This Engineering Newswire looks at exploring the moon with Audi, shedding new light on solar energy in the dark and building a bulletproof … car seat.
AUDI Goes to the Moon
Almost 45 years after NASA’s Apollo 17 completed the last manned mission to the moon, the Google Lunar XPRIZE competition has selected the same landing site for its rover showdown. Joining the competition, AUDI has teamed up with the German team, the Part-Time Scientists
Audi is supporting the team with its knowledge in lightweight construction and e-mobility, specifically with its quattro permanent all-wheel drive and with piloted driving. The vehicle, dubbed the Audi lunar Quattro, is largely made of aluminum, and features an adjustable solar panel to capture sunlight that is directed to a lithium-ion battery to power four electric wheel hub motors.
Shedding New Light on Solar Energy in the Dark
The University of Texas at Arlington materials science and engineering team has developed an all-vanadium photo-electrochemical flow cell that allows for efficient and large-scale solar energy storage even past my bedtime, which varies.
The work is a product of the 2013 National Science Foundation $400,000 grant to improve the way solar energy is captured, stored and transmitted for use.
Bulletproof Car Seat
Latvian, military-grade vehicle manufacturer Dartz Motorz is known for creating luxurious, impenetrable armored vehicles. Some, like the Black Shark SpyKar, even feature rotating bulletproof grills, Kevlar-coated titanium bodies, and an anti-paparazzi shock device.
Called the L’Enfante Terrible car seat, the product features Kevlar, gold-plated crocodile skin, and gold-stitched carbon fiber. According to Dartz, one of their paranoid customers has already ordered the bulletproof car seat for their child.