State of the Art Auto Transmission Technologies - Manufactures Complying With CAFE Rules

A few years ago, I had written an interesting piece on new materials and new CAD CAM software to ensure aerodynamic designs enabling new autos to meet the strict CAFÉ standards set by the US DOT (Department of Transportation). Later, this was a little over a year ago, someone had contacted me and told me of new transmission technology still in development which might also help our future automobiles meet those tough standards, and the CAFÉ standards are quite hard to meet, and could prove to be a regulatory nightmare for auto makers, even if in the end it will reduce our Nation's oil usage and help our environment.

June had contacted me and noted back in 2010 that; "There's a small company in Provo, Utah (VMT Technology) that has introduced a breakthrough transmission that they feel will help the automobile industry meet and exceed these new CAFE standards. They call it The Universal Transmission. Detroit is looking at this technology but has been slow to sign on - more corporate inertia."

Now then, it seems to me that it would appear that we must use every advantage we can including better lubricants, better auto materials, more efficient engines, better tire air pressure, and better electrical systems to meet the Café standards of the future. Our energy security in the United States depends on us using our resources efficiently.

The less oil we import, the better our trade deficits will be, and the more money that will continue to circulate within our nation. Not to mention our better standing in the world and easier efforts with diplomacy or creating more enemies inadvertently - another big theme on this touchy issue - but a major important challenge as well.

It's great to see American companies on the leading edge of such technologies, and I did thank June for referring this information to me for future articles. You see, she's right, and there is quite a bit of power loss in the transfer of energy from the motor through the transmission sometimes as much as 20-40%. It seems there will be more high-tech companies like the one June had mentioned above, working on bringing the efficiency of our modern automobiles to where they need to be.

It's going to take some smart thinking, and some heavy lifting to get there, but it is something that we need to do. Perhaps, it will take a combination of many technologies and areas of science and research to get there, but it's a road we need to take, so please consider all this and think on it.