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Recent incidents of electric vehicle (EV) catching fire has shocked the Indian ecosystem and hindered the broad adoption of these vehicles. Before March of this year, there has been a substantial rise in the demand for electric vehicles and rapid advances in innovation and technology. Improvements in the battery technology, through increased efficiency and range, have made the EVs more accessible to the mass public, as the sector is currently dominated by two-wheelers and three-wheelers in India. According to Mordor Intelligence, Indias electric vehicle market was valued at $1.4 trillion in 2021, and it is expected to reach $15.4 trillion by 2027, recording a CAGR of 47.09% over the forecast period (2022-2027). Since March, the challenge in EV has shifted from affordability, charging, and range anxiety to safety. Safety has been of prime importance and an EV catching fire has led to dire consequences and even fatal.

The question is, why is this happening?

A report by the Defence Research and Development Organisations (DRDO) Centre for Fire Explosive and Environment Safety points it to the EV batteries. The issues highlighted includes poor quality cells, lack of fuse, issues with thermal management, and battery management system (BMS).

The highlighted issues cause the batteries to experience Thermal Runaway problem, leading to the fires. This phenomenon occurs when an increase in temperature changes the conditions in a manner that causes further increase in temperature, often leading to a destructive result. The issue highlighted by the DRDO report are all potential causes of thermal runaway. Lets explain why.

Local atmospheric temperature directly affects the operating temperature of battery. For efficient performance, batterys operating temperature should be around 20-35 C. To keep the battery at this temperature, EVs need battery thermal management system (BTMS). Now, with rising temperatures in our cities, the BTMS are being challenged and possibly due to the poor thermal management system of EV batteries, thermal runaway is being caused.

Another cause for the thermal runaway, is possibly due to the rapid battery charging. With the evolution of battery technology, charging technology is also advancing. While the fast charging can greatly improve the convenience of EVs, it increases the risks related to batteries. Fast charging an EV can overheat the battery system, enough to melt the electrical wires and cause short circuits, leading to explosive consequences, as already seen by several charging-related incidents.

While hot weather conditions and inadequate thermal management systems of the battery can negatively impact performance and shorten life, they alone cannot cause thermal runaway. As mentioned by DRDO report, inefficient, or even absence of, fuse as a fail-safe mechanism is a missing component causing thermal runaway.

The causes of thermal runaway highlighted above could be due to either inefficient design or not enough testing by EV manufacturers. But the manufacturers cannot spend more time on increased testing due to time-to-market constraints.

Whats the solution?

As stated, design and testing phase are very important phases of any product manufacturing. Since the era of industry 4.0, all design and testing have moved digitally and carried out on large-scale powerful computers through what is called Engineering Simulations (referred to as Simulations hereafter). Simulations can be of various types some of which are thermal (studying the effect of heat and temperature on object), structural (studying effect of objects strength, stress, and failure), fluid (studying effect of flow in and around an object), and electrochemical (studying effect of chemistry on electricity). Thermal runaway is a complex engineering problem, entailing all the types of simulations mentioned above. With the right simulation tools, simulations allow to mimic every possible physical condition, rising temperature, fast charging, or fuse placement and find areas of problem. After identifying, it can also aid in testing different solutions and hence avoid thermal runaway all together.

The question then becomes why are we seeing the news at all?

Biggest issue EV manufactures have with performing numerous simulations is the duration of time. To run a series of simulations, it can take months to obtain results with minimal flaws and defects (high accuracy simulations). Manufacturers cannot afford this as it greatly hampers the time to market. Thus, companies opt for simulations that can provide solutions but with several minor flaws and defects (low accuracy simulations) to them, leading to large mishaps like EV explosions, system failures, and affecting human lives. In addition, if the companies do find some time to perform these simulations with minimum flaws and defects (high accuracy simulations), the cost that manufacturers incur is very high due to the need for supercomputers whether on-premises (setup and maintenance cost) or on cloud (due high duration time of the computing).

So the real issue is the computing technology bottleneck. This is where the next-generation computing technology of Quantum computers can step in and revolutionize the industries like EV and Battery Design. This new technology is much more powerful, enabling exponential abilities to these industries.

Prospect of Quantum-powered simulations

The power Quantum computers is showcased by its ability to perform the same simulations in much less time compared to classical supercomputers. Hence, this technology can significantly help EV manufacturers in their time to market.

Moreover, the ability to obtain high accuracy from simulations is vital in using them in the product development process. Since high accuracy simulations took lot of time before, making them prohibitive, quantum-powered simulations can now enable the manufacturers to perform accurate simulations at reasonable time, in hours instead of months. Added accuracy will not only help companies create more efficient designs and improve the reliability of their vehicles, but also help in saving something invaluable, i.e., Lives. In addition, the speedup from Quantum computations enables lower computing usages, decreasing the overall cost and making it affordable for EV manufacturers.

Whats next?

In the computing sphere, Quantum Computing is the revolutionizing system, changing our understanding of computations and shows tremendous potential as shown by various use cases. While the prospect of Quantum-powered simulations offers the advantage of Better, Faster, and Cheaper, the development is very challenging as the Quantum computers work in entirely different ways.

Good news is that companies are already developing & building Quantum-powered simulation software, which can solve problems of thermal runaway and optimization of BTMS. Quantum Computing is here and now!

Views expressed above are the author's own.

END OF ARTICLE

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Quantum computing can solve EVs safety woes - Times of India

The University of Ottawa is teaming up with a Toronto-based company to develop and commercialize high-powered quantum computing technology.

The university said this week its signed a memorandum of understanding with Xanadu, one of the worlds leading suppliers of quantum hardware and software, to create new courses aimed at training the next generation of quantum computing experts as well as develop algorithms to make high-speed quantum computers even more powerful.

The one-year agreement, which has the option of being renewed, is expected to take effect in September. Sylvain Charbonneau, the universitys vice-president of research and innovation, said it will make uOttawa a leader in discovering real-world applications for quantum computing.

This partnership will help elevate emerging quantum research by giving our students and researchers access to the cutting-edge technologies and expertise held at Xanadu, he said in a statement.

It has the potential to change lives as we train the next generation of quantum pioneers, and work with industry experts to develop and commercialize real-life applications.

Xanadu will provide an undisclosed amount of funding for the research program. The federal government which last year said it planned to invest $360 million in a national strategy to advance quantum research is also expected to help fund the project.

Combining uOttawa's deep knowledge in quantum photonics with Xanadu's industry-leading expertise in quantum hardware and software will pave the way for tackling today's most important scientific and engineering challenges, Josh Izaac, Xanadu's director of product, said in a statement.

Under the agreement, uOttawa researchers will use Xanadus hardware and software to test quantum computing technology in real-world settings and help find ways of commercializing it.

Charbonneau said Xanadu which was founded in Toronto in 2016 and now employs more than 130 people will also help the school create new quantum diploma and certificate programs that straddle the border between science and engineering.

Quantum computing uses the laws of quantum physics, tapping into the world of atoms and molecules to create computers that are many times faster and more powerful than traditional digital computers.

Charbonneau said the technology has a wide range of applications, including encrypting data to make it more difficult for hackers to crack and creating ultra-powerful sensors for industries such as health care and mining.

The veteran academic said recent market research suggests quantum computing will be an $86-billion industry by 2040.

Its going to be big, he told Techopia on Wednesday afternoon. If youre (the Department of National Defence) and you want to communicate securely between A and B, youre going to use quantum cryptography for sure.

Charbonneau said uOttawa currently has more than 70 faculty members involved in quantum research, from faculties as diverse as engineering, law and physics. About a dozen of them will be part of the universitys quantum research team, and they will be assisted by upwards of 100 graduate and PhD students.

The new deal with Xanadu promises to boost uOttawas growing expertise in the field of quantum research.

The agreement comes seven years after the launch of the Max Planck uOttawa Centre for Extreme and Quantum Photonics. The facility was created to provide a forum for researchers from the university and the Max Planck Society, a non-profit association of German research institutes, to work together on technology such as high-intensity lasers.

Charbonneau said quantum computing is getting closer to becoming mainstream, and uOttawa hopes to lead the pack when it comes to training developers and programmers.

Talent really is the new currency, and were capable of providing it to the ecosystem, he said.

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Quantum leap: uOttawa partners with TO firm in bid to commercialize high-powered computing technology - Ottawa Business Journal

The annual Think conference unveils an expanded roadmap for quantum computing and plans for 4,000+ qubit system in 2025

ARMONK, N.Y., May 10, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- IBM (NYSE: IBM) today kicked off its annual Think conference in Boston, bringing together clients and IBM Ecosystem partners around the world to discuss how technology drives organizations to excel in a digital world. During the event, IBM senior executives, global business leaders, and industry experts will discuss significant advances in technology and issues such as sustainability, innovation and research, talent retention, and automation.

"Technology is now the source of competitive advantage with digital transformation leading the way. Our clients and partners trust IBM to deliver the innovation behind hybrid cloud, AI, and consulting solutions that are helping to ensure their success," said Arvind Krishna, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, IBM. "Our Think events will showcase how IBM is co-creating with an expanding ecosystem to make progress on the most pressing issues enterprises and society face today."

Major announcements from Think 2022 include:

Extending the Roadmap for Practical and Large-Scale Quantum ComputingToday's announcement showcases the expansion of IBM's roadmap to achieve practical quantum computing and deliver a 4,000+ qubit system in 2025. This roadmap lays out plans for new modular architectures and networking that will allow quantum systems to have larger qubit counts up to hundreds of thousands of qubits. To enable these systems with the speed and quality necessary for practical quantum computing, IBM plans to continue building intelligent software to distribute workloads across quantum and classical resources, and abstract away infrastructure challenges.

For more information on IBM's expanded quantum roadmap, please visit the IBM Research blog: https://www.research.ibm.com/blog/ibm-quantum-roadmap-2025.

Global Insights from IBM Shows Steady Growth in AI and Sustainability PrioritizationIBM issued the Global AI Adoption Index 2022, which surveyed 7,502 senior business decision-makers and showed business adoption of AI grew steadily in the last 12 months.

Business leaders' prioritization of sustainability on corporate agendas was further highlighted in a new IBM Institute for Business Value (IBV) CEO study which surveyed more than 3,000 CEOs worldwide.

Partnership Momentum Continues to AccelerateAs part of a long-standing partnership with SAP, IBM is undertaking one of the world's largest corporate SAP enterprise resource planning (ERP) transformation projects designed to better support clients and fuel its company growth.

Tackling the Talent Shortage and Cybersecurity though SkillsBuilding on a commitment to skill 30 million people by 2030, IBM is addressing the talent shortage and cybersecurity crisis with new and expanded partnerships with six Historically Black Colleges & Universities (HBCUs), the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs and Specialisterne Foundation.

During his keynote today, Krishna will be joined on stage by three visionaries creatively applying technology to business to drive change. These "New Creators" include Bryan Young, Co-Founder & CEO, Home Lending Pal, who is using technology to make the homebuying process more equitable for underserved communities; Dr. Rania Khalaf, CIO & CDO, Inari, who is using AI to create a more sustainable future for the food system; and Kiersten Todt, Chief of Staff, U.S. Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA), who is using technology to reduce risk to the cyber and physical infrastructures Americans rely on every day. "New Creators" will be featured throughout the Think on Tour events. In addition, various "New Creators" will be featured in print, digital, out-of-home, and video marketing assets as part of IBM's "Let's Create" integrated brand platform.

Think Broadcast, produced with WIRED Brand Lab, can be accessed at http://www.ibm.com/Think and will air 10 a.m. ET 12 p.m. ET May 10 and 11 in English, Spanish, Japanese, Korean, Portuguese, French, Italian, German, and Simplified Chinese. Replays of the onstage sessions from Think Boston will also be available on-demand the day of the event at http://www.ibm.com/Think.

Following the flagship event in Boston, Think on Tour will travel to more than a dozen cities around the world. For updates on confirmed cities, please visit: https://www.ibm.com/events/think/on-tour/.

About IBMIBM is a leading global hybrid cloud and AI, and business services provider, helping clients in more than 175 countries capitalize on insights from their data, streamline business processes, reduce costs and gain the competitive edge in their industries. Nearly 3,000 government and corporate entities in critical infrastructure areas such as financial services, telecommunications and healthcare rely on IBM's hybrid cloud platform and Red Hat OpenShift to affect their digital transformations quickly, efficiently, and securely. IBM's breakthrough innovations in AI, quantum computing, industry-specific cloud solutions and business services deliver open and flexible options to our clients. All of this is backed by IBM's legendary commitment to trust, transparency, responsibility, inclusivity, and service.

For more information, visit https://www.ibm.com.

Media Contact:Amanda CarlIBM Communications[emailprotected]

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IBM Kicks Off Think 2022 Conference, Convening a Worldwide Community of Clients and Partners - GuruFocus.com

Midwestern states are battling to be bumped up to a coveted early slot in the Democratic presidential nominating calendar, jump-starting what election watchers say could be a big shake-up ahead of the 2024 election.

Michigan, Minnesota and Illinois are among the states hoping to exert more influence and help diversify a lineup led by the largely rural and predominantly white states of Iowa and New Hampshire that many Democrats say doesnt represent the partys true strength.

The Democratic National Committee (DNC) has announced 17 finalists to be among the first four or five, including Michigan, Minnesota, Illinois and all four current early primary states. State party officials began drafting proposals earlier this year and are set to make their cases to the bodys regulatory committee later this month.

Proponents of Michigan and Minnesota point to them being critical swing states that helped elect President Biden. Geography matters too, they say. If Iowa gets the boot from its traditional role as the first-in-the-nation caucus state, either state would provide an alternative in the Midwest.

There needs to be a Midwest state, Michigan Rep. Debbie Dingell (D) told The Hill in an interview. Were the heart of the country.

After going for former President Trump by a slim margin in 2016, Michigan flipped back to blue four years later to give Biden enough Electoral College votes to help win the presidency.

I was one of the people that told people that Donald Trump would win Michigan in 2016, and, by the way, people in both parties thought that I was crazy, and I think it stunned a lot of people, Dingell said. It is a purple state, and we do decide who the presidents going to be.

Im not interested in presidential candidates testing the waters in my state. Im interested in seeing the candidates answers to the questions that voters care about, she added.

Democrats see an advantage to having a generalelection battlegroundgo earlier in the process, arguing that theres value in showing voters the kind of candidates who can win in the fall, even a year or more ahead of the next presidential race.

The economy is diverse, the population is diverse, the geographical population is diverse, the educational levels are diverse, said John Anzalone, one of Bidens top pollsters who works on Michigan elections.

If youre a presidential candidate looking to be tested with a bunch of different universes of voters, its really perfect, he said.

Michigan Democrats are expected to pitch their case to the DNCs Rules and Bylaws Committee, the governing force that decides the order of the calendar, on June 23.

As part of their case-building, they recently sent a letterto the national party listing reasons they believe the Great Lakes State is best suited to appear on the early roster. The memo was signed by Dingell and the rest of Michigans congressional delegation.

Minnesota is also high on Democrats list of considerations. It currently leans blue, but also has a strong independent streak that state party officials believe can be beneficial to voters.

In 2016, it awarded Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) a momentum-boosting win over Hillary Clinton, which temporarily changed the narrative that progressives cant catch on in geographically diverse areas. Clinton took Minnesota in the 2016 general election and in 2020 Biden won the state over Trump.

Our state is a true microcosm of the country, said Ken Martin, who chairs Minnesotas Farmer-Labor Party and serves as the vice chairman of the DNC.

Martin has been closely involved in navigating the complicated process each presidential cycle. As president of the Association of State Democratic Committees, hes seen the importance of bringing new perspectives into the conversation that set the tone and direction for the election.

Martin believes Minnesota, which currently votes on Super Tuesday, brings together diverse racial and ethnic communities, a strong agriculture industry and the presence of rural Democratic voters. He also praised the strong union and business footprint.

Presidential candidates who can bring all of these voters together and win in Minnesota would be well positioned to win across the country, he added.

Adding to the intrigue, a third state, Illinois, has also thrown its hat in the ring. Officials there recently submitted their pitch to the DNC, also citing the states unmatched diversity in the Midwest.

That diversity would strengthen candidates campaign messaging and tactics for both the primary and general elections, because winning in Illinois requires building the kinds of broad-based coalitions necessary to win the Electoral College in November, the state party wrote.

Biden was the overwhelming favorite in the Prairie State in 2020, outcompeting Trump by double digits. That could ultimately work against its chances of moving up, as many Democrats are openly expressing a desire for a battleground to serve as a test run ahead of the eventual Democrat vs. Republican match-up.

Still, others see the upside overtaking any potential shortcomings. An official with the state Democratic Party listed recent Democratic gains there as reasons for the national party to consider its bid.

We really have a blueprint here for national candidates and how to translate Democratic values and Democratic campaign tactics into persuading voters, turning them out and winning, said Jake Lewis, deputy director of the Illinois Democratic Party.

We are a bigger state. We understand that, Lewis continued. But Democrats have to win big states.

We vote to be able to win big states like Florida, Pennsylvania, Ohio, and so testing Democratic candidates early on their ability to organize in bigger states and their ability to organize in bigger cities in a city like Chicago, its really important, he said.

Even as newcomerstry outfor a spot, the original first four are working to keep their places on the calendar.Election strategistssay that may be hardest for Iowa.

Democrats have long lamented the states prominence in the process, pointing to its lack of racial diversity and its rightward tilt in recent years. The highly public debacle in 2020, when atechnology malfunctioncauseduncertainty among voters and problems for party officials,may have been the final push to retool the calendar.

But supporters of Iowa keeping the electoral status quo are fighting to maintain its first-in-the-nation status, saying the state has played a defining role in previous races that sent more liberal candidates to the White House.

There wouldnt have been a President Obama without Iowa, said Ross Wilburn, chair of the Iowa Democratic Party.

But they are open to making a significant change. Another major criticism of the caucus process is that it excludes anyone who may not be able to spend multiple hours at the event on a cold, winter night. TheDes Moines Registerreported earlier this month that state party officials have put forward a plan where voters wouldsend inpresidential preference cards in advance.In an attempt at compromise,the results would be announced on the original caucus date, but the voting process itself would be closer to a traditional primary.

And for officials such as Wilburn, the states small size is an asset. I understand other states wanting to be part of the process, but our presidential nominee cannot be decided by large media markets and candidates who just have larger dollars, he said.

We have an affordable television market, and a candidate who doesnt have the funds necessarily or the notoriety nationally, initially, they can campaign here in Iowa. Theres great grassroots strength. Our friends and neighbors help inform the messaging of presidential candidates, he said.

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Midwest Democrats jockeying to come out on top in primary calendar shake-up - The Hill

Leaving aside, for now, possible Election Day consequences if the U.S. Supreme Court overturns Roe v. Wade, or further damning revelations in the House Bill 6-FirstEnergy scandal, Ohio Republicans are sitting pretty as the state slogs into Campaign 22. The primary election for state legislative offices will be held on Aug. 2, the general election on Nov. 8.

Republican Gov. Mike DeWine and Democrat Nan Whaley, once Daytons mayor, are vying for the governorship. And Republican J.D. Vance, a Middletown native, and U.S. Rep. Tim Ryan, a suburban Warren Democrat, are competing to succeed retiring Republican Sen. Rob Portman, of suburban Cincinnatis Terrace Park.

There are facts that separately favor Republicans in each contest.

Fact one, as to DeWine-Whaley: The last time Ohioans retired a Republican governor was in 1958. But voters have since retired three Democratic governors Govs. Michael V. DiSalle in 1962, John J. Gilligan in 1974, and Ted Strickland in 2010.

Fact two, as to the Vance-Ryan contest: Since Ohioans began to directly elect senators in 1914 by sending Marion Republican Warren G. Harding to the Senate there have been 10 Senate races in which, like this years, neither Ohio nominee was the incumbent. Republicans won nine of those contests. The exception: 1974, when Democrat John Glenn beat the GOPs Ralph Perk, then Clevelands mayor.

True, in Ohio elections, as in all things, history isnt necessarily destiny. As the great historian Gordon Wood wrote, If history teaches anything, it teaches humility. So, at this stage of their campaigns, Whaley, for governor, and Ryan, for the Senate, stand every chance of besting DeWine and Vance, respectively. But to the extent the past can suggest patterns, theyre each going to have to campaign extra hard, and extra widely, in Ohio.

Also on the statewide ballot are races for attorney general, state auditor, secretary of state and state treasurer. Republicans hold those posts now, and unless a scandal erupts, or someone dumps a ton of money into the campaigns of Democratic challengers for those offices, the Republicans who hold them now are likely to be holding them next year.

Meanwhile, in the struggle for the Ohio General Assembly, Republicans are well-positioned again, absent further seamy revelations about the HB 6-FirstEnergy affair.

Even if newly drawn General Assembly districts werent biased in favor of the GOP and they are Republicans running for Ohios House and state Senate hold a huge fundraising edge over Democrats.

Thats long been true at the Statehouse: Once a General Assembly caucus is in the minority (as state Senate Democrats have been since January 1985, and Ohio House Democrats since January 2011), its members basically become legislative spectators, not bill-passers. The people who fund campaigns, though, are usually looking for bill-passers, not bystanders. The lobbies are interested in results. And only a majority caucus can produce those.

Beyond DeWine-Whaley and Ryan-Vance, this years pivotal contests for people who ... invest ... in state government will likely be the race for three state Supreme Court seats.

To recap: Republican Chief Justice Maureen OConnor, who sided with Democrats in this years fight over legislative districts, is retiring. Competing to succeed OConnor are Democratic Justice Jennifer Brunner and Republican Justice Sharon Kennedy.

Seeking re-election are Republican Justices R. Patrick Pat DeWine, the governors son (challenged by Democratic 1st Ohio District Court of Appeals Judge Marilyn Zayas of Cincinnati), and Patrick Fischer (challenged by Democratic 10th Ohio District Court of Appeals Judge Terri Jamison of Columbus).

Ohio Supreme Court contests have become even more critical for both parties: Because of Ohios redistricting mess, this years wrestling match over General Assembly lines will play out again in 2023 and 2024 because the General Assembly districts used in this Novembers election will depending on more courtroom jousting be redrawn again for 2024s election.

Whether Brunner or Kennedy is elected chief justice, Mike DeWine would appoint a Republican to the remainder of either justices term as an associate. Thatd leave the court 4-3 Republican. But if Democrats unseated Pat DeWine or Fischer, thatd make the high court 4-3 Democratic and leave utilities, insurance companies and the General Assemblys GOP caucuses very unhappy. They like things the way they are. But do ratepayers and policyholders?

Thomas Suddes, a member of the editorial board, writes from Athens.

To reach Thomas Suddes: tsuddes@cleveland.com, 216-408-9474

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The odds, and the money, are against Ohio Democrats in the fall: Thomas Suddes - cleveland.com