Cars

3 Emerging Trends In Automotive Engineering

If you are not passionate about cars, you probably are not in tune with emerging automotive trends. One of the biggest trends in automotive engineering today is improving fuel economy and engine efficiency. This includes direct fuel injection, downsizing, down-speeding and boosting. Other trends focus on adding speeds, accessory load reduction, hybridization, vehicle electrification, new battery chemistries, power electronics and improved battery managements systems. Weight reduction in car subsystems is also being tested by using structures made from aluminum, composites, magnesium, multi-material construction and plastics.

Ford Vertrek Concept. (4/19/2011)

Battery System – Battery systems are being designed to meet life, warranty goals and performance for both batteries and their management and monitoring systems. Automakers know just how varying operational limits affect the life of battery management systems. For this they use extensive modeling and testing, followed by sophisticated algorithms to predict and track various parameters, like state of health and state of charge through the life of the battery. In order to reduce the costs and to expand the battery operating range, some researchers are testing and designing new battery subsystems and chemistries. Advanced chemistries could allow batteries to last longer, reduce cost and weight and to run through greater temperature extremes. If you want to upgrade to this advanced battery system, it is best to visit a reputable engine service Melbourne shop.

Turbocharging and Downsizing – The two major benefits in downsizing are mechanical and thermodynamic. From mechanical point of view, the positive side is in the reduction of the rubbing in the piston units along with the reduction of the number of cylinders. From a thermodynamic point, the engine will move towards higher loads, at which the efficiency of the engine is higher. Downsized engines are lighter, improving fuel consumption of the vehicle as well as reducing vehicle mass. A turbocharged and downsized engine has the power to have the better or same performance as a normally, non-downsized engine, with the advantage of a particular increase in fuel efficiency. For better fuel economy, take your car to a trustworthy engine service Melbourne shop to turbocharge and downsize your engine.

Advanced Combustion Modes – Engineers today are working hard to raise the efficiency of internal combustion engines by developing combustion modes. One of these modes is HCCI. In this combustion, a mixture of combustion products, air and fuel from the previous cycle is auto-ignited by compression. Another trend targets ways to get back the energy that is dissipated through the coolant and the gas systems of powertrains using innovative waste recovery devices. These systems can convert thermal energy into electrical or mechanical energy, thus increasing the efficiency of the vehicle. Take your car to a a reputable engine service Melbourne shop and consult with the mechanic if such improvements can be done on your engine.

 

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