Independent Panel Offers Praise, Recommendations for Partnership For a New Generation of Vehicles (PNGV)

    DETROIT, Aug. 13 The Partnership for a New Generation of
Vehicles (PNGV) government and automotive industry partners are pleased with
the National Research Council's seventh annual review of the program.  The
report states, "The committee believes that, overall, the PNGV program is an
excellent example of how long-range societal goals can be effectively
addressed by the efforts of a collaborative, pre-competitive government-
industry R&D partnership."  The Partnership's members appreciate the support
from and recognition of its efforts by the National Academy of Sciences.
    Of significance, the panel commended PNGV on the useful and productive
partnership that has been developed between the government and the automotive
industry.  This relationship has fostered not only a number of research and
technical successes, but encouraged substantial proprietary R&D within the
industry.
    For example, the committee specifically praised the announcement of plans
by all three automakers to introduce hybrid powertrain vehicles into the
marketplace.  It is estimated that these vehicles will reduce fuel consumption
10 to 30 percent.
    The committee also made recommendations many of which are already under
discussion or implementation by the program partners.  The report will be
analyzed for opportunities to further improve the program.
    The NRC is the principal operating agency of both the Academy of Sciences
and the National Academy of Engineering in providing services to the
government and the public and scientific engineering communities.  At its
inception in 1993, PNGV established an external review process to assess
technical goals and research progress, and contracted with the NRC to conduct
a periodic review.  The review process is valuable for PNGV is an historic
partnership between the Federal government and the U.S. automotive industry-
DaimlerChrysler, Ford Motor Co., and General Motors Corp., under the umbrella
organization, the United States Council for Automotive Research.  The
program was designed to develop technologies for a new generation of vehicles
capable of dramatically improving fuel efficiency while achieving low
emissions without compromising safety, performance, affordability, or utility.
Government partners include the Departments of Commerce, Defense, Energy, and
Transportation, the Environmental Protection Agency, National Science
Foundation, the National Aeronautics Space Administration (NASA) and
19 federal laboratories.
    The full text of the report is available at http://www.nas.edu.

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