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For further details of this year's conference, visit the event website.
Please briefly explain your role, involvement, and experience with vehicle thermal management
Christian Rathberger (CR): I am responsible senior manager for VTM Software & IoT at Magna location St. Valentin, Austria. I am involved with VTM topics now for 21+ years, focus on simulation, but also on application to customer projects. While I started in 2002 with almost 100% ICE-related systems, nowadays it is almost 100% electric. Due to our cooperation with many OEM- and supplier-partners around the world we see many different ideas and solutions.
What is the top challenge facing your industry at present?
CR: Industry-wise it is the combination of high competitive pressure with significant cost pressure due to high inflation rates and growing salaries/personal costs in Central Europe. Additionally, insecurities in global development trends negatively impact car sales. The only sustainable solution is staying ahead by innovations for products and processes. Conferences are an important catalyst for this.
How would you say your industry has evolved over the past five years?
CR: Technology-wise I think we have now mostly completed the shift from “vehicle thermal management” to “vehicle energy management”. It is no longer only about “preventing the vehicle from overheating” or even “providing comfortable temperatures to passengers”, but rather “optimizing the energy consumption during driving and charging”.
What developments are going on in your industry that may have an impact on the development of future thermal management systems and wider powertrain efficiencies
CR: Current PFAS-discussions and expected related regulations will have a strong impact not only on refrigerants for mobile HVAC systems, but on many other vehicle components as well (plastic parts, bearings, fittings etc). All this can be solved, but will require additional engineering efforts, which creates additional challenges in times of already tight (financial) boundary conditions.
Why is it important for engineers and industry to come together at this event and share best practice?
CR: Because when innovation pressure is high, the only way to increase the pace of new developments is by sharing ideas among engineers. If we want to survive and maintain our good reputation as European automotive industry, we need to do this. And especially we also need to scout for new ideas from universities and fund high potentials accordingly.
This year's Vehicle Thermal Management Systems Conference and Exhibition will return to the British Motor Museum in Warwick on 5-6 June 2024.
VTMS16 will explore the necessity and complexity of battery analysis through differing simulation techniques and offer a system engineering approach to balancing duration, durability, and immersive coolant technologies.
For further details of this year's conference, visit the event website.