Using the total life cycle (TLC) methodology, it is possible to obtain the most accurate technical, ecological and economic evaluation of the efficiency of alternative fuels, which should be carried out taking into account all the stages of the life cycle: the extraction of raw materials; their transportation; the production of fuels; auxiliary processes for obtaining fuels and electricity, as well as the use of motor fuels in power units. Based on the consumption of alternative fuels in transport, and taking into account the advantages of natural gas (NG) among the other alternative fuels, it can be argued that its application is most promising. This is due to large explored reserves of NG, as well as the possibility of significantly reduced emissions of harmful substances when it is burned in an internal combustion engine in comparison with the use of fuels of a different origin. It is possible to directly use NG, as well as to obtain other applied alternative fuels from it. Taking into account the existing methods for estimating the parameters of power units and fuels in the TLC, as well as the requirements of international standards for assessing the environmental safety of products in the TLC (GOST R ISO 14040-14043), the problem of creating mathematical models was being solved to describe material and energy flows for various alternative motor fuels. The mathematical models of the TLC of a power unit working on motor fuels obtained from natural gas have been developed: compressed NG, liquefied NG, methanol, dimethyl ether (DME), synthetic diesel fuel and hydrogen. In particular, this paper presents the mathematical model of the TLC of a propulsion system operating on DME in more detail. The mathematical model allows to calculate the energy and material flows in the TLC of the power unit, determine the expenditure of natural resources, energy, emissions of harmful substances into the environment, compare various fuel options and choose the most efficient ones taking into account the TLC.

The determination of the air flow parameters in the valve ports is an important part of the working process modeling of the piston engine, since the losses in the ports determine the working mixture amount that can be used by the engine during combustion. In this paper the air flow, as a turbulent flow of a viscous compressible fluid, is simulated in the engine valve ports in a spatial setting with the help of the ANSYS Fluent program, which implies the solution of the Navier-Stokes equations system averaged over Reynolds. This system is not closed, and to close it the SST (Shear Stress Transport) Menter turbulence model was used. The calculation of the air flow has been carried out at different valve strokes with a pitch of 0.76 mm. The knowledge of the average air mass flowing through the engine cylinder for the maximum torque mode and the law of the valve movement made it possible to find out an approximate air flow corresponding to each valve stroke. Thus, a series of calculations considering different valve strokes for each port was performed. To verify the mathematical model including a system of equations, adjustments to the solver, grids and others, a blowdown of the gasoline engine cylinder head at the SuperFlow test bench was made. The obtained flow model agreed well with the experimental data. The dependence of the inlet and outlet flow coefficient was obtained, which could be used later to build a mathematical model of the engine working process (for example, with the help of the AVL Boost program).

The article considers modern approaches of the USA, the European Union (EU) and Japan to the emission regulation of harmful substances (HS) containing vehicle exhaust gases. In the USA, the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) exercises control of gases emissions. The estimation methodology and emission requirements are regulated by the “Tier 3 FTR Standards”. In Japan, the methodology for estimating and limiting the vehicles emissions is established by the Environment Ministry and is regulated by the “New Term” Standard. Gases emission requirements in the EU are determined by EU instructions and regulations based on UN Regulation No. 83. Currently, the basic EU Regulation 715/2007 works. Standard regulatory documents of different countries differ in the values of the ultimate gases emissions as well as in their estimation methodology including the duration of the tests, high-speed mode of the vehicle motion, the starting conditions to carry out the tests, and so on. Therefore, the international unification of vehicles emissions requirements is of necessity and the development of a worldwide unified testing procedure for vehicles WGTR (Global Technical Regulation No. 15) agreed in Geneva by the UNECE WP29 World Forum is an important start to it.

It is supposed that each transport vehicle should be equipped with a combined power unit containing an internal combustion engine and an auxiliary power source - a flywheel energy storage with a continuously rated drive. With the help of the proposed methodology it is possible to carry out the mathematical simulation of a two-loop transmission with one three-link differential mechanism which contains a hydrostatic drive in the regulated flywheel storage branch. The analysis of two-loop transmissions has been performed and a rational drive scheme was chosen to illustrate the compiling of a hydrostatic-mechanical drive mathematical model and which was intended to testify a high cross-country capability of a transport vehicle. The study of the hydrostatic drive mathematical model was carried out taking into account the experimentally obtained coefficients of losses, which allowed describing it in the conditions of the complete geometric similarity parameters of hydraulic machines more accurately. The coefficients of hydrostatic drive losses were represented by truncated polynomials which did not exceed the third control parameter of the hydrostatic drive, and it was shown in the example of a Sauer-type hydraulic machine. An algorithm for choosing a rational kinematic scheme was developed and the flow calculation of a two-loop flywheel drive was made. Also the drive efficiency dependences on the parameter of control (ratio) of the hydrostatic drive were determined. The effect of the value of the internal ratio of the three-link differential on the efficiency of the mechanism was estimated as well as and the power transmitted by the hydrostatic-mechanical drive. The proposed mathematical model and the obtained dependences of the efficiency on the hydrostatic-mechanical drive ratio can be used to compile the dynamics equations describing the motion of the transport vehicle equipped with a secondary energy source, that is, a flywheel energy storage. It can be also used for studying the behavior of the vehicle on the ground surface.

The article considers the algorithm of gear change in the automatic transmission (AT) possessing friction control elements and presents the main tasks that can be solved with the help of the algorithm. A strategy has been proposed for controlling the gearshift process which was based on the driver’s desire to change the speed of motion and improve the quality of the gearshifting. The factors significantly affecting the shifting quality were identified and analyzed. The duration the shifting process was chosen as the basic parameter, which was determined by the rules of “fuzzy” logic resulting from the current state of the vehicle and “desire” of the driver. The problem of time optimization for the shifting stages was formulated: torque transmission and synchronization of angular speeds, proceeding from minimization of slipping and the rate of vehicle acceleration change (deceleration) - “jerk”. To solve the optimization problem, the value of “jerk” was limited. The method for constructing the law of the angular velocity change of engine rotation depending on the obtained duration of the shifting stages is given. According to the law of change in the engine angular velocity, it was possible to obtain the laws of the torque variation of the gearbox friction elements during the gearshift. The described algorithm could allow the automatic transmission control system both satisfy the shifting quality requirements, and also adapt the shifting laws during operation. This process was illustrated by the example of an automatic correction of the “control current-torque” characteristic for the included friction control when shifting gears. The basic functional dependencies of the adjustment were given. The example showed the operation of the algorithm over 15 iterations to bring the transient process in accordance with the given law of change.

Estimation parameters of vehicle braking performance are the steady deceleration and the braking distance. Firstly, to obtain the functional dependence of the steady deceleration it is necessary to have the correct equation of the vehicle motion, taking into account the hights of the application points acting on the vehicle motion. In addition, all the force factors associated with inertia should be expressed in the form of the vehicle inertia which is the driving braking force and which is reducing to the center of vehicle gravity. The object of research is the vehicle braking dynamics at any initial motion speeds. In the case of braking from a high initial speed, the air resistance is the second large resistance force at braking which exceeds repeatedly the force of rolling resistance and is the result of the tangential reactions caused by the contact points of the wheels, created by the braking mechanisms, with the supporting surface. The consideration of the application forces of the heights points has a significant influence on the vehicle motion dynamics during braking and is relevant to be taken into account in vehicles design and a real assessment of their effectiveness. The aim of the research is to obtain the equations of vehicle motion during braking with allowance for the force of air resistance and without it, which will allow us to evaluate the effect of drag forces on the braking dynamics. For the first time, based on the wheeled vehicle motion new equation analytical dependencies which connect longitudinal forces acting on a biaxial vehicle and points heights application at braking have been obtained. New equation analytical dependencies confirm the fact that the force did not arise without a point of application. A force in mechanics is a measure of at least two bodies interacting and is characterized by the point of application, direction and magnitude.

Technical implementation of the set of rules that ensure the interaction of the active safety system and the system of autonomous traffic control requires the transformation of the requested parameters into a control vector as the regulation of the control effect onto the executive mechanisms is exercised by means of adaptive control. The article provides an overview of the “related control” method for solving active security tasks. The significance of the “related control” method in the system-technical approach is stressed when designing the anti-lock control system. The essence of the method is to solve the problem of constructing a control loop together with the control vector construction at all stages of system adaptation, taking into account additional factors and capabilities proportional to their significance and which were considered stochastic links in the system or were under the influence of the environment in the classical approach. The description of the synthesis process of the “related control” and the prospects of the applied active safety systems with anti-lock control is presented to control dynamic stabilization systems, designing the interaction of active safety system and autonomous traffic control systems. In the future, “related control” can be developed to take into account the interaction of a multitude of systems on the vehicle dynamics. When considering rectilinear motion, the application of “related control” will allow adapting thresholds and redistributing vertical reactions control. “Related control” is necessary for solving the problem of vehicle dynamic stabilization as well as the braking problem with an airborne non-uniformity of the coupling coefficient caused by the appearance of greater variability (more degrees of freedom) and the necessity to choose the optimal stabilizing control.

Modern forage harvesters (FH) refer to the most loaded types of self-propelled vehicles, which is due to their layout peculiar features and the operating conditions. In this connection, the development of technical solutions to increase the FH smoothness of movement is an actual task of modern manufacture of combine harvesters, while the basis for creating such means is to determine the level of the existing loads on the frame of the vehicles under consideration in the process of their motion. The paper presents the results of experimental studies of the dynamic loads assessment and smoothness of movement parameters of a self-propelled FH when it moves along ground and asphalt-concrete coated roads at various speeds. The measurement procedure has been described including the motion conditions and the used measuring equipment. The implementation of effort and vibration acceleration in various parts of the combine was presented, their analysis was carried out, and the conditions for the emergence of critical loads on the frame of the self-propelled combine were identified, resulting in the detachment of the wheels from the supporting surface and significant acceleration of the skid and adapter of the self-propelled vehicle. The results of spectral analysis based on the obtained experimental data were presented. The main harmonics and characteristic spectra were identified on the basis of amplitude-frequency characteristics of vibration acceleration in such parts of a FH as the bridge of the driven wheels, the bridge of driving wheels and the adapter. It was shown that the spectra were concentrated in the low-frequency region, the boundaries of which were limited by the frequency of the body’s own oscillations on the pneumatic tires and the adapter on the suspension through the source of power. On the basis of the experimental data obtained, the relationship between the layout and the peculiar oscillations features of the FH was determined as well as the directions for further scientific research to improve the smooth running and reduce the dynamic loads on the self-propelled agricultural machinery.

The domestic and foreign experience of creating unmanned ground vehicles (UGV) for special purposes has been considered in the article. The main directions of UGV design development were revealed: robotization of existing vehicle samples by introducing remote control systems; the creation of UGV based on the base of chassis systems elements designed for crew operated vehicles; the creation of UGV originally purposed for unmanned use. The classification of UGV for special purposes, adopted in domestic and foreign literature, was studied. The development stages of domestic ground robotics were analyzed. The analysis of the known works showed that all the modern studies related to the creation of the UGV were aimed at providing controlled motion without a crew, but there were practically no works aimed at increasing mobility. This was due to the fact that the existing in the Russian Federation unmanned vehicles of heavy and middle classes were built on the basis of the running systems designed to accommodate the crew and purposed to meet the requirements caused by the psycho-physiological capabilities of man. In this connection, there was a need to develop a new method for ensuring high mobility of the UGV at the design stage, taking into account the absence of limitations imposed by the psycho-physiological capabilities of the crew, such as: vibration loads; the perception speed of visual information; impact on the controls and the geometric position of the person relative to the support surface. When designing the UGV, the absence of restrictions imposed by the psycho-physiological capabilities of the crew makes it possible to realize higher mobility indicators by applying new design methods together with mathematic simulation modeling.

On October 18-19, 2017, the next International Automobile Scientific Forum (IASF-2017) “Intelligent Transport Systems” was held at the Federal State Unitary Enterprise “Central Scientific Research Automobile and Automotive Engines Institute” (FSUE “NAMI”). The forum was participated by the representatives of the Ministry of Industry and Trade of Russia, the Ministry of Transport of Russia, specialists of foreign and Russian automakers, leading scientists from Russia, Belarus, Georgia as well as young scientists, postgraduates and students. The main areas of the scientific forum discussion were: the development tendencies of autonomous (unmanned) vehicles; Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS) of new generation; communication systems for vehicles, infrastructure and people; technical vision and navigation systems of autonomous vehicles; systems for modeling traffic and driving conditions; testing and certification of autonomous vehicles; development of the legal base of the autonomous traffic; cyber-security of autonomous driving systems; social and economic problems of the autonomous vehicles introduction. As part of the forum, an agreement was signed between the Association of Automotive Engineers (AAE) of Russia and the Association of Transport Engineers (ATE) of Russia, which should give an additional impulse to coordination of efforts to create autonomous (unmanned) vehicles and related infrastructure. The forum participants could familiarize themselves with the exhibits of the domestic research and development in the field of autonomous vehicles and their components. The following were presented: an unmanned electric bus “SHATL”; an unmanned vehicle on electric traction; the electronic control systems and auto components of an intelligent transport system; “Unmanned KAMAZ”; an unmanned bus on the basis of a light electrical platform; a wireframe autobus of new-generation, the technical characteristics of which fully met the “Affordable Environment” Program requirements; and “An open automobile platform for testing the autonomous vehicles technologies”.