Caught testing
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For the extreme heat testing and reliability of cars, a team of engineers and test drivers from Chrysler Group headed towards several locations in the Middle East. Automan caught up with the group in Oman.
Author Chandan B Mallik
If you are in the automotive manufacturing business, then the name of Death Valley National Park in the US is close to the heart of countless test engineers who have the responsibility of putting disguised cars of the brands they represent through the most grueling tests imaginable.
Besides testing cars in sweaty tedious and tough climatic conditions and simulating various weather conditions in the lab [from minus 40°C to 50°C], the test team is also somewhat responsible for ensuring car paparazzi hell-bent on grabbing shots of vehicles that haven’t yet been shown publicly be avoided as much as possible.
While the cat-and-mouse game plays out all summer in Death Valley National Park between car manufacturers and press, the Middle East is also emerging as an important player in many automotive firm’s testing programmes.
What we found out was during a lunch break that it’s not a 9.00am to 5.00pm routine job as the team shared some of the job details which were more that just a sneak peek into this usually veiled part of producing cars.
The chief test engineer was responsible for some specific data collection from the cars as to their thermal performance in the region’s scorching conditions [heat and humidity]. While the engineees mentioned some of the tasks, and after witnessing the hooked up equipment including a variety of sensors, laptops and miles of cables, we are pretty sure that the programme included feedback from their latest engines, transmissions and air-conditioning.The portfolio of models for the test included Jeep Wrangler, Jeep Grand Cherokee, Dodge Durango, new Chrysler 300 and 200 and the tests were conducted for three weeks across the UAE, Oman, Saudi Arabia and Kuwait. The programme began in the UAE before moving onto Oman, Saudi Arabia and Kuwait. Engineers confirmed that these locations were specifically chosen as they comprehensively cover the driving conditions that are specific to the region - this included peak time traffic driving, highway driving, long-term shopping mall idling and off-roading in mountain and sand environments. Key criteria such as AC performance, engine system cooling, material and paint durability, electronics, drivetrain and transmission were among the attributes that the team evaluated.
Interestingly, the Wrangler [JK] was being tested with the new 3.6-litre V6 Pentastar package. Although no specific technical details were shared with us with the exception of what equipment was being used and how many sensors were gathering sensitive data, we were pretty sure that the engineers were testing a new engine calibration to see if it helped with cooling as the car was put through a test meant to simulate steamy stop-and-go city driving as well as in the desert to judge the output of its air-conditioning. While we are aware that new eight-speed transmissions are to be introduced in the cars in a phased manner with the Durango being one of the first recipients, we were surprised that this lot of test cars didn’t have this transmission.
Whatever the tests, usually secrecy is an obsession, but since the test models are already in some markets, the vehicles were not masked by yards of black vinyl with foam inserts over the bonnets, sides and rear to hide design details.
It goes without saying that besides looking at their own vehicle’s performance, Chryslers’ test team also benchmarked performance of relevant models of key competitors such as Toyota and Nissan. And while believing that’s there’s no substitute for local knowledge. The test team was supported on the ground by the after sales team from Chrysler Group Middle East and the distributors of Chrysler, Jeep, Dodge and Ram vehicles in the UAE (Trading Enterprises and Western Motors), Oman (Dhofar Automotive), Saudi Arabia (United Motor Company) and Kuwait (Al Mulla & Behbehani Motor Co. W.L.L.).
While the testing was underway, a dedicated customer-focused programme, “The Voice Of The Customer”, was also staged to gather valuable feedback and enhancement suggestions from end-users of Chrysler Group products. Jack Rodencal, Managing Director of Chrysler Group Middle East summed up the effort by saying: “Chrysler Group already runs an intensive on-going programme to improve the quality and performance of its vehicles on a global level - testing, both in laboratory conditions and on physical testing grounds in the US, takes place on a continuous basis. Our colleagues in the US recognise that the demands placed on vehicles in our region are unique, and the results gathered here will play a major role in developing future models that will be available here.”
The data gathered during the Middle East thermal testing programme adds up with data collected from the testing carried out in Chrysler Group’s US testing facilities. The analysts identify areas for enhancements [if required] which are relevant our the region’s requirements, according to Maher Abdalla, director - after sales at Chrysler Group Middle East.