News Briefs

By Levy Joffrion

SAE Establishes UK Affiliate

The Society of Automotive Engineers International (SAE-I), which is headquartered in Pittsburgh, has established SAE-UK - an affiliate society in the United Kingdom incorporating the Institute of Vehicle Engineers (VehE).

SAE International has more than 85,000 members from approximately 90 countries. The main purpose of establishing the affiliate society is to serve UK-based mobility practitioners by supporting their professional and informational needs. Now SAE-UK will be able to provide its members with full access to SAE technical publications, programs, professional development seminars and other services.

E-85 Fuel Taking Off in U.S.

E-85 fuel - a blend of 85 percent ethanol and 15 percent gasoline - is becoming increasingly available across the United States. Demand for it is taking off, driven by the new generation of cars and light trucks equipped with "flex-fuel" engines.

Flex-fuel engines can run on gasoline, E-85 fuel or any combination of these, allowing drivers to select the fuel of their choice. According to Global Trade Consulting Co., E-85 fuel typically costs 10 to 20 cents per gallon less than gasoline and is made from domestically produced, corn-derived ethanol. Among the most enthusiastic customers for E-85 fuel are cost-conscious drivers of large SUVs and pickup trucks.

New Car Series to Premiere

Car lovers may want to watch a new series - "Full Throttle" - that premieres on The History Channel on Wednesday, Nov. 10, at 9 p.m. ET/PT. New episodes will air at the same time each Wednesday thereafter.

Two teams will each be given the same model of a classic car in similar disrepair. Supplied with a garage, tools and parts, they will have two days to repair their vehicles as they prepare to compete in an all-or-nothing drag race. The winner drives away in both cars; the loser walks away empty-handed.

iATN Library Exceeds 10,000 Images

The International Automotive Technicians' Network (iATN) Waveform Library exceeded 10,000 vehicle-specific images in September 2004. The extensive library includes waveforms, scan data, infrared data, schematics, drawings and photos that have been uploaded by iATN member-technicians.

Images in the library are searchable by file type, range, make, model, engine size, system, related component and vehicle condition, and by keywords. Many of the images are also linked to TechMail messages or forum discussions on iATN.

"The iATN Waveform Library is the only place on the Internet where a technician can search for a scope pattern, digital image or drawing, and often get the image, plus technical information, from the linked TechMail message or forum discussion," said Brent Black, iATN founder and president.

For more information on iATN, visit www.iatn.net.

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