Presence at the Lancia and Fioravanti stands, suspensions’ electronic control and infotainment for Lancia Delta Executive and Alfa MiTo GTA concept, the sector’s first configurable instrument cluster for the new Renault Scenic, full-LED headlamps for the new Audi R8 V10, navigation with telemetry functions for Abarth: in its role as supplier of advanced systems and components to the automotive industry at the global level, Magneti Marelli’s technologies are featured on different leading vehicles and concepts previewed at the 79th international Motor Show in Geneva .
At Lancia’s elegant stand, Magneti Marelli will have its own corner dedicated to the technological products developed for Lancia Delta: the Reactive Suspension System, the integrated satellite navigator (Instant Nav), the adaptive bi-xenon lights (Adaptive Xenon Lights) and the robotized gearbox (Selectronic); moreover, the Blue&Me™, resulting from the cooperation between Fiat Group Automobiles, Magneti Marelli and Microsoft.
Specifically, Delta’s new “flagship”, the Delta Executive, which will be debuting in Geneva, comes equipped with Magneti Marelli’s new Synaptic Damping Control system, known as Reactive Suspension System on the Delta model.
In detail, through real-time electronic control of the shock absorbers, the Reactive Suspension System reduces oscillations of the vehicle body under all driving conditions, thus ensuring the highest levels of safety, comfort and handling. Thanks to certain sensors, the system identifies the driving scenario and roadway conditions, and consequently the most suitable control laws. The electronic control unit and valves allow the system to neutralise any problems caused by difficult road conditions as they arise, and they ensure excellent dynamic control, increasing manageability and manoeuvring accuracy. The “Reactive Suspension System” also ensures a prompt response in case of emergency manoeuvres, reducing the vehicle stopping distance by approximately 5% thanks to perfect contact between the tyres and the ground.
The latest generation of infotainment systems developed by Magneti Marelli for Fiat Group Automobiles are also factory-fitted on the Lancia Delta Executive: the Radio Nav, called Instant Nav on the Delta. This is a unique device with a high-resolution display that integrates a map satellite navigator (on SD card), a radio receiver dual tuner and CD player/MP3 reader, all of it compatible with Blue&Me and offering the possibility to handle telephone communications safely in addition to other functions, such as Mediaplayer and USB interface.
Synaptic Damping Control and Radio Nav are two Magneti Marelli technological products that are also available on the beautiful Alfa Romeo MiTo GTA concept car.
Alfa Romeo adopts the Synaptic Damping Control system on the MiTo GTA concept in order to optimise its dynamic behaviour through control of the shock absorbers. Specifically, thanks to the many parameters managed by the device, it is possible, for example, to counteract the load transfers under acceleration, stiffening the rear and ensuring lightening-quick acceleration with maximum traction.
On the MiTo GTA, even Radio Nav takes on a sporty look: Alfa Romeo, in cooperation with Magneti Marelli, introduces the Radio Nav “with sporting cockpit”. In order to constantly monitor the operating parameters of the vehicle, besides displaying the standard and navigation screens, the large colour display also shows information on various operating parameters that control the mechanical and dynamic performance of the car (Alfa DNA configurations, engine oil temperature, turbocharger pressure, throttle valve opening percentage). It is also possible to monitor the acceleration trend in real time.
Again on the wake of the meeting between infotelematic technologies and sporting spirit, Magneti Marelli – the Official Telemetry Sponsor of the FIA WRC World Rally Championship – integrates both items in its know-how and in its vocation. In this background, Magneti Marelli offers a solution for the Abarth Grande Punto “SuperSport” too, with the development of the Abarth Blue&MeTM MAP satellite navigator with telemetry capabilities. This device offers innovative functions with a “racing” background, such as the visualization on the display of main in-car parameters acquired via Bluetooth (engine r.pm., vehicle speed, engaged gear), car location and track times in case the vehicles is on one of the circuits stored on the SD memory card of the device, the storage of telemetric data related to a route and subsequent analysis of the stored information.
At Geneva 2009, Magneti Marelli’s sporting DNA, present since the company’s founding in 1919 and at the service of dozens of world champion teams in automobile and motorcycle competitions, is also expressed in the contribution to the LF1 concept car presented by the Fioravanti bodywork design atelier. On Fioravanti’ car, which represents a hypothetical F1 car of the future, Magneti Marelli is present with its own logo, a technological steering wheel and a prototype of the KERS energy recovery system, whose operation is also illustrated in a small corner in the Fioravanti stand.
Magneti Marelli’s technological mark is also visible on one of Renault’s most important new models presented in Geneva, the new Scenic, which is the first automobile in its segment to introduce an instrument panel with configurable display.
The system supplied by Magneti Marelli allows the motorist to configure the instrument panel according to different graphic layouts, choosing between different combinations of colours, fonts and types of information simply by pressing a devoted button.
This solution is based on TFT (Thin Film Transistor) technology, in other words a liquid crystal film with 200,000 colours that allows for a new concept of graphics, customisable onboard the vehicle, and a new concept of man-machine interface. The use of a TFT display ensures high quality of the image and of the definition for the display of main vehicle parameters.
The possibility to reconfigure the graphics on the instrument panel offers never-before-seen flexibility scenarios for the carmakers as well, as they can change the graphic customisation through the use of different software, depending on vehicle versions/models, albeit using the same functional base of the solution.
With regards to lighting, the feather in Magneti Marelli’s cap, appreciated by all leading carmakers in the world, the technological apex that sums up and symbolizes Magneti Marelli Automotive Lighting’s presence on many automobiles on display at the Geneva Motor show, is once again the full-LED headlamp, developed in cooperation with AUDI for the R8: specifically, the new Audi R8 V10 will be on display in Geneva, with its factory fitted full-LED headlamps.
The full-LED headlamp on the R8 is the first one in the world to use LED technology for all lighting functions – dipped headlights, full beam headlights, direction arrows, daytime running lights (DRL) and parking lights.
With a colour temperature of 6000 degrees Kelvin, LED light comes close to daytime light and ensures the best lighting conditions, an average useful life that exceeds vehicle life and reduced energy consumption. In fact, research carried out by Automotive Lighting shows that vehicles that use Xenon technology for the dipped/full beam functions and LEDs for all the other rear and front lighting functions, can potentially save up to 80 Watts and 2 grams of CO2 emissions per kilometre compared to conventional lighting with halogen lamps.
Finally, back to FIAT, on top of the many systems and components supplied for the 500, as well as for the newborn “500 C”, in worldwide preview at the Geneva Motor show (front and rear lighting, “Day Running Lights”, instrument cluster, control systems for 1.2 petrol 8V and 1.3 diesel 16V engines, automated transmission, exhaust systems and suspensions, Blue and MeTM MAP portable satellite navigator), Magneti Marelli also contributed, for the electronics part, to the development of the “Start&Stop” system. This technology, already available on the 500 PUR-O2 – also on display at Geneva 2009- and which will be fitted on the 500 C, is especially important in terms of reduced consumptions and emissions. On the 500, the “Start&Stop” system can also be combined, for added environmental benefits, with Dualogic, the automated transmission based on Magneti Marelli’s Freechoice system, the electro-hydraulic automation mechanism of the manual transmission that, thanks to the electronic management of gear changes, combines comfort of use with reduced consumptions and emissions.
These technologies fit into the scope of Magneti Marelli's mission, which is to make available intelligent systems and solutions that contribute to the evolution of mobility according to environmental sustainability criteria, such as the ones in the area of "green navigation". In other words, telematic and navigation devices that can be used by motorists to identify the ideal itinerary, optimise travel times and minimise consumptions and emissions.