Automotive & Transportation
About the Header
SwRI upgraded several emission test cells with new equipment in one of the most experienced emissions test laboratories in the country, which actually predates the creation of the Environmental Protection Agency.
For more than 75 years, Southwest Research Institute has been involved in nearly every facet of automotive and transportation research from powertrains to fuels and lubricants to intelligent highways and connected and automated vehicles. In 2024, SwRI continued existing programs and launched new ones aimed at safe, energy-efficient, affordable, and low- and zero-emission modes of transport. For more than 30 years, SwRI has been a premier provider of intelligent transportation systems (ITS) and advanced traffic management systems (ATMS) while developing automated driving systems for vehicles designed to traverse urban roadways, off-road environments and military battlefields.
Automotive
This year, SwRI successfully developed and demonstrated a hydrogen-fueled Class 8 demonstration vehicle, offering energy efficiency above 40% while producing near-zero carbon emissions. The vehicle uses a hydrogen internal combustion engine (H2-ICE) that produces ultra-low NOx and CO2 emissions while still providing enough torque and power for most heavy-duty applications. Because NOx emissions affect air quality and pose other health risks, they are heavily regulated. Built in collaboration with the industry-supported H2-ICE consortium, the completed demo vehicle toured the country, making a compelling case for this zero-greenhouse gas option for the difficult-to-decarbonize long-haul trucking market.
The energy opportunities that H2-ICE and hydrogen can provide the commercial vehicle industry have led to questions about the infrastructure needed to support hydrogen-fueled commercial fleets in the long term. While hydrogen hubs along major traffic arteries would help ensure the viability of hydrogen-fueled fleets, many questions as to how to deploy this infrastructure remain. SwRI is launching the Refueling of Fleets consortium to help fleet owners, the federal government and original equipment manufacturers understand what this will entail.
Electrified powertrains are one approach to achieve net-zero emissions. In 2024, SwRI launched the newest phase of our Advanced Fluids for Electrified Vehicles (AFEV) consortium, following a successful four-year consortium that included members of the automotive fuels and lubricants industries. Through AFEV 2, SwRI aims to advance the industry’s understanding on the unique stresses placed on fluids for electric and hybrid vehicles, and to optimize these fluids for electric vehicles.
In conjunction with the Electrified Vehicle and Energy Storage Evaluation-II consortium, SwRI developed and evaluated a battery immersion cooling test rig that suppresses thermal runaway in EV batteries.
SwRI’s H2-ICE demonstration vehicle is powered by a hydrogen-fueled internal combustion engine that produces ultra-low NOx and CO2 emissions while providing torque and power for most heavy-duty applications.
In 2024, SwRI launched the next phase of an electric vehicle (EV) battery consortium dedicated to understanding the performance of energy storage systems. The Electrified Vehicle and Energy Storage Evaluation-II consortium builds on more than a decade of SwRI-led, precompetitive research with companies across the mobility sector. While battery cell research focusing on test repeatability, aging and fast charging strategies will remain at the heart of the program, we are expanding module and pack research. We are also exploring emerging cell chemistries with increased energy capacities. Performance and abuse testing at various scales provides critical data and insights to improve thermal management and safety performance using new technologies. For instance, immersion cooling entails submerging battery cells or packs into a dielectric fluid to dissipate heat more effectively than air cooling.
In 2024, SwRI launched preparations for implementing new category specification changes for gas engine oils for passenger and commercial vehicles, requiring them to be more durable, economical, fuel efficient and environmentally friendly. This year, the American Petroleum Institute launched PC-12, a new heavy-duty engine oil category, and SwRI is leading the development of new tests to qualify these engine oils. Using internal funding, engineers developed tests to evaluate heavy-duty crankcase lubricants for their ability to reduce valvetrain wear under different conditions. The new MACK T-8 and MACK T-11 tests produced robust data while using a fuel-efficient engine and less expensive parts, offering the industry potentially billions of dollars in savings. As the primary test development lab, SwRI is the expert in these new procedures, which have a projected lifespan of 20 years.
To test "vehicle-to-everything" connectivity technologies, SwRI built a new four-way traffic signal intersection on campus. The project allows SwRI to send digital messages between automated vehicles, traffic signals and roadway infrastructure, to improve mobility and safety.
Using internal funding, SwRI developed a new evaluation procedure for heavy-duty engine oils under PC-12. The test method is faster, cheaper and more environmentally friendly than previous procedures.
SwRI also developed a portable device to significantly reduce the time and costs associated with testing heavy equipment for emissions compliance in 2024. Working with the California Air Resources Board (CARB), SwRI designed and built an automated mobile hydraulic dynamometer (MoHyD) system compatible with a wide range of heavy-duty engines used in tractors and other off-road equipment up to 400 horsepower. Pronounced "mow-hide," the standalone instrument connects to the hydraulic systems of off-road equipment, allowing engine emissions testing in the field. MoHyD simulates engine operations over various cycles and conditions, replicating tests conducted in a lab.
Working with the California Air Resources Board, SwRI designed an automated mobile hydraulic dynamometer (MoHyD) system to perform field-based emissions testing on a wide range of heavy-duty engines up to 400 horsepower.
SwRI evaluated this novel electric vehicle fire-containment system designed to prevent fires from damaged electric vehicles spreading to nearby vehicles and structures at repair facilities.
Fuels and lubricants research is one of SwRI’s original research and testing programs, so the Institute has continuously reinvested in its laboratories and facilities. In 2024, SwRI focused on upgrading, consolidating and maintaining a range of test facilities and laboratories to ensure that we remain our clients’ first choice for standard fuel tests. Additionally, SwRI is streamlining and updating our client-facing portal, providing secure access to testing information, resources and data tailored to each client.
SwRI also upgraded several test cells in one of the most experienced emissions test laboratories in the country, which even predates the creation of the Environmental Protection Agency. The year-long effort to revamp the test cells will ensure quieter, cleaner, safer and more efficient operations for years to come. The upgrades include new AC dynamometers, emissions measurement technology and associated infrastructure to support longer, more efficient and robust testing. The AC dynamometers will also reduce the Institute’s carbon footprint by generating power for the grid instead of sending waste heat to cooling towers that consume water.
For over 10 years, SwRI has served as a Shell Eco-marathon sponsor, providing science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) outreach as well as evaluation of the latest efficient and automated driving technologies. These annual engineering competitions challenge student teams from around the globe to design, build, test and drive ultra-energy-efficient vehicles. SwRI staff provides technical and engineering support and presents one student team with an award recognizing innovation. In 2024, SwRI staff traveled to Indianapolis, Indiana; Nogaro, France; and Lombok, Indonesia, for regional Shell Eco-marathon events. The goal is to provide the next generation of engineers and scientists with the opportunity to collaborate as teams and explore current and future vehicles and energy that will shape a lower carbon future for all.
Fire technology specialists at the Institute routinely develop customized fire testing to evaluate new products and technologies not covered by existing standards. In 2024, SwRI designed and performed a custom fire test for an EV containment system designed to mitigate the risks associated with storing damaged EVs, which are at increased risk of spontaneously catching fire. Engineers exposed an EV inside the enclosure system to heat, monitoring temperature and air quality from a safe location. At its peak, interior temperatures reached nearly 2,000 degrees Fahrenheit, while the outside of the enclosure stayed below 350°F. Engineers also evaluated the system’s watertight seal by flooding the enclosure with an extinguishing agent.
SwRI develops and manages software and hardware for digital signage used to provide travel time to motorists in San Antonio.
SwRI engineers demonstrated an adversary-in-the-middle device developed to evaluate the cyber resiliency of vehicle-to-grid charging systems. With the device, SwRI identified cybersecurity vulnerabilities with electric vehicles using direct current fast-charging systems.
SwRI displayed its NEXTCAR vehicle outfitted with vehicle autonomy stack and eco-driving technology at the ARPA–E 2024 Innovation Summit. We demonstrated efficiency improvements offered by approaching a traffic signal without requiring a complete stop.
Through ARPA-E’s NEXTCAR program, Institute engineers are reducing vehicular energy consumption using next-generation connected and automated vehicle (CAV) technology. Now in Phase II, SwRI’s NEXTCAR project is using CAV technology and Level 4 automated driving systems to develop a specialized algorithm suite to provide 30% energy savings. Building on the success of its eco-routing, eco-driving and power-split optimization technologies, SwRI is exploring cooperative control, smart lane change/merge and dedicated CAV operations.
Transportation
SwRI has developed ATMS and ITS networks that integrate infrastructure, technology and software with vehicles to communicate with the traveling public. SwRI has generated more than 29 million lines of computer code to support the ITS technology we’ve deployed in more than 50 traffic management centers across 13 states and Puerto Rico.
SwRI’s ActiveITS footprint continues to expand, managing traffic in three of the five most populous states in the U.S., with new deployments in Utah and New England. In 2024, SwRI deployed ActiveITS through the Utah Department of Transportation’s cloud platform. Additionally, we integrated full-featured network-based capabilities into the New England Compass ATMS project that serves New Hampshire, Maine and Vermont.
SwRI won a subcontract to install our integrated corridor management technology for the Virginia Department of Transportation. This artificial-intelligence-based decision-support system aims to improve system reliability as well as safety and mobility for travelers in Northern Virginia.
In collaboration with Vanderbilt University, SwRI integrated a diversion route subsystem into the I-24 Smart Corridor project in Nashville for the Tennessee Department of Transportation. This software module helps ATMS operators coordinate diversion
routes in response to major traffic incidents.
We are working on the largest vehicle-to-everything (V2X) deployment in the state of Texas — connectivity that enhances mobility, efficiency and safety while reducing environmental impacts. V2X technology enables vehicles to communicate with each other (V2V), pedestrians and cyclists (V2P) and roadside infrastructure (V2I) via communications devices that continuously exchange speed, position and other information. SwRI has installed roadside technology connected to the Texas Department of Transportation field network and to onboard units installed in a freight fleet.
We developed off-road autonomous driving tools with a focus on stealth for military clients. Also relevant for agriculture and space operational agility applications, the Vision for Off-Road Autonomy (VORA™) system passively perceives objects, models environments and simultaneously localizes and maps while navigating.
In 2024, SwRI began developing liquefaction models to evaluate America’s roads, bridges and tunnels for vulnerability to earthquake damage under the Federal Highway Administration’s Seismic and Multi-Hazard Resilience program. Expanding upon work performed for the Next Generation Liquefaction project, the Institute is collaborating with The University of California, Los Angeles, and Oregon State University to provide new modeling tools to help highway infrastructure owners identify assets that are vulnerable to earthquake-induced liquefaction. Liquefaction occurs when saturated soil behaves more like a fluid and becomes incapable of supporting a structure during an earthquake. The five-year project will increase public safety and improve the nation’s earthquake readiness.
Using internal funding, we identified cybersecurity vulnerabilities in EVs, direct current fast-charging systems and other EV supply equipment. These findings laid the groundwork for identifying ways to bolster the security of the fast-charging infrastructure, leading to follow-up projects.
SwRI developed and maintains San Antonio’s TransGuide traffic management system, which allows operators to use ITS technology to improve mobility for the traveling public.
In 2024, the Federal Highway Administration awarded SwRI a five-year contract to develop new models and tools to identify vulnerable infrastructure and bolster earthquake safety in the United States.