Announcement: dlhBOWLES Part of the Inaugural Class of PACEpilot Honorees

For 26 years and running, the Automotive News  PACE Awards have proclaimed the Automotive Industry’s greatest commercialized game-changing innovations. The accelerated tempo of change has been driving vast innovation in the pilot phase through processes, products and systems that have not yet been brought to market. Development within these areas has given rise to the need for a new program started in 2020 heralding the achievements of eleven honorees.

The new Automotive News PACEpilot program reviews and recognizes innovations from suppliers, including startups, that have reached a working pilot demonstration phase but are not yet commercialized with a contracted sale.  A glimpse into dlhBOWLES’ innovational spirit is provided in Automotive News’ Pete Bigelow’s article featuring Chief Executive Officer John Saxon and Director of Business Development Russell Hester.  In a live ceremony event (9:00 am EDT on Tuesday, April 28,2020), Automotive News will broadcast the full list of winners. Register here.  

Thanks to a special project challenge from dlhBOWLES customer General Motors (GM) and through the joint expertise of fellow industry veteran Rausch and Pausch GmbH (RAPA), we designed our multi-sensor Fluid Control Unit (FCU) technology to reduce the amount of fluid consumption by cleaning the right location at the right time.  The long-term vision for our automotive grade tested and proven Clēr™ camera and sensor cleaning product line is scalability and quick integration with current original equipment manufacturer (OEM) systems.  Market availability of the Clēr™ multi-sensor FCU parallels the timeline of Level 4 and Level 5 vehicles.

As we celebrate the recognition of dlhBOWLES for Automotive News’ esteemed PACEpilot award, we are sincerely grateful to our employees, fellow first tier colleagues, partners, and especially our customers.  Through partnerships with automotive industry veterans and start-ups alike, dlhBOWLES is continually inspired.  Within our 60 years in the automotive industry, we have not seen a more exciting time to be a part of creating innovative solutions on future vehicles. 

References: 

Automotive News. (2020). PACEpilot. Automotive News. Retrieved from https://www.autonews.com/awards/pacepilot 

Bigelow, P. (2020). dlhBowles is finding innovative solutions to a dirty problem. Automotive News. Retrieved from https://www.autonews.com/shift/dlhbowles-finding-innovative-solutions-dirty-problem 

NHTSA. (2020). Automated driving systems. Retrieved from https://www.nhtsa.gov/sites/nhtsa.dot.gov/files/documents/13069a-ads2.0_090617_v9a_tag.pdf 

Advances in Sensor Cleaning Pave the Way for Autonomous Driving

As Automated Driving Systems (ADS) technology grows exponentially, the idealist in us envisions that the practical safety of such systems can keep pace.  At dlhBOWLES, we see the collective harmony of innovative automotive design, technology, safety, and convenience as the key to giving customers what they need.  Specifically speaking, this means that our sensor cleaning is ready to deploy before drivers are alerted to the need for it.

Megan Lampinen’s (2020) article featuring dlhBOWLES Chief Executive Officer, John Saxon, spotlights the challenge presented by sensor systems exposed to dirty, buggy, icy, and rainy encumbrances in the very environment they are designed to navigate.

Lampinen, M. (2020). Advances in sensor cleaning pave the way for autonomous driving, Automotive World. Retrieved from https://www.automotiveworld.com/articles/advances-in-sensor-cleaning-pave-the-way-for-autonomous-driving/

dlhBOWLES and RAPA to Exhibit Newly Developed Camera and Sensor Cleaning Technology at CES 2020

COLUMBIA, Md., Dec. 10, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — dlhBOWLES of Columbia, Maryland USA announces a new development for an innovative technology supporting Advanced Driving Systems (ADS) and Autonomous Vehicles (AV) with the RAPA group located in Selb, Germany and in Auburn, Alabama USA.  Clēr™ is a Camera and Sensor Cleaning product line that uses patented technology developed by dlhBOWLES to distribute air and water at the right time to the right location on a vehicle in order to keep cameras and sensors free of environmental contaminants.

dlhBOWLES’ Clēr™ product line includes RAPA’s solenoid distribution system to control when, how, and how much air or liquid is distributed to a sensor.  Together with dlhBOWLES’ expertise in fluid distribution, the Clēr™ system provides vehicle manufacturers with a highly engineered system to maintain functionality of their ADS and AV Systems while the vehicle is in operation. This technology will be on display by invitation only in the Westgate Hotel at CES 2020 in Las Vegas, Nevada from January 7, 2020 through January 10, 2020.  Contact dlhBOWLES at marketing@dlhbowles.com to request a private viewing of this technology.

dlhBOWLES Chief Executive Officer John Saxon announced, “Our recently formed partnership with RAPA underscores dlhBOWLES’ commitment to serve our customers with excellence in everything we do and furthermore reflects our desire to collaborate with companies who share our vision of constant improvement. We consider CES 2020 an ideal time and place for our new product line reveal as we build upon our past, leverage our present, and shape our future.” 

Also, RAPA LP Chief Executive Officer Kelly Nelson sees this cooperation as a great opportunity for the future: “Anticipating the engineering challenges of our customers before they face them is at the heart of our product developmental strategy. The opportunity to collaborate with a company like dlhBOWLES should be seen as a clear commitment to our customers to that end. Together we will lead the way in providing solutions to our customers within the ever-changing and challenging engineering landscape of autonomous driving.”

dlhBOWLES provides cleaning systems for automotive cameras and sensors that seamlessly integrate into a vehicle’s existing washer system, improving the effectiveness and safety of today’s Advanced Driving Systems and tomorrow’s Autonomous Vehicle technology.  Foreign materials like dust, mud, road salt, snow and water can cause sensor obstruction that will lead to degraded system performance or even render the system inoperable.

Any vehicle utilizing optical sensors (including cameras) will need a clear, unobstructed view to function properly and ensure safe operation. The presence of cameras and sensor systems on new vehicles has increased significantly over the past few years and will be part of standard equipment in the coming years as more vehicles adopt the lifesaving ADS technologies.

As a partner of the Automotive industry, RAPA shapes the current trends in automotive engineering. With innovative solutions in safety, comfort, e-mobility, efficiency and sustainability, this family-owned company based in Selb, Germany will soon be celebrating 100 years of success as a reputed technology partner and hidden champion.

Rausch & Pausch provides engineering and installation services for large premium automotive brands such as BMW, Daimler, Jaguar, Tesla and Porsche to name but a few. RAPA focuses on the development of parts, components and systems for vehicles and assists along the entire cycle from pre-development to the start of production. With an ultra-modern, high-tech laboratory at its headquarters, the latest measuring and test equipment, and prototype production; RAPA offers an excellent infrastructure at its plant in Selb, Germany and Auburn, Alabama, USA. But this is still not enough as every production system is developed in-house and is tailored exactly to specific requirements.

For over 60 years, dlhBOWLES has been a pioneer of innovation thanks to their deep strength in research and development leading to more than 250 patents in the area of fluid management systems and devices.  The company utilizes dedicated engineering teams using state-of-the-art prototyping and manufacturing processes, allowing for a penchant to take the initiative.  In 2012, the company was first to market with its front camera cleaning system on the Ford F-150 Raptor.  dlhBOWLES has achieved its standing as a valued and trusted supplier of washer, sunroof and powertrain components to many original equipment manufacturers.  Proven product effectiveness and focus guided by key partnerships brings the benefits gained to find real answers to customer pain points thereby Making Safety Systems Safer.

Media contact:

Russell Hester

Director of Business Development

Email: marketing@dlhbowles.com