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High-Tech
Vehicles Made in St. Louis
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Technology
is making individual transportation safer, smarter and easier
to operate.
By Liese Hutchison
"There’s more computer power in vehicles now than was available
in the original Cray Computer,” notes Jim Nihls, manager of DaimlerChrysler’s
north plant. It’s true. Onboard technology regulates emissions
and fuel consumption, controls speed, remembers seat positions,
improves night vision, detects objects, opens automatically, summons
help and regulates the temperature.
The St. Louis region is home to four vehicle manufacturing facilities—two
DaimlerChrysler plants in Fenton, a Ford Motor Co. facility in
Hazelwood and a General Motors plant in Wentzville—that incorporate
the latest technological features in its cars, trucks and vans.
Dodge and Chrysler minivans will sport the industry’s
first power up and power down lift gate that’s remotely
accessed.
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At the DaimlerChrysler north plant in Fenton, the Dodge Ram Quad-Cab
is equipped with a standard transmission controller that shifts
at the proper time and an engine controller that regulates engine
function to improve performance. In addition, the vehicle has
four-wheel disc brakes, optional anti-lock brakes and driver-
and passenger-side airbags. “The passenger-side airbag is key
controlled and both of the system’s impact sensors need to detect
an impact before the airbags will deploy,” Nihls points out.
An overhead computer console lets the driver know how many miles
per gallon the Dodge Ram is achieving, how many miles until it
runs out of gas and what the temperature is outside.
At DaimlerChrysler’s south plant, the facility is gearing up to
manufacture this October what Chrysler terms “Minivan First” for
its 2001 Chrysler Voyager, Chrysler Voyager LX, Dodge Caravan
SE and Dodge Caravan Sport. “We will have the industry first power
up and power down lift gate that’s remotely accessed,” notes Bryan
Zvibleman, spokesman. “Another Minivan First is the three zone
temperature control. This allows the driver, driver side passenger
and rear passengers to separately control the vehicle’s temperature.”
Other technology features include power sliding doors with manual
overdrive. This system detects objects blocking the opening and
closing of the vehicle’s doors.
At Ford’s plant in Hazelwood, the company is still producing the
popular Ford Explorer. Now in its 10th year of production, the
Hazelwood facility manufactures more than 200,000 Explorers annually.
The plant is making modifications now to its facility to handle
the 2002 Mercury Mountaineer. Currently a concept SUV, the Mountaineer
is a more expensive and luxurious SUV than the Explorer.
A new technology tool for both the Explorer and Mountaineer, notes
spokesman Rick Voytowich, is a reverse sensing system. “This sensing
system emits a beeping signal inside the console if an object,
such as a child or animal, is detected behind the vehicle,” he
states. “If the vehicle gets within 18 inches of the object, a
solid beep will emit.”
The new system alerts drivers to objects within six feet. Four
ultrasonic sensors are mounted in the rear bumper of the vehicle
that sends out signals that bounce off objects and return to the
computer, which in turn transmits the information to the driver
through a speaker in the cabin. Optional side airbags are also
available for the Explorer and the new Mountaineer.
Lost? The OnStar system available in 29 General Motor vehicles
will guide the directionally challenged driver. At its Wentzville
facility, GM produces the Savannah and the Chevy Astro Express.
These conversion vans can be optionally equipped with the OnStar
system, which has 100,000 subscribers nationwide.
GM’s
gadget is a godsend. The OnStar
System allows the driver to communicate with
a GM support person in an emergency. |
OnStar is a Global Positioning System that allows the driver and
a GM support person to communicate in time of need. Whether it’s
a flat tire, an airbag deployment, too many wrong turns or an
engine light turning on, the driver can access help immediately
by pushing a button in the vehicle.
The company is expanding its services to include wireless communication.
The new network will allow personal calling capability and voice-based
personalized Internet access. “We estimate that over the next
three years, OnStar will be available in more than four million
vehicles nationwide,” says Chet Huber, general manager of OnStar.
From the first Model T to the latest concept cars, 100 years of
technology has made today’s vehicles almost driver proof!
Liese L. Hutchison is an assistant professor in the department
of communication at Saint Louis University and a free-lance writer.
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