New Projects

In the last twenty years, technology has radically changed the automobile and the way in which persons think about the mobility.

New ideas have smoothed the road to extraordinary innovations in whichever field, generating new opportunities and adding value to the life of everyone.

Magneti Marelli, from always, takes active part in this change.

Advanced Lighting

Automotive lighting is a crucial element for safety while driving. Within this field, there are two major technological drivers in development that are crucial for Magneti Marelli: LED technology and AFS (Adaptive Frontlight System).

The use of LED (Light Emitting Diode) technology in automotive lighting is a technological challenge. This is especially true with regard to the low an high beam function for headlights.

The LED’s innovative characteristics are firstly the quality of the light it emits: it provides very high intensity of brightness, and the properties are similar to those of daylight. This allows the driver perfect visibility during night driving, which is a major safety benefit.

As for the rear lights, what counts is their super-fast reaction times.

In both cases the lights have incredible levels of duration (longer than that of the car itself) and reliability, with low energy consumption.

The AFS (Adaptive Frontlight System) allows the headlight beam to be adjusted so that it follows the shape of the road.

The system consists of a xenon projector unit which is flexibly mounted in the headlamp, and by small electrical actuators that are used for position control.

The system automatically adjusts the beam of light according to the situation, with options for rain, driving in the city or motorway driving.

The system helps the driver to recognise obstacles and unforeseen situations on the road much earlier; so that the degree of safety due to reactions increases considerably.

Electronic systems for Infotainment and Safety

Magneti Marelli is set to release new info-telematic and navigation devices.

The new “high-end” multimedia systems will use a hard disk to contain both the navigation maps and the music collection; 3 radio tuners to improve the reception quality of the signal (Radio Diversity) and allow information to be received through the Traffic Message Channel (TMC); 3D graphics processors and advanced Text to Speech systems.

“Telematic boxes” are also under development. These are highly integrated, low cost systems for entertainment/satellite navigation systems such as Blue&Me/Blue&Me Nav and for safety systems as the E-call box.

The E-call-box is a device that can make an automatic emergency call to a control centre when the vehicle presents behaviour that could be associated with an accident.
The device also sends a satellite signal of the vehicle’s position to the emergency team.

These devices are expected to become compulsory in Europe by 2010.

Also in the area of safety, Magneti Marelli is working on Night Vision systems.
These are able to help the driver during night driving, through infrared vision of the roadway and of obstacles that may be outside the range of the headlight beams.

It is also developing “Head up display”: these are systems that can directly display useful information on the windscreen, as well as images such as those provided by the night vision device.

TetraFuel

Developed in Brazil - where alternative fuels such as ethanol (derived from the sugar cane) widely spread in the Seventies - the Magneti Marelli TetraFuel® system is a technology that allows a vehicle’s engine to function equally well with four different types of fuel.

This allows the consumer to choose whether to fill up on petrol, alcohol/petrol (a mix of petrol with 22% alcohol), pure alcohol or compressed natural gas.

This process is made possible by a special microprocessor inserted in the ECU (Engine Control Unit).

TetraFuel technology comes from the Flexfuel SFS (Software Flexfuel Sensor) system, also launched in Brazil by Magneti Marelli in 2003.

Flexfuel SFS offers the option of using petrol or alcohol in various mixes (from 0 to 100%) indifferently.

This again allows consumers the maximum flexibility for refuelling and mobility, and the choice of the cheapest fuel.

In 2007, 100% of new cars in Brazil will use Flexfuel technology, while Magneti Marelli has become the leader in this market in Brazil, with a 58% share.

AMT (Automated Manual Transmission)

Automated Manual Transmission (AMT, also known as Selespeed) from Magneti Marelli is a mechanism for automating manual transmission which derives from Formula 1. It combines comfort of use with a reduction in consumption.

It allows the driver to change gear without using the clutch, either sequentially or fully automatically.

The device from Magneti Marelli operates on the manual transmission of a car in the same way as the driver would: it opens and closes the clutch, engages and disengages the gears and, when necessary, it also controls the choice of transmission (automatic or sequential mode for changing gear).

The heart and intelligence of the gear control system is the TCU (Transmission Control Unit).

Taking into account the driver’s requirements and the operating conditions of the vehicle, it manages the gear changes by controlling the clutch, the gears and the engine.

The fact that it is well coupled with the engine control means the AMT is able to ensure less consumption than a car with manual transmission: lower consumption also means lower emissions, especially of CO2.

The latest generation of AMT is known as “mechatronic”, as for the first time, it combines the electronic control part and the hydraulic actuation part of the transmission in a single kit.

This allows considerable improvements to performance, both in terms of speed and comfort when changing gear.

In addition to Selespeed having been installed in numerous small and medium cylinder vehicles, versions of the robotized transmission have been installed in several supercars such as Ferrari, Lamborghini and Aston Martin.

At Magneti Marelli we are looking for people whose ideas make a difference.
We offer opportunities alla round the world, for contributing to create next generation technologies.

Visit the section WORK WITH US and find out the opportunities that fit to you.