant velocity joints for smooth running with minimal ‘wind-up’. Wheelbase and rear track dimensions are unaltered. All Saab Turbo X and 9-3 Aero XWD Sport Sedan and SportCombi models will have 18-inch alloy wheels as standard equipment.

Saab is a division of General Motors Corp. Saab Automobile USA is the importer and/or distributor of Saab 9-3, 9-5 and 9-7X automobiles for Saab Automobile AB, Sweden. Visit www.saabusa.com for more information.

Helping Drivers Keep an Eye on Safety

Trollhättan, Sweden – Saab’s Driver Attention Warning System is a development project designed to counter two of the most common causes of road accidents: driver drowsiness and inattention at the wheel. It alerts the driver by using a combination of text and voice messages, or vibrations in the seat cushion, as soon as the risk of drowsiness or inattention is detected.

Unlike other similar systems, the Driver Attention Warning System does not rely on measuring an erratic change in the steered direction of the vehicle. It is designed to detect the onset of drowsiness or inattention, rather than the immediate consequences.

It utilizes two miniature infra-red cameras, one installed at the base of the driver’s A-pillar and the other in the center of the main fascia, which are focused on the driver’s eyes. The image from the cameras is analyzed by software that deploys a series of alerts when the pattern of eye-lid movement indicates the onset of drowsiness, or when the driver is not looking at the road ahead.

Infra-red imaging is used to ensure good performance in all day and night light conditions, and even if the driver is wearing dark glasses.

Drowsiness Detection
The system uses a sophisticated algorithm, against which the driver’s rate of eye blinking is measured. When the cameras detect a pattern of long duration eye-lid closures, indicating the potential onset of drowsiness, a series of three warnings is initiated.

In the first instance, a chime sounds and a text warning message “Tired?” is displayed in the main instrument panel. If the driver’s eye-lid movement does not immediately revert to a normal ‘wide awake’ pattern, a speech message “You are tired” is then delivered through the car’s audio system. If there is still no response, a stronger warning tone and the message, “You are dangerously tired – stop as soon as it is safe to do so!” will come over the audio. This can only be cancelled when the driver presses a reset button in the fascia. The system is then immediately reactivated.

Inattention Detection
The cameras are also able to monitor the driver’s eye-ball and head movement. As soon as the driver’s gaze moves away from what is defined as the ‘primary attention zone’ – the central part of the windshield in front of the driver – a timer starts counting.

If the driver’s eyes and head do not return to the ‘straight ahead’ position within about two seconds, the driver’s seat cushion will vibrate. This will stop once the position of driver’s eyes and head are consistent with the vehicle’s direction of travel.

The processing of the infra-red image is sufficiently accurate to detect when the driver retains some peripheral vision of the road ahead – such as while looking in the rear-view mirror, the door mirror or turning a corner – and will consequently allow a slightly longer time to elapse before activating the seat vibration.

Real-life Safety
The Driver Attention Warning System is a logical extension of Saab’s real-life safety philosophy. It takes account of what the driver actually does behind the wheel, rather than what he or she should be doing.

The system, installed in a Saab 9-3 SportCombi, is the work of the Human Vehicle Integration team at GME Engineering in Trollhättan, Sweden. It is part of a development program, Intelligent Vehicle Safety Systems (IVSS), supported by the Swedish government and involving the national Road and Transport Research Institute (VTI).

“It is a fact that many drivers do not stop and get out of the car if they are feeling drowsy. So we are now trying to help drivers to help themselves,” says Arne NÃ¥bo, head of the Human Vehicle Integration team, which specializes in driver ergonomics and managing the interface with in-car ‘infotainment’ systems for Saab cars.

“This system also helps prevent a dangerous habit we call ‘cognitive capturing’. For example, the driver can become too absorbed in searching for a favorite CD, programming pre-sets into the radio or trying pick up a screaming baby’s dummy from the floor.”

Testing
The Saab 9-3 Sport Combi development car will now participate in an eight-month field trial program supervised by the Road and Transport Research Institute.

The car is fitted with a wireless GPRS 3G modem that will download data every minute to a web server at Linköping University, where the performance of the system will be analyzed. A group of volunteers will each drive the car for a month, the first week with the Driver Attention Warning System switched off for comparison purposes

The trial is part of a development and validation process that could see the system become available in future Saab cars. In commercial production, only a single camera is likely to be required and this would be completely concealed behind the car’s main fascia.

Saab is a division of General Motors Corp. Saab Automobile USA is the importer and/or distributor of Saab 9-3, 9-5 and 9-7X automobiles for Saab Automobile AB, Sweden. In 2007, Saab celebrates 60 years since first being introduced to the automotive scene as the vision-turned-reality of 16 aircraft engineers. Visit www.saabusa.com for more information.

The electronically heated seats were designed as a precaution for driver’s backaches, ensuring better driving pleasure and ultimately more safety.

Here is a video showing the heat signature through the front seats of the 99. Enjoy.

Today, the high pressure headlight washer is now the standard that is used in all of Saab Automobile’s models.

Here is a 1971 Finnish television advertisement complete with a transition thanks to Ilmarinen. This television advertisment the shows the headlight wiper & washer system on the 99 model in real-world application.

Translation of 1971 television advertisement from Finland:

When headlights are covered with mud, asphalt and salt, most of the luminosity
is lost. Dangerous at day and night.

Except.

If You own the eye washing Saab. It can see and it will be seen at all the time.
And eye washing Saab is safe investment in other respects too. It’s plates are
almost twice as thick than normally and all models are now eye washing.

Welcome to test drive the new Saab.

Photo Credits: Saab Automobile

The Geneva Motor Show has unleashed a lot of positive press for Saab Automobile and their move into the Ethanol Industry.

Here is another press release on the Saab BioPower 100 Concept.

2007-03-06
World Premiere

Saab BioPower 100 Concept: Bioethanol Performance Potential Unleashed

* First production-based turbo engine optimized for pure bioethanol (E100)
* 300 hp with greatly reduced CO2 impact
* Demonstrates further potential of bioethanol fuel
* Scope for future ‘rightsizing’ with turbocharging to give ‘large’ engine power
* Saab extends leadership of bioethanol engine technology

The Saab BioPower 100 Concept, presented at the Geneva Motor Show, showcases the first production-based turbo engine to be optimized for pure, eco-friendly bioethanol (E100) fuel. The result is a level of performance never seen before from a road car using this fuel.

This exciting concept takes Saab BioPower technology to a new level by showing the true potential of combining turbocharging and sophisticated engine management with pure bioethanol fuel. And in demonstrating that greener motoring means even sportier driving, it also extends Saab’s technical leadership of Europe’s emerging ‘flex-fuel’ segment.

At the heart of the Saab BioPower 100 Concept is a modified version of a 2.0-liter turbo production gasoline engine from the current Saab 9-5 range, which in standard specification gives peak power of 150 hp. A test and development program – involving modifications to the engine management system and internal components – now enables it to exploit the high octane benefits of E100 fuel by using a higher compression ratio, together with more boost pressure. The outcome of this work is peak power of 300 hp and a remarkably high specific power output of 150 hp per liter.

“This exciting concept shows the tremendous potential of bioethanol, in terms of both performance and future opportunities to ‘rightsize’ engines,” says Jan Åke Jonsson, Saab Automobile’s Managing Director. “Bioethanol is already entering the European market as E85 fuel and we look forward to seeing further supply infrastructure developments that will make it more widely available in the future.”

The Saab BioPower 100 Concept is presented as an evolution of the Saab 9-5 SportCombi. It is visually distinguished by styling features such as ‘ice block’ front and rear light units – extending a theme seen on the 9-3 SportCombi – and 19-inch ‘turbine’ alloy wheels inspired by those of the award-winning Saab Aero X concept, first shown at Geneva last year. The interior is upholstered in unique white leather, complemented by the main fascia and door trims, which are finished in black leather overlaid with a carbon fiber-effect pattern. The car is also equipped with Saab’s innovative AlcoKey, an easy to use, pocket-sized alco-lock device that helps drivers steer clear of drinking and driving.

Total BioPower

* Saab 9-5 BioPower, Europe’s top-selling bioethanol (E85)-powered car
* 300 hp and 400 Nm of torque from Concept’s production-based engine
* E100 enables high compression ratio with high boost pressure

Saab is already established as the leading player in Europe’s emerging market for ‘flex-fuel’ vehicles able to run on gasoline and/or bioethanol (E85). Its current Saab 9-5 BioPower model is the best-selling flex-fuel car in Europe and Sweden and, at Geneva this year, Saab also announces BioPower’s introduction throughout its 9-3 product range.

So far, Saab BioPower development has been focused on using E85 fuel, (85% bioethanol/15% gasoline). Now, with the announcement of the fully functioning BioPower 100 Concept, Saab confirms its leadership position by showing how bioethanol technology could be further extended. In combining pure bioethanol with Saab’s expertise in turbocharging, the BioPower 100 Concept offers drivers an exciting win/win proposition: greener motoring with dramatically enhanced power and performance.

Running on E100, the concept car´s engine delivers peak power of 300 hp at 5,800 rpm and an exceptionally strong 400 Nm of torque between 3,000 and 5,100 rpm, withalmost 85% available at just 2,000 rpm. This strong and flexible power delivery gives the Saab BioPower 100 Concept car zero to 100 kph acceleration in just 6.6 secs and 80 – 120 kph (fifth gear) in an even more impressive 8.2 secs. The standard 150 hp gasoline engine produces 240 Nm of torque from 1,800-3,500 rpm, giving zero to 100 kph in10.2 secs and 80-120 kph (fifth gear) in 16.3 secs.

The secret behind such enhanced performance is the ability of E100 fuel to resist harmful self-ignition, or ‘knocking’, as the fuel/air mixture is compressed in the cylinder. This attribute is denoted by E100’s high 106 RON octane rating. It permits the use of an engine compression ratio that is higher than normally possible with turbocharging, giving more power and greater combustion efficiency without risk of knocking.

The BioPower 100 Concept’s engine operates with a compression ratio of 11.0:1, compared to 8.8:1 for the standard gasoline engine. This has been achieved by modifying the shape of the piston crowns to reduce the volume of the combustion chamber, thereby raising the engine’s compression ratio.

New software for Saab’s powerful Trionic engine management system, which controls the throttle setting, ignition timing, fuel injection and turbo boost pressure, looks after the different ignition timing and fuel/air mixture requirements of E100 fuel.

More durable valves and valve seats are fitted to the engine, together with bioethanol-compatible materials throughout the fuel system. The only other modification necessary is pre-heating of the fuel. This is required to achieve good cold-starting performance, which is the main reason why bioethanol is currently blended with gasoline and sold as E85 fuel.

In ambient temperatures below 15°C, the chemistry of E100 makes it resistant to vaporization and, as a result, it can be difficult to start the engine. To overcome this issue, the Saab BioPower 100 Concept has an experimental fuel heating system, using small heating elements in the inlet ports downstream of the injectors. When the engine is cold, these elements warm the incoming fuel sufficiently to allow it to vaporize. Shortly after start-up, the function is automatically deactivated.

On The Road

* Driver enjoys ‘on demand’ performance typical of 4-liter engine
* ‘Less is more’ turbo philosophy with E100 offers engine ‘rightsizing’ potential
* Future hybrid application for further energy savings
* Gasoline flex-fuel capability retained

In optimizing the potential of bioethanol fuel, the Saab BioPower 100 Concept turbo engine offers improved driveability, as well as greater full power performance. The high compression ratio allows the engine to generate more torque more quickly, particularly from low engine speeds. On the road, the driver of the BioPower 100 Concept will immediately notice a sharper engine response, with a better low speed pick-up before the turbo is engaged.

On full throttle openings, the turbocharger packs up to 1.2 bar boost, without risk of ‘knocking’ from the high octane fuel. It gives the BioPower 100 Concept driver access to the sort of in-gear performance typical of a modern, naturally-aspirated engine of four liters or more. The smooth power delivery – without fossil fuel emissions – takes Saab’s traditional ‘less is more’ turbo philosophy to a new level.

That impressive 150 hp/liter specific power output also indicates considerable future potential for engine ‘rightsizing’, giving the driver the performance characteristics of a ‘large’ engine without incurring its additional weight, greater complexity or higher fuel consumption. In this way, E100 offers significant potential to reduce the displacement of an engine – thereby reducing fuel consumption – while still achieving a desired power level.

The overall fuel consumption of the current Saab 9-5 BioPower engine using E85 is about 30% higher than on gasoline and the optimized BioPower 100 engine is expected to yield a near 10% gain against this. Bioethanol burns at a lower temperature than gasoline, which reduces thermal stresses on the engine and benefits fuel consumption at higher cruising speeds. With the future addition of direct injection and lean-burn technology, E100 fuel consumption can move even closer to gasoline levels.

For optimum energy saving, future E100 applications could also be combined with electric hybrid technology, reducing fuel consumption and CO2 emissions still further. This development has already been previewed in the Saab BioPower Hybrid Concept, the world’s first such vehicle to use pure bioethanol.

Whilst the BioPower 100 Concept is focused on performance, it still retains a ‘flex-fuel’ capability and the engine will also run on gasoline, or E85, although power levels are not so high. Trionic monitors fuel quality after every visit to the filling station and automatically makes any adjustments necessary for running on E100/E85 and/or gasoline in any combination.

To handle the increased performance, the BioPower 100 show car is fitted with a limited-slip differential and larger front brake discs (345 mm) and calipers, while using the sports chassis settings of Saab 9-5 Aero SportCombi. It also has a dual pipe rear exhaust system, with tailpipes similar to those of the Aero X Concept.

Superb Fuel

* High quality, clean burn fuel
* Single chemical compound allows more precise engine management control
* Modern fuel meets current environmental challenges
* Experience gained from Saab Variable Compression (SVC) engine

Bioethanol is a clean burning fuel that can be produced in many parts of the world from a wide range of agricultural crops and biomass. More efficient second-generation processes, using ligno-cellulose extracted from forestry and agricultural products, are also under development.

Bioethanol’s simple, fixed chemical composition opens up new possibilities in engine management and control. It consists of just one hydrocarbon molecule, whereas retail gasoline is a cocktail of several hundred different hydrocarbons, as well as additives to prevent engine deposits which may not be necessary with bioethanol. It is also biodegradable and will dissolve in water.

As it is a single chemical compound, bioethanol allows engineers to exercise much greater precision in maximizing engine performance. For example, it is possible to maintain an ideal fuel/air mixture (Lambda 1) at all throttle openings without impairing the smooth running of the engine.

Saab’s experimental variable compression (SVC) engine, revealed at Geneva in 2000, has played an important role as a test bed for BioPower development work. It has been used to help determine the optimum relationship between compression ratio and boost pressure for the BioPower 100 application.

“Bioethanol is a potent, high quality fuel which opens up exciting possibilities in helping to meet the environmental challenges that face us,” says Kjell ac Bergström, President and CEO, GM Powertrain – Sweden, who has led the Saab BioPower 100 engine development team.

He adds: “As the need to reduce energy consumption increases, we are exploring ways to run smaller engines that give relatively high power, with and without hybrid technology. Bioethanol can play a key role in this ‘rightsizing’ process, while also minimizing fossil fuel emissions.”

Helping to Prevent Drink-Driving
The Saab BioPower 100 Concept incorporates Saab’s innovative AlcoKey, a vehicle ‘alcolock’ system designed to prevent the car being used if a driver is under the influence of alcohol.

The pocket-sized AlcoKey unit incorporates a cap covering a mouthpiece where the driver provides a breath sample before starting the car. Its radio transmitter then sends a signal to the engine’s electronic control unit. This will allow the car to be started or, if the breath sample is found to contain alcohol above the permitted legal level, keep it immobilized.

AlcoKey recently won the Swedish Automobile Association’s annual award for innovation and it is currently on user field trials in Sweden, where car fleet operators and public service providers want an effective means of reassuring the public that drivers cannot get behind the wheel if their blood/alcohol level is over the limit.

The field trials are focused on verifying AlcoKey’s convenience and ease of use. Its transmitter has a range of up to 10 meters and if a breath sample is provided before entering the car, its quick three to four second clearance process should not delay the driver. In everyday use, AlcoKey can provide a useful check if a driver has had a drink some time before intending to drive or has been drinking the night before. It could be offered as an option for Saab 9-5 and 9-3 models sold on the Swedish market, priced at around SEK 3,000.

Note to Editors:
Bioethanol fuel is produced commercially from agricultural crops, such as corn and sugar cane, and other forms of biomass. Also under development are second-generation processes which offer greater energy efficiency by using ligno-cellulose extracted from forestry and agricultural products, such as wood, straw and grass. Unlike gasoline, bioethanol consumption does not raise atmospheric levels of carbon dioxide (CO2), the main ‘greenhouse’ gas. This is because emissions during driving are balanced by the amount of CO2 that is removed from the atmosphere when crops for conversion are grown. In contrast, fossil-based fuels, such as gasoline and diesel, release new amounts of CO2 into the atmosphere which have been locked away underground in oil deposits.

Saab BioPower 100 Concept:

Technical Specifications
1,985 cc. Four cyl. in-line. Bore/stroke: 90/78 mm. Cast iron block, alloy cylinder head.
DOHC chain-driven, 16-valves. Twin balancer shafts. Turbocharged, intercooled.
Saab Trionic 7 engine management. Direct ignition, multi-point fuel injection, electronic throttle control

(All data for manual transmission)

	Saab 9-5 2.0t	BioPower 100 Concept
Fuel	Gasoline	E100
EEC rating	150 hp (110 kW) @ 5500 rpm.	300 hp (221 kW) @ 5800 rpm.
EEC peak torque	240 Nm @ 1800-3500 rpm.	400 Nm @ 3000-5100 rpm.
Max boost Pressure	0.4 bar	1.2 bar
Compression ratio	8.8:1	11.0:1
0-100 kph (sec)	10.2	6.6
80-120 kph (sec) 5th gear	16.3	8.2
Top Speed (kph)	210	250 (limited)

The Saab 9-3 BioPower Hybrid Convertible concept video just released.

This vehicle by Saab Automobile, further illustrates Sweden’s initiatives to be independant of fossil fuels by 2020.

Below is a quote from the Sweden’s Government Offices from their Energy Policy.

“Climate change is the greatest and most important environmental challenge of our time. Most of the world’s climate researchers agree that the earth’s climate system is changing – and that emissions of greenhouse gases must be reduced to slow down these changes. The Swedish Government has therefore set a new policy target: the creation of the conditions necessary to break Sweden’s dependence on fossil fuels by 2020.”

For more information on the Saab 9-3 BioPower Hybrid Convertible, I have provided a press release from Saab Automobile at the World Premier in Stockholm back on March 30th, 2006.

Saab BioPower Hybrid Concept: World’s First Fossil-free Hybrid Vehicle

* Innovative hybrid concept based on pure bioethanol
* Zero fossil CO2 emissions in all modes
* 260 hp Saab BioPower engine running on E100 fuel
* Increased performance with threefold torque boost from electric motors
* Fuel saving ‘Zero Mode’ for city driving on electric power only
* Energy saving features including regenerative braking
* Space efficient modular design uses existing vehicle architecture
* All-wheel-drive for improved traction

The innovative Saab BioPower Hybrid Concept, making its world premiere at the Stockholm Motor Show (March 30 – April 9, 2006), delivers zero fossil CO2 emissions, enhanced performance and a range of energy-saving features by combining the use of pure bioethanol fuel and electric power generation for the first time. As the world’s first fossil-free hybrid vehicle, the Saab 9-3 Convertible show car also becomes the world’s first hybrid soft-top.

Packing formidable pulling power from its 260 hp (191 kW) 2.0-liter turbo BioPower engine and 53 kW electric motors, the BioPower Hybrid Concept in the Saab 9-3 can briefly generate torque values three times greater than its gasoline-only equivalent. It is a sporty combination that makes for improved performance, as you would expect from Saab, as well as greater fuel economy and an extended driving range.

Saab’s modular hybrid system features a maintenance-free, 300-volt battery bank, a 38 kW rear-mounted electric motor, a 15 kW integrated starter generator and all-wheel-drive with electric power transmission to the rear wheels. The entire system has been packaged without sacrificing cabin accommodation or trunk space, as demonstrated by its unveiling in the Saab 9-3 Convertible.

The all-aluminum 2.0-liter BioPower engine is modified to run on pure E100 bioethanol fuel, giving zero fossil CO2 exhaust emissions, and operates in tandem with the electrical power system. This offers fuel-saving stop/start functionality, torque boosting electric power assistance on demand, an electric-only ‘Zero Mode’ for city driving and regenerative braking.

The BioPower Hybrid Concept prototype car, a 9-3 sport sedan with automatic transmission, is expected to achieve zero to 100 kph (60 mph) acceleration in just 6.9 seconds, a substantial improvement against 8.8 seconds for the equivalent gasoline model. Even more impressive is 80 to 120 kph (50-75 mph) acceleration on ‘kick-down’ in only 5.5 seconds.

“Hybrids are certainly interesting for Saab in the future and this project allows us to evaluate and explore the potential of hybrid technology in combination with BioPower,” says Jan Ã…ke Jonsson, Saab Automobile’s Managing Director. “Although the exact hybrid application shown in this concept does not currently figure in our production plans, the project has been extremely valuable in helping us further our expertise. It shows how we could develop the sporty performance associated with Saab while using only renewable resources and saving energy overall.”

The Saab BioPower Hybrid Concept is the first project to be announced under a joint investment program between General Motors R&D (Research and Development) and the Swedish government. This has established a research and development office in Trollhättan , Sweden , focusing on vehicle safety, engine emissions and advanced manufacturing in collaboration with Swedish universities, research laboratories and suppliers.

Saab is a 100 percent subsidiary of General Motors, which is committed to reducing vehicle emissions and improving fuel economy through the implementation of a three-tiered, advanced propulsion technology strategy. The ultimate goal is the introduction of hydrogen fuel cell powered vehicles that emit only water and remove the vehicle from the environmental debate.

In the near to mid-term, hybrid propulsion will bridge the gap between today’s technology and tomorrow’s hydrogen fuel cell powered vehicles. GM is also focused on introducing alternative fuels and new technologies to improve the efficiency of internal combustion engines and transmissions, further reducing vehicle emissions and increasing fuel economy.

BioPower propulsion

The Saab 9-5 2.0t BioPower is already an outstanding sales success in Sweden , where it is currently the best selling flex-fuel vehicle on the market and able to exploit a fast-developing network of filling station selling E85 (85% bioethanol/15% gasoline) fuel.

The Saab BioPower Hybrid Concept now goes a step further by using an engine fuelled by pure E100 bioethanol. This is a BioPower evolution of the current all-aluminum, 16-valve 2.0-liter turbo engine in the Saab 9-3 range. It now develops 260 bhp and an impressive 375 Nm maximum torque, 24 per cent and 25 per cent more respectively than on gasoline. The engine incorporates an integrated starter generator (ISG) and also charges a 300-volt battery bank, mounted under the floor of the trunk.

It retains a flex-fuel capability and features a Spark Ignited Direct Injection (SIDI) system for optimumcombustion with E100; ensuring the same cold starting performance as a normal gasoline engine. V ariable inlet and exhaust cam phasing is used for optimum breathing and m ore durable valves and valve seats are fitted, together with bioethanol-compatible materials for the fuel system.

The compact 42-Volt ISG, built into the flywheel between the engine and transmission, is the power behind the Saab BioPower Hybrid Concept’s fuel-saving, stop/start functionality. It serves a multi-functional role as a starter motor, alternator and 15 kW engine power booster, while also helping to iron out residual crankshaft vibrations.

For the Saab BioPower Hybrid Concept application, a series of further steps are taken to optimize the engine’s fuel saving capacity. Auxiliary functions, such as the water pump, air conditioning and power steering systems, are now removed from the engine’s belt drive and electrically powered instead, through the hybrid system.

The five-speed automatic transmission, with Saab Sentronic sequential selection, includes an all-wheel-drive capability by the simultaneous addition of electrically powered drive to the rear wheels.

Hybrid booster

A parallel hybrid system has been adopted, where the control strategy is based on efficient ‘energy management’ – recovering, storing and feeding back energy that is otherwise lost in a vehicle powered only by an internal combustion engine. The engineering team have utilised General Motors’ hybrid experience in the development of stop/start engine functionality, electric rear-wheel drive systems and regenerative braking. Apart from converters to manage AC/DC and 12,42 and 300-volt interfaces, the system consists of just three core components: two electric motors and a battery bank.

Electric energy storage is provided by a 42-cell, 300-volt lithium-ion battery bank. Its performance is carefully monitored and governed by an electronic control unit, through which electric current from the engine is fed.

This power pack is accommodated under the floor of the trunk, without taking up any stowage space, as demonstrated in the Stockholm show car.

The battery supplies a compact 38 kW electric motor located between the rear wheels which powers a transmission differential and drive shafts. At low speeds, this Rear Drive Unit (RDU) is able to briefly generate 666 Nm of additional torque.

In reverse operation, the motor acts as a generator to provide ‘regenerative braking’. It automatically recovers kinetic energy otherwise lost during braking and converts this into additional battery charging. It also performs the same function whenever the driver lifts off the throttle, harnessing the energy in the rotating drive shafts. This is achieved without any perceptible change in the rate of deceleration.

The second electric motor is the integrated starter generator (ISG) located within the flywheel between the engine and main transmission. On demand, it contributes 15 kW of additional power and 120 Nm of extra torque to the output of the engine through the front wheels.

Driving Benefits

The sophisticated electronic control of the hybrid componentry is matched to the operating parameters of the BioPower engine to provide seamless power assistance and power saving functionality.

Under transient driving conditions, both electric motors are activated to augment the power of the engine, increasing standing start acceleration and in-gear performance for safe overtaking. This briefly raises total power by as much as 28 per cent – without raising fuel consumption.

At take off, the Saab BioPower Hybrid Concept also exploits the instant torque generation of its electric motors, smoothly adding strong, accelerative power during the engine’s pick-up, from tick-over to about 1,500 rpm. It is during this phase that the available pulling power, or torque, is more than tripled.

An estimated fuel of saving of 5-7% is provided by the automatic engine stop/start function. Whenever the vehicle is stationary, the engine is immediately shut-off to save fuel. As soon as the brake is released, it is automatically started again by the powerful ISG. The operation is carried out seamlessly and requires no input from the driver.

In congested driving conditions, fuel saving is taken a step further by the Saab BioPower Hybrid Concept’s ‘Zero Mode’ operation – giving zero fuel consumption, and, of course, zero emissions – which can be selected by the driver via a button in the central console. At speeds below 50 kph, ‘Zero Mode’ will shut off the engine and again switch the car over to electric power only through the RDU. In this mode, the battery bank provides a range of between 10 and 20 kilometers (6-12 miles). The engine is smoothly re-engaged whenever the battery status approaches a low charge level or the electronic throttle opening requires acceleration beyond the 50 kph (31 mph) operating limit.

Whenever the engine is shut down, all auxiliary functions, such as the power steering, air conditioning and lighting, remain unaffected because they are now permanently electrically-powered through the battery. The removal of unnecessary loadings on the engine further contributes to fuel economy and in mixed driving the estimated range of Saab 9-3 BioPower Hybrid Concept test vehicles, with a standard 62 liter tank, is a competitive 800 kms.

Finally, in low grip road conditions, traction can be optimized by the addition of rear-wheel-drive for improved handling and safety. For example, when the electronic traction control system (TCS) is activated at the front wheels, the car can be balanced by the application of rear drive.

Driver instrumentation for the Saab BioPower Hybrid Concept is as discreet as the installation of its hybrid engineering. In the main instrument cluster, icons are illuminated to indicate when the car is running on engine and/or electric power. An additional gauge is also fitted to show the power status of the battery bank. Under electric power, the needle will steadily fall and then rise again when the engine provides charging. The turbo boost gauge is calibrated by tree icons, a playful reminder of the car’s renewable energy source.

In overall operation, the Saab BioPower Hybrid Concept is designed to deliver enhanced performance and valuable energy savings. The concept can enrich driving appeal while also moving further towards the goal of sustainable mobility.

Further Information:

GM has a diverse hybrid program , with three separate systems designed to provide an opportunity for more consumers to own a hybrid vehicle and benefit from increased fuel savings. Next year, GM will introduce in the USA the world’s first two-mode hybrid system in the Chevrolet Tahoe and GMC Yukon full-size SUVs. This will be mated with Active Fuel Management TM to deliver a fuel economy improvement of at least 25 per cent. The Saturn Vue Green Line SUV, with a new, more affordable hybrid system giving estimated fuel savings of up to 20 per cent, goes on sale in the US this summer. Hybrid vehicles currently on the US market include the Chevrolet Silverado and GMC Sierra pickup trucks with fuel saving stop/start technology.

Bioethanol fuel is produced commercially from agricultural crops such as sugarcane, corn and other forms of biomass. When considering CO2 emission savings, the whole chain – feedstock, fuel supply and vehicle combustion – must be considered. Dependent on its source and its production process, the use of bioethanol can reduce CO2 emissions up 90% against fossil gasoline. This is because emissions from its combustion are balanced by an amount of CO2 that is removed from the atmosphere when energy crops are grown. In this way, the CO2 present in the atmosphere remains in a natural cycle, whereas CO2 emissions from the use of a fossil fuel – such as gasoline or diesel – add new CO2 to the atmosphere which has been locked up in oil deposits underground.

For Immediate Release: December 18th, 2006

Drive a Saab and miss whiplash

· Saab highlighted for second year running as Best Practice Example in respected Thatcham Whiplash Tests

· Entire model range receives highest-possible marks for protection against neck injury, compared with just 20 per cent of the German premium cars surveyed

· Pioneering anti-whiplash ‘Saab Active Head Restraints’ (SAHR) continue to be class-leading

For the second year running, Swedish premium car-maker Saab has been commended by the independently-operated Thatcham Motor Insurance Repair Centre for the effectiveness of its Active Head Restraints in reducing neck injury. Thatcham has just released the results of its second annual whiplash testing results for the 2006 Model Year, in which it concludes that the Swedish car manufacturers, including Saab, ‘still regard whiplash injury as a priority’, with 100 per cent of models ranking in the highest-possibly category. This compares starkly with the results of other premium brands. For example, of the 20 German premium cars surveyed, just a fifth of those were ranked ‘good’, whilst a worrying 25 per cent were ranked as ‘poor’.

Even after a relatively minor impact, neck injury following rear-end collisions is a common driver complaint, which can have debilitating long-term effects. In fact, according to Thatcham, whiplash remains still the most common injury in motor vehicle crashes, with over 250,000 cases reported by British Insurers annually.

The Saab 9-5 pioneered the use of Saab Active Head Restraints (SAHR) back in 1996. Since then, the patented technology has been fitted as standard to both front seats of all Saab models sold in the UK. Independent crash investigation ratings from around the world have shown SAHR to reduce serious neck injury to front seat occupants in the event of a rear end collision, by as much as 75 per cent compared to cars not fitted with the technology.

The head restraint is activated in a rear end impact as soon as the occupant’s lower back is pressed into the seatback. The head restraint is connected by a linkage to a pressure plate in the backrest of the seat. Inertia forces the occupant’s body into the backrest against the pressure plate which triggers a mechanism to push the head restraint upwards and forward, catching the head and helping to minimise neck movement. This helps prevent neck injury by reducing the amount of head movement relative to the torso. The SAHR system is entirely mechanical and after activation the head restraint automatically springs back to its passive position, ready for future use.

Further Information about the Thatcham tests and a full list of results is available at:

www.thatcham.org

It is interesting to see how much development has taken place. I see this as another opportunity for Saab to come out strong again being a leader in progressive technology.

Stockholm, October 10 2006

Sweden has one of the best road safety records in Europe, but drinking and driving remains a serious hazard, accounting for about 35 per cent of all crash fatalities in Sweden last year (2005). Now Saab is ready for field trials in 100 cars of its innovative Saab AlcoKey, a simple, reusable device that fits conveniently in the pocket or handbag.

As compact as a small mobile phone, the Saab AlcoKey module incorporates a cap covering a mouthpiece where the driver provides a breath sample before starting the car. A radio transmitter then sends a signal to the car’s electronic control unit, which will either allow the car to be started or remain immobilized if the breath sample is found to contain alcohol above the permitted legal level.

Saab AlcoKey meets an increasing demand in Sweden among car fleet operators and public service providers for an effective means of ensuring drivers cannot drive if their blood/alcohol level is over the limit. It could be offered as an option for Saab 9-5 and 9-3 models sold on the Swedish market.

Senior Saab executives and local car fleet and taxi operators will participate in user trials over the next six months involving about 100 cars. It is the final step in a two-year development program that has focused on miniaturizing the unit to its current small size and maximizing battery longevity, now rated at 12 months when used five times a day.

Quick and easy to use, Saab AlcoKey utilizes existing anti-theft technology, independent of the car’s ignition key. Before being able to start the car, the driver must first switch on Saab AlcoKey and blow into the mouthpiece for about three seconds, until the unit emits a beep. The breath sample passes over a tiny sensor inside the unit and green or red light is immediately illuminated on Saab AlcoKey. The green light indicates a satisfactory sample and the engine’s electronic immobilizer is released via Saab AlcoKey’s radio signal, allowing the driver to start the car and proceed. If a red light shows, the engine cannot be started as the engine immobilizer remains armed. To avoid the need for a second breath sample, the car must be started within a minute of the “green” signal from Saab AlcoKey.

Saab AlcoKey also measures the temperature of a breath sample, allowing it to distinguish between a normal, human sample and, for example, air introduced from a balloon or a foot pump in an attempt to defeat the alcohol check.

An amber warning light flashes whenever the battery pack has less than 20 per cent capacity remaining. The pack should e replaced through a Saab dealership, although a cable connection to the car’s cigar lighter is also included for emergency power if the battery pack is not replaced in time.

Saab AlcoKey is currently intended only for the Swedish market. During the life of a car, subsequent owners could have the Saab AlcoKey functionality removed from the engine management system at a Saab dealership.

The user field trials will focus on verifying Saab AlcoKey’s convenience and ease of use. If a breath sample is provided before entering the car – the Saab AlcoKey transmitter has a range of up to 10 meters – its quick three to four second clearance process should not delay the driver. The software program in the trial cars is currently adjusted so that the engine can be restarted within 10 minutes, without the need for a Saab AlcoKey signal. In everyday use, Saab AlcoKey could provide a useful check if a driver has had a drink some time before intending to drive or has been drinking the night before.

Designed as a reliable and more convenient alternative to wired, in-vehicle systems available on the aftermarket, Saab AlcoKey could be offered at a retail price of around 3000 SEK.

Announcing the user trial program, in which he will take part, Saab Automobile Managing Director Jan Ã…ke Jonsson said: “Car crashes and personal injuries due to drinking and driving remain a great concern and Saab wants to do what it can to help prevent such behavior.”

“We have listened to car fleet operators in Sweden, particularly those running public or taxi services,” Jonsson said. “They want to demonstrate their social responsibility and provide some public reassurance by giving drivers access to a device such as Saab AlcoKey.”

The Saab AlcoKey project has been supported by the Swedish National Road Administration as a means of improving driving safety. “We all have a responsibility to discourage drinking and driving,” said NRA Traffic Safety Director Claes Tingvall. “As Saab is the first car manufacturer to be involved in this work with us, we are together making a big step forward when it comes to increasing the acceptance of and demand for systems like these.”

Saab’s previous press release was made on September 23rd, 2004 that I am providing below.

Stockholm, September 23rd, 2004

Saab unveils Alcohol Lock-Out Concept to discourage drinking and driving

Last year the deaths of 29percent of all drivers killed in car accidents on Swedish roads and 25 percentof those killed in car accidents in Europe[1]can be attributed to drunk driving. To help alleviate this problem, Saab is nowdeveloping a unique, miniature alcohol-sensing device which will assist driversin observing drunk-driving laws.

TheSaab ‘Alcokey’ concept includes a small mouthpiece in the car’s key fob. Atransponder communicates with the car’s electronic control unit, keeping theengine immobilised if a breath sample from the driver is found to containalcohol above the permitted level.

Sucha device could be made available as an accessory through Saab dealers and iscurrently under evaluation and development in response to increasing concernabout drunk-driving, particularly among companies and public services in Swedenresponsible for operating large fleets of cars.

Testswith a prototype for the Saab 9-5 model are expected to verify its reliabilityand accuracy. The concept is intended as a convenient and inexpensive means ofmeasuring a driver’s alcohol level without the need to install more costly,fixed apparatus inside the car. In commercial production the ‘Alcokey’ conceptwould cost about 250 Euros, or a tenth of the cost of a fixed system installedinside the car.

The ‘Alcokey’ concept is an elegant adaptation ofexisting anti-theft technology. When the driver presses the ‘doors open’ buttonon the car’s remote control fob, the alcohol sensor is also switched on. Thedriver then blows into a small mouthpiece at the end of the fob to provide abreath sample which passes down a small internal tube containing asemi-conductor sensor the size of a pin-head. The sample is then analysed and asmall green or red light on the fob is illuminated.

If the green light is shown, the key will transmit an‘all clear’ signal to the car’s electronic control unit. This is in addition tothe usual signal the key always transmits to switch off the engine immobiliser.However, if a red light is shown, the ‘all clear’ signal will not be sent andthe engine will, therefore, continue to be immobilised. The softwareinstructing the engine immobiliser can be adjusted according to the alcohollimits in operation where the car is registered.

Thecurrent prototype ‘Alcokey’ is a separate unit, about 10 cm long and 4 cm wide,additional to a conventional Saab 9-5 combined key and remote control. Inproduction, further miniaturization would allow both to be contained in asingle, pocket-sized unit.

Mountingconcern about drunk-driving in Sweden and many other countries has promptedSaab to develop the ‘Alcokey’ concept. Companies operating large car fleets,with employees driving a great deal on business, are anxious to demonstratetheir social responsibility by having an alcohol-monitoring device fitted asstandard. And in some countries, it may even become mandatory to fit them.

SaabAutomobile’s President and CEO, Peter Augustsson, has taken a personal interestin the ‘Alcokey’ project. “Alcohol consumption is increasing in many countriesand this often leads to a greater incidence of drunk-driving,” he said. “As acar manufacturer, Saab is keen to do what it can to help prevent suchbehaviour. We are an innovative brand and in that tradition the Alcokey conceptis a very practical and efficient solution. It will help those who want to besure they should only get behind the wheel when they are fit to drive.”

TheSwedish National Road Administration is supporting Saab’s work and itsdirector, Ingemar Skogö, says he is pleased to see Saab pioneering such apractical aid to safe driving. “We all have a duty to discourage drunk-drivingand this is a valuable initiative that other car companies should considerfollowing,” he said.

[1] Statistics issued by the SwedishNational Road Administration and EU European Commission.

This video is in French, but the visual appears to be quite interesting. Thanks 1985Gripen!

Photo Credits: Saab Automobile

2002-9-1

SAAB REVEALS SAAB COMBUSTION CONTROL SYSTEM WHICH REDUCES FUEL CONSUMPTION AND EXHAUST EMISSIONS

The Saab Combustion Control (SCC) system is a new engine control system developed to lower fuel consumption while radically reducing exhaust emissions, without impairing engine performance. By mixing a large volume of exhaust gases into the combustion process, Saab’s fuel consumption can be reduced by up to 10 percent, and exhaust emissions lowered enough to comply with the California Ultra Low Emission Vehicle 2 (ULEV2) requirements, set to take effect in 2005. Compared to today’s Saab engines with equivalent performance, this will reduce the carbon monoxide and hydrocarbon emissions by almost half, and will cut the nitrogen oxide emissions by 75 percent.

Three main components of the SCC concept

The SCC system is based on a combination of direct injection of gasoline, variable valve timing and variable spark gap. Unlike the direct injection systems available on the market today, the SCC system puts to use the benefits of direct injection, but without disturbing the ideal air-to-fuel ratio (14.6:1 = lambda 1) necessary for a conventional three-way catalytic converter to perform satisfactorily.

The most important components of the SCC system are:

Air-assisted fuel injection with turbulence generator
The injector unit and spark plug are integrated into one unit known as the spark plug injector (SPI). The fuel is injected directly into the cylinder by means of compressed air. Immediately before the fuel is ignited in low torque conditions, a second brief blast of air creates turbulence in the cylinder, which facilitates combustion and shortens the combustion time.

Variable valve timing
The SCC system uses camshafts with variable cam timing, which enables the opening and closing of the inlet and exhaust valves to be steplessly varied. This
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allows exhaust gases to be mixed into the combustion air in the cylinder, which puts to use the benefits of direct injection while maintaining the value of lambda 1 under almost all operating conditions. In low torque conditions, the exhaust gases compose up to 70 percent of the cylinder contents during combustion. The exact proportion depends on the prevailing operating conditions – with the proportion of exhaust gas to ambient air decreasing as the torque demand increases.

Variable spark plug gap with high spark energy
The spark plug gap is variable between 1 and 3.5 mm. A central electrode in the spark plug injector strikes a spark to either a fixed earth electrode 3.5 mm away (in low torque) or to an earth electrode on the piston (under high torque). The variable spark gap together with a high spark firing energy (80 mJ) is essential for igniting an air/fuel mixture that may have a high percentage of exhaust gases.

Catalyst still most important emission control element
The three-way catalytic converter is still the most important single exhaust emission control component. During normal operation, it will catalyze up to 99 percent of the harmful chemical compounds in the exhaust gases.
The inside of the catalytic converter consists of a perforated core, the walls of which are coated with a precious metal catalyst (platinum and rhodium). The precious metal coating traps carbon monoxide (CO), hydrocarbons (HC) and nitrogen oxides (NOx) in the exhaust gases and enables these substances to react with one another so that the end product will be carbon dioxide (CO2), water (H2O) and nitrogen (N2).

Weaknesses of catalytic converter
Although it is highly effective in neutralizing the harmful substances in the exhaust gases, the catalytic converter suffers certain limitations. For the three-way catalyst to be fully effective, its temperature must be around 400oC (752°F). The catalyst has no emission control effect immediately after the engine has been started from cold (the concept of ‘starting from cold’ is not related to the weather conditions or the ambient temperature, but in this context denotes all starting circumstances in which the engine coolant temperature is below 80oC (185°F).
Moreover, the proportion of free oxygen in the exhaust gases must be kept constant. The amount of oxygen, in turn, is decided by the air/fuel ratio in the cylinder during combustion. The ideal ratio is 1 part fuel to 14.6 parts air (i.e. lambda = 1) by mass. As a
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general rule, if the mixture is richer, i.e. if the proportion of fuel is higher, the emissions of carbon monoxide (CO) and hydrocarbons (HC) will increase. If the mixture is leaner, i.e. if the amount of fuel is lower, the nitrogen oxide (NOx) emissions will increase.
Other than converting CO to CO2 for emission control, the catalytic converter does not significantly affect the amount of carbon dioxide (CO2) produced, which is directly related to the amount of gasoline consumed. The lower the fuel economy, the greater the carbon dioxide emissions.
Much of the work of designing less polluting gas engines therefore has two objectives – to achieve the lowest possible fuel consumption, and to ensure that the catalyst is at optimum working conditions during most of the operating time. These are the guidelines that have been followed in the development of the SCC system.

Conventional direct injection for lower fuel consumption…
In an engine with a conventional injection system, the gasoline is injected into the intake manifold, where it is mixed with the combustion air and is drawn into the cylinder. But part of the gas is deposited on the sides of the intake manifold, and extra fuel must then be injected, particularly when the engine is started from cold, to ensure that the necessary amount of fuel will reach the cylinder.
Direct injection of gasoline was launched a few years ago by carmakers as a way of lowering the fuel consumption. Since gas is injected directly into the cylinder, the fuel consumption can be controlled more accurately, and the amount of fuel injected is limited to that necessary for each individual combustion process. In such cases, it is not necessary for the entire cylinder to be filled with an ignitable mixture of fuel and air, and is sufficient if only the fuel/air mixture nearest to the spark plug is ignitable. The remainder of the cylinder is filled with air.

…but higher nitrogen oxide emissions
This leaner fuel/air mixture results in lower fuel consumption under certain operating conditions, but makes it impossible to use a conventional three-way catalytic converter to neutralize the nitrogen oxide emissions. A special catalytic converter with a ‘nitrogen oxide trap’ must be used instead.
Compared to conventional three-way catalytic converters, these special converters suffer a number of major disadvantages. In the first place, they are more expensive to produce, since they have higher contents of precious metals. Moreover, they are more temperature-sensitive and require cooling when under heavy load, which is usually done
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by injecting extra fuel into the engine. The nitrogen oxide trap must also be regenerated when full, i.e. the stored nitrogen oxide must be removed periodically, which is done by the engine being run briefly on a richer fuel/air mixture. Both cooling and regeneration have a significant effect on the fuel consumption.
In addition, special catalytic converters of this type are sensitive to sulphur, and the engine must therefore be run on fuel with extremely low sulphur content. The gasoline desulphurizing process causes higher carbon dioxide emissions from the refinery.

Direct injection and lambda 1 with SCC
In creating the SCC system, Saab engineers have developed a way of putting to use the benefits of direct injection, while still maintaining lambda 1. Compressed air is used to inject the fuel directly into the cylinder through the spark plug injector. However, unlike other direct injection systems, the cylinder is still supplied with only a sufficient amount of air to achieve lambda 1. The remainder of the cylinder is filled with exhaust gases from the previous combustion process.
The benefit of using exhaust gases instead of air for making up the cylinder fill is that the exhaust gases are inert. They add no oxygen to the combustion process, and they therefore do not affect the lambda 1 ratio.
Therefore, the SCC system does not require a special catalytic converter and performs well with a conventional three-way catalyst. Moreover, the exhaust gases are very hot, and they therefore occupy a large volume, while also providing a beneficial supply of heat to the combustion process.

Reduced pumping losses for lower fuel consumption
At the same time, the SCC system helps minimize pumping losses. These normally occur when the engine is running at low load and the throttle is not fully open. The piston in the cylinder then operates under a partial vacuum during the suction stroke in order to draw in the air. The principle is roughly the same as when you retract a tire pump plunger while covering the air opening with your thumb. The extra energy needed for pulling down the piston requires increased fuel consumption.
In an SCC engine, the cylinder is supplied with only the amount of fuel and air needed for the operating conditions at any particular time. The remainder of the cylinder is filled with inert exhaust gases. The pumping losses are reduced since there is little resistance on the piston intake stroke. With the exhaust valve held open and no throttle plate restriction, the engine can freely draw in the correct proportion of air and inert exhaust gas to achieve lambda 1.
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Different sparks for different operating conditions

The fuel/air mixture in the cylinders of a car with an SCC system consists mainly of exhaust gases and air. The exhaust gases account for 60 – 70 percent of the combustion chamber volume, while 29 – 39 percent is air, and less than 1 percent is occupied by the gasoline. The exact relationships depend on the prevailing operating conditions. As a general rule, a higher proportion of exhaust gases is used when the engine is running at low load, and a lower proportion when it is running at high load.
An ignition system that provides good spark firing quality is needed to ignite a gas mixture consisting of such a high proportion of exhaust gases and to ensure that the mixture will burn quickly enough. A large amount of energy must be applied locally in the combustion chamber. In the SCC system, this is achieved by employing a variable spark gap and a high spark firing energy (80 mJ).
The spark gap is variable between 1 and 3.5 mm. At low load, the spark is fired from the central electrode in the spark plug injector to a fixed earth electrode at a distance of 3.5 mm. (A normal spark plug gap is less than 1 mm.) At high load, the spark is fired later, and the gas density in the combustion chamber is then too high for the spark to bridge a gap of 3.5 mm. A pin on the piston is then used as the earth electrode. The spark will be struck to the electrode on the piston (1 mm gap).

SCC developed by Saab
The Saab Combustion Control system has been developed at the Saab Engine Development Department, which is also the Center of Expertise for the development of turbocharged gasoline engines in the GM Group. The variable spark gap in the SCC system is a further development of the spark-to-piston concept that Saab unveiled at the Frankfurt Motor Show in 1995. In the air-assisted direct injection system, Saab engineers are cooperating with the Australian company Orbital.
The SCC system is a ‘global’ engine system, since it meets the demands in the U.S., where greatest emphasis is placed on limiting the nitrogen oxide and hydrocarbon emissions, and also those in Europe, where greater emphasis is placed on the carbon dioxide emissions.

Photo Credit: Saab Automobile

2001-11-30

Better in practice than in theory
Saab’s Active Head Restraint Gets International Attention

The highly regarded American medical publication Journal of Trauma devotes a large part of its November issue to the SAHR, the Saab Active Head Restraint. The magazine has in particular reviewed the inquiry which shows that the device, fitted to the front seats, reduces the risk of severe neck injuries in rear-end collisions by 75 percent. The analysis rests on a comparative study between the Saab 900 and 9000, which have standard neck guards, and the newer models Saab 9-3 and 9-5, which are equipped with the SAHR.

The Journal of Trauma has run a comparative scrutiny of the study, its methods and its results. The conclusion is that the SAHR represents a real breakthrough in the field of protection in the event of rear-end collisions. Even though the earlier Saab models have seats that are ranked among the best on the market, the SAHR reduces the risk of severe neck injuries by a further 75 percent.

“In light of our laboratory tests we expected to see neck injuries declining by around thirty percent. Now that a couple of years have passed, enabling us to carry out a study of the findings from actual service, it has emerged that the reality is better than that”, says Stefan Olsén, development engineer in Saab’s Collision-Safety Department.

The inquiry was conducted on the basis of accident data from the insurance company DIAL. The drivers of the crashed cars answered a questionnaire and were interviewed by telephone. Besides a marked decline in neck injuries, it was found that none of the SAHR-equipped seats had needed to be replaced or repaired after the accidents.

The modus operandi of the SAHR is that the body is pressed into the backrest of the seat, thereby activating a mechanism that causes the head restraint to snap upwards and forwards, arresting the rapid motion of the head that is produced by a collision from behind and minimizing the relative movement between the head and the lower part of the neck. In this way the device also helps to make up for the fact that many people ride around with their neck guards wrongly adjusted.

“When such a prestigious organ as the Journal of Trauma confirms our findings it marks a great success for our work on collision safety. It’s also evidence that our Real-Life Safety philosophy is sound and that we’re doing the right thing when we compare our laboratory trials with what subsequently happens on the roads. Good laboratory tests are all very well, but absolutely the most important thing for us is that our safety systems work properly in real-life accidents”, says Stefan Olsén.