A typical car is made up of over 30,000 parts. Vehicles released in the last couple years have no less than 12 computers, over 250 sensors, and their electronics are at least five times more complicated than the Voyager Spacecraft. The various mechanical and electronic systems in a vehicle are vital for peak performance, efficiency, and passenger safety.
Another thing that doesn’t help is that each manufacturer has a different moniker for similar systems and uses acronyms, making for an alphabet soup that would even give a seasoned veteran a hard time. Once again, KarFarm to the rescue! Please note: this is a beginner’s guide to the automobile systems, so keep your advanced knowledge to yourself.
Steering Systems
There are two types of systems. In the not too distant past there was non-assisted and power assisted steering. These days you’ll be hard pressed to find a car without hydraulic pump-driven power assisted steering. Still to this day, more than half of the new cars on the market will have ‘hydraulic power assisted steering’, or just ‘power steering’ (PS). The new system that’s becoming more prevalent is ‘electric power assisted steering’ or ‘electric power steering – EPS. The advantage of EPS is that the assist comes from electric motors that don’t require the engine power to operate. EPS is more efficient than the hydraulic pump.
Braking Systems
We’re not going to bore you with the history of automobile brakes. More than 90% of current vehicles on the market will have anti-lock brakes (ABS), and the rest will have them as a option. ABS is very important because the system allows you to steer while braking. Note, though, that this system is not meant to help you stop shorter, it merely allows the driver to steer under emergency braking situations. Along with ABS, there are two other important acronyms – BA (Brake Assist) and EBFD (Electronic Brake Force Distribution). BA measures how fast you step on the brakes, not how hard, and apply maximum braking force under emergency situations. The EBFD calculates the load of the vehicle and the road conditions then redistributes braking power where you need it most.
Traction Control Systems
If you’re on a slick road and/or carrying too much speed into corners, the computer unit will measure the slippage of the wheel and use the ABS system and throttle to slow down your speed and to gain traction. Traction Control (TC or TCS) mainly uses ABS for straight line traction from a standing start. Vehicle Stability Control (VSC or ESP) uses ABS and the throttle to keep you in the line before you spin out of control. Vehicle Dynamic Control (VDC or VDIM) employs ABS, the throttle, and various sensors to keep you from ever going out of control. This system is active, meaning that it monitors the vehicle and the driver’s input and is based on factory pre-programmed parameters. When the vehicle doesn’t go where the driver’s input tells it to, the system will use the above mentioned vehicle system to bring the car back to the driver’s intended input. Because the TC and VSC are reactive, the systems only kick in after the stuff has already happened.
-KF