The new vehicle fuel economy standard puts the focus on lightweighting and vehicle electrification which in turn drives the complexity of vehicle program execution. These trends spur the need for new tools and processes to address and improve the early phase of vehicle development. A systematic approach to optimize the mass and performance of a typical body structure has to be developed to meet those challenges. The innovation in methodology involves the identification of critical design progressions to efficiently handle new vehicle configuration such as battery electrical vehicle, new performance requirements, new materials and efficient light weight designs. A multidisciplinary stochastic optimization approach to achieve the optimal balance between performance, mass and cost, while accounts for design variations and their impact on the performance reliability, has been developed to meet those new challenges with great success. The totally integrated process allows design and performance engineers to synthesize design concepts in a more seamless fashion. The benefit of this approach is innovative designs for new vehicles, balance of major load requirement and reduction of total body mass, material and construction cost.
Engineering Group Manager, Vehicle Optimization
Chair, Global Optimization Focus Group
General Motors Advanced Vehicle Development
Simon Xu is Engineering Group Manager for Vehicle Optimization/Architecture Strategy at General Motors Technical Center in Warren, MI and is responsible for innovations in vehicle architecture development process, tools and strategies. Simon is an acknowledged expert in advanced optimization techniques such as parametric modeling, morphing, topology optimization and multi-disciplinary optimization. Through his team’s effort and influence, GM’s virtual vehicle development has been continuously improved by the implementation of new tools and processes with benefits in vehicle performance, mass, cost and fuel economy. He has also played a major role in GM’s advance technology programs which developed new electric and hybrid vehicle concepts and the optimal use of alternative light weight materials for future vehicle programs. He chairs the GM Global Optimization Focus Group and approves the publications of GM corporate guidelines on optimization processes. He is member of Global Automotive Management Council. He is the recipient of Boss Kettering Award in 2013, GM’s highest honor for technical achievement in innovation. He holds one patent on an advanced vehicle frame design and numerous internal GM records of inventions.
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