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Federal Register / Vol. 86, No. 213 / Monday, November 8, 2021 / Notices
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risks of separating them are enormous. 141
Moreover, it is important that R&D be conducted by American-owned firms in the United States, given the national security implications of advanced vehicle technologies with military applications. Indeed, all major automobile-producing countries utilize export control laws to restrict the transfer of military technologies to foreign entities, whether within or outside their domestic borders, which means that the United States may not be able to rely on technologies developed in allied countries to give its military a competitive edge. Even for R&D
conducted in the United States, it is important that the R&D be conducted by American-owned firms to reduce reliance on foreign-owned companies domestic R&D investments and ensure access in time of national emergency to the necessary intellectual property IP. Although the DOD utilizes R&D
conducted by U.S. operations of foreignowned firms, this R&D may not be available in a time of national crisis.
Indeed, foreign-owned manufacturers are unlikely to share cutting-edge IP
with their American competitors, especially technologies in which they have invested billions of dollars for commercial reasons. Further, in a time of war or other crisis their home governments may also prevent them from providing DOD with access to innovative technologies.
The interdependence between domestic manufacturing and Americanowned R&D explains precisely why imports of automobile parts pose a threat to U.S. national security.
Dependence on imports over time leads to the loss of domestic manufacturing competence and related R&D, and therefore the deterioration of the ability to lead advancements in innovation that are important for military needs.
1. The U.S. Military Relies on the Domestic Automotive Sector for Technological Advancements According to the DOD, technological advancements in U.S. military automotive programs are driven by domestic innovations in engine, transmission and electrical component technologies, and the U.S. military relies on rapid application of U.S.
commercial breakthroughs to gain competitive military advantages.142 For example, the National Advanced Mobility Consortium NAMC recently awarded a $47 million contract to 141 Supra
n. 137.
Department of Commerces consultations with Department of Defense.
142 The
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Cummins and Achates Power to develop a supercharged turbo diesel engine for the Bradley and Next Generation Combat Vehicle under the Advanced Combat Engine ACE program.143
This program builds on the 60 years of experience that Cummins Diesel has manufacturing commercial turbo diesel engines.144 It also provides an opportunity for the commercial supplier to incorporate technologies that focus on military specifications such as engine thermal management, power density, and fuel efficiency into commercial automobiles.
Likewise, the U.S. military is exploring power options such as hybrid electric engines and hydrogen fuel cells, finding that quiet new engine designs promise additional military benefits beyond breakthroughs in fuel consumption, range and reliability. The U.S. military has long sought to reduce its dependence on fossil fuels to lower costs and the risks associated with producing and transporting combustible fuels through war zones.145
Accordingly, the U.S. military has been exploring hybrid electric drive systems that combine an electric drive with a combustion engine for greater efficiency. These technologies have been the subject of years of effort and billions of dollars of research by the passenger vehicle industry. Engines, both gas and electric, and the drivetrain parts required to integrate them into an efficient combination, are all critical automobile parts technologies that must be retained for both R&D and production in the United States.
In fuel cells, General Motors Global Fuel Cells Activities Division is working with the U.S. Army Tank Automotive Research, Development and Engineering Center TARDEC 146 to develop a hydrogen fuel cell-powered light-duty utility truck ZH2. This vehicle, based on a Chevy Colorado light truck design, is powered by a fuel cell and a 143 Kylie Veleta, Cummins to Design Combat Engines That Elude the Enemy, Inside Indiana Business with Gerry Dick, Feb. 15, 2018, http
www.insideindianabusiness.com/story/37513588/
cummins-to-design-combat-engines-that-elude-theenemy.
144 Cummins, Holset Turbo Technologies, Innovative Engineering, Absolute Reliability, https www.cummins.com/components/holsetturbo-technologies.
145 The Department of Commerces consultations with Department of Defense.
146 The U.S. Army Tank Automotive Research, Development and Engineering Centers TARDEC
mission is to develop, integrate and sustain the right technology solutions for all manned and unmanned Department of Defense DoD ground systems and combat support systems to improve Current Force effectiveness and provide superior capabilities for the Future Force, https
tardec.army.mil/content/4.

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battery that has near silent operation, gives off less heat, and provides water as a by-product for use in the field. This work builds on GMs fuel cell experience via their Project Driveway, a 119-vehicle fleet driven by more than 5,000 people in a multi-year fuel cell experience program accumulating 3.1
million miles of hydrogen fuel cell testing. The Army is in the process of evaluating the truck for potential use in military operations.147
Along with engines, transmission technology is also critical to military vehicles. For example, the Advanced Vehicle Power and Technology Alliance AVPT, which aligns experts from the U.S. Department of Energy and the Department of the Army, has specifically identified advanced combustion engines and transmissions as products of special interest for collaboration.148 The U.S. military has found it challenging to source transmissions with sufficient performance capabilities for the extreme demands and conditions under which military vehicles must operate.149
Transmissions for modern military vehicles must be engineered to adapt and operate efficiently, offering peak performance in wheeled military applications. Military transmissions must reliably deliver precise propulsion control, high productivity and efficiency, and reliable operation. The U.S. commercial automotive industry has made significant progress in these performance capabilities, and adaptation of advancements in automotive transmission technology for military applications is common.
Indeed, the U.S. automotive industrys move away from manual to automatic transmissions has been closely followed by the military, with automatic transmissions now routinely incorporated in military tactical vehicles.
Similarly, the DODs TARDEC has evaluated various suppliers including 147 Mission-Ready Chevrolet Colorado ZH2 Fuel Cell Vehicle Breaks Cover at U.S. Army Show, Modified Midsize Pickup Goes into Extreme Military Field Testing in 2017, GM Corporate Newsroom, Oct. 3, 2016, https media.gm.com/media/us/en/
gm/news.detail.html/content/Pages/news/us/en/
2016/oct/1003-zh2.html.
148 Chris Williams, DoE, Army Alliance Underlines Achieving Energy Security, Tank Automotive Research, Development and Engineering Center, Aug. 1, 2011, https
www.army.mil/article/62727/doe_army_alliance_
underlines_achieving_energy_security.
149 John Tasdemir, Ground Vehicle Systems Engineering and Technology Symposium, GVPM
Powertrain Overview, Aug. 11, 2011, http
www.dtic.mil/dtic/tr/fulltext/u2/a547261.pdf.

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