Red, Agile, Electric: Opel Rocks-e on duty with Opel Plant Fire Brigade

• Allrounder: For young drivers, commuters, deliveries and now the Opel fire brigade
• Advantage: Diminutive Opel Rocks-e can reach every corner of Rüsselsheim plant
• All on-board: Special signalling system, flashing lights, fire brigade livery

Opel Rocks-e is small, manoeuvrable, electric – and emissions-free. E-midget is also versatile and can be used in a variety of ways, such as for commuting or for deliveries. Opel fire brigade in Rüsselsheim is also experiencing this versatility, as a red Opel Rocks-e has gone into service there.

Smallest vehicle in the fire brigade's fleet is a real one-off. But the fire-red livery, special signalling system, flashing front lights and emergency numbers make its purpose clear. Opel Rocks-e is equipped with everything needed for duty on the Rüsselsheim plant premises. With plenty of space available under the passenger seat and in the footwell for tools, the zero-emissions quadricycle is fit for duty on the 1.9 km2 site, for example, to check fire extinguishers.

Using the agile Opel Rocks-e – whose turning circle is only 7.20 metres – the fire brigade drives emissions-free and can reach every corner of the premises quickly. Range of 75 kilometres (according to WLTP 1) is more than enough. Instead of parking the vehicle at the door and walking the rest of the way through the expansive buildings, as was previously the case, the firemen are allowed to drive inside thanks to the electric propulsion system, the 2.41-m length and the 1.39-m (excl. exterior mirrors) width. That saves a lot of time. Opel Rocks-e is also an eye-catcher wherever it goes and always puts a smile on employees’ faces.

Opel Rocks-e for the Rüsselsheim plant fire brigade was jointly created by the firemen themselves, colleagues from Advanced Engineering and OSV (Opel Special Vehicles). With this unique conversion, the German brand once again demonstrates the versatility of the diminutive electric vehicle. Innovative Opel Rocks-e is not only a stylish, affordable entry ticket to electric mobility for young people aged 152 and over; soon it will also be available in delivery vehicle format as Opel Rocks-e KARGO.

[1] Provisional range determined according to WLTP test procedure methodology (R (EC) No. 715/2007, R (EU) No. 2017/1151). The actual range can vary under everyday conditions and depends on various factors, in particular on personal driving style, route characteristics, outside temperature, use of heating and air conditioning and thermal preconditioning.

[2] Applies to four-wheeled light motor vehicles with a rated continuous/utilised power not exceeding 6 kW, with no more than two seats and a maximum speed not exceeding 45 km/h.

IMAGinE and Opel: For safer, more cooperative driving in the future

• Under Opel leadership: Vehicle communications project reaches completion
• Since 2016: 12 partners work on development of innovative assistance systems for cooperative driving
• Objective: Safe, accident-free driving through extended interaction among vehicles

Optimisation of traffic flow, the prevention of accidents and safer, more relaxed driving – these are the objectives of IMAGinE 1, a German research project for the automation of intelligent manoeuvres and cooperative risk avoidance in real time that has now reached its successful completion. Under the leadership of Opel and project coordinator Nikolas Wagner, Manager ADAS Innovations from the Technical Center Central Europe at Opel Automobile GmbH, 12 partners from the automobile industry, research and road network operation have been working since September 2016 on the development of innovative assistance systems for the cooperative driving of the future. The developments were then tested in simulations as well as in various real cars, including Opel models. “IMAGinE achieved a milestone on the way to cooperative driving in the future “, said Nikolas Wagner. Frank Jordan, Head of Automotive Research and Advanced Engineering Opel/Stellantis, added: “IMAGinE enables increased safety while simultaneously reducing emissions through networked driving”.

Five research areas for future cooperative driving

Current assistance systems share safety related information with the driver or take immediate action themselves, but the information is hardly ever shared between different vehicles. Challenge for IMAGinE was to improve connections between road users to counteract the risk of accidents effectively and promptly. Project team therefore investigated five subject areas:

1) Cooperative manoeuvre coordination

Coordinated manoeuvre planning was investigated for the first time in IMAGinE. Project team used current technologies such as V2X communication as well as the exchange of communication in simulations and in cars and trucks on proving grounds. Cooperative manoeuvre coordination makes it easier and safer to manage traffic situations.

2) Cooperative environment model

Sensors of individual vehicles are limited by the environment and the prevailing weather conditions. Project therefore created a cooperative environment model, in which the awareness of all road users was increased by the exchange of information via V2X. For example, cars could promptly recognise “hidden” objects thanks to information received via V2X.

3) New communication mechanisms

Project investigated new message formats that can do more than existing V2X communications. Cooperative driving manoeuvres can be coordinated via MCM (Manoeuvre Coordination Message). Also, messages are shared between road users, i.e., IDSM (IMAGinE Driving Strategy Message) and ITDM (IMAGinE Traffic Distribution Message). Latter enables a more efficient traffic flow, which is free of congestion as far as possible.

4) User focused man-machine interaction

Assistance concepts that encourage more cooperative behaviour on the road must be intuitive and easy to understand. According to studies among test participants, acceptance is higher when the displays and controls in the vehicle are designed for the end-user. IMAGinE man-machine interactions were created correspondingly to inform the driver about cooperative driving manoeuvres and to motivate more cooperative behaviour.

5) Environment simulation

As more and more road users cooperate, the exchange and the search for solutions in the whole system becomes increasingly complicated. Participating partners therefore tested the manoeuvre coordination via simulation in every phase of the research project. Cooperative driving functions were finally integrated in ten real test cars, including Opel models, and tested on proving grounds.

[1] IMAGinE = Intelligente Manöver Automatisierung – kooperative Gefahrenvermeidung in Echtzeit

Florian Huettl formally named New CEO of Opel / Vauxhall

Florian Huettl (45) has been named the new CEO of Opel/Vauxhall

Florian Huettl (45) has been named the new CEO of Opel/Vauxhall by the Supervisory Board of Opel Automobile GmbH. This was formally decided during the meeting of the Supervisory Board yesterday evening. Previous Head of Sales and Marketing of Opel/Vauxhall will assume leadership of the two brands on June 1, 2022. Huettl succeeds Uwe Hochgeschurtz, who has been appointed Enlarged Europe Chief Operating Officer of Opel’s parent company Stellantis and will take over Maxime Picat's responsibilities. Uwe Hochgeschurtz assumed his position as Opel/Vauxhall CEO on September 1, 2021. During this time, he gave further impetus to Opel/Vauxhall's electrification and digitization offensive.

Uwe Hochgeschurtz and Florian Huettl

“Florian Huettl is a proven leader in sales and marketing. He will continue the path successfully taken by Opel/Vauxhall. Both traditional brands have a very special position within Stellantis; Opel is the only German and Vauxhall the only British brand in the group. Florian Huettl will continue to work closely with Uwe Hochgeschurtz in the future. I wish Florian and Uwe all the best in their new roles and would like to thank Uwe for his valuable contribution in recent months,” said Xavier Chereau, Chairman of the Opel Supervisory Board and Chief Human Resources & Transformation Officer at Stellantis.

Florian Huettl has been Head of Sales and Marketing at Opel/Vauxhall since March 1, 2022. His successor in this position will be named at a later date. Huettl has held various senior positions at Stellantis and the Renault Group. Over the past 20 years he has gained international experience in the UK, France, Switzerland, and Russia. Huettl holds a bachelor's degree in International Business Management from the University of Applied Sciences in Bergisch-Gladbach.

Uwe Hochgeschurtz started his career in the automotive industry in 1990 at Ford, before joining VW in 2001 and Renault in 2004. He studied business administration in Germany (Wuppertal & Cologne), the UK (Birmingham) and France (Paris Dauphine).