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In 2019, the US undersecretary of defense for research and engineering predicted that the army would have driverless vehicles before they were commercially available. More recently, Elon Musk has claimed that Tesla will have the technology for fully autonomous vehicles within a year. So, who is winning the race for autonomous vehicle (AV) technology? Here, Roger Brereton, head of sales at steering systems specialist Pailton Engineering, surveys the AV landscape in the military sector.

In 2020, scientists from the Defence Science and Technology Laboratory (Dstl) carried out an experiment to see how humans and a new generation of smart machines can work together to change military operations. This most recent test was part of a decade-long annual testing regime known as the Army Warfighting Experiment (AWE). Here, Roger Brereton head of sales at military steering system specialist, Pailton Engineering, explains how projects like this will help the military vehicle industry get over the technical and ethical hurdles it currently faces.

The trolley problem is a classical philosophical dilemma that is used to illustrate the moral conundrum surrounding how to program autonomous vehicles to react to different situations. However, this particular thought experiment may be just the tip of the iceberg. Here Kostas Poulios, principal design and development engineer at steering systems specialist Pailton Engineering, takes a closer look at the ethical dilemmas of fully autonomous vehicles.

Vehicle original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) ask for three things when sourcing vehicle parts: good price, quality and service. Here Nick Jordan, head of engineering and quality at steering system specialist Pailton Engineering, explains how one assembly process at its headquarters in Coventry, UK has amped up all three of these ever-important factors.

Steering system manufacturer Pailton Engineering has appointed Karen Birch as finance director. The appointment aligns with a five-year growth plan, reaffirming Pailton Engineering’s unique position in the vehicle design market, as it looks ahead to post-COVID economic recovery.

Earlier this month, the UK Government agreed a financial bailout with Transport for London (TFL), promising to make up some of the revenue lost due to the pandemic. At a time when bus operators and manufacturers are facing unprecedented uncertainty, deals like this will be welcome news to the sector. Here, Roger Brereton, head of sales at steering system specialist, Pailton Engineering, looks at the challenges facing the sector and makes the case for targeted government initiatives to get more buses on Europe’s roads.

The quest to make materials harder, stronger and lighter is one with constantly shifting goals, but for vehicle original equipment manufacturers (OEMs), it’s one with real design and performance advantages. Here, Kostas Poulios, principal design & development engineer at steering system specialist Pailton Engineering, explains the importance of induction hardening for fundamental vehicle components.

Steering system specialist, Pailton Engineering has appointed Stephen Moore as its new business development manager. Moore brings with him over 20 years of experience in mechanical and design engineering roles and commercial positions. Merging an engineer’s mind with sales proficiency, Moore is set to nurture and expand Pailton Engineering’s customer portfolio.

In the City of Indaiatuba in Brazil, a Yanmar Solis 90 CV tractor was employed to carry out the spraying and disinfection of the city’s streets from April 15 to May 8. In the pre-pandemic era, we may not have seen heavy equipment repurposed in this way, but increasingly, construction vehicles are compatible with a range of innovative attachments. Here, Roger Brereton, head of sales at steering system specialist Pailton Engineering, explores the design considerations for this evolving and versatile breed of construction vehicle.