Technologies
Automotive technologies covering operating principles, sensor and actuator relationships, control strategy, networks and diagnostic measurements.
Alphabetical technical index
ABS
A system controlling brake pressure to reduce wheel lock.
Adaptive cruise control
A system automatically adjusting speed and torque to maintain a selected following distance.
AdBlue / diesel exhaust fluid
An aqueous urea solution used by selective catalytic reduction systems.
Air cooling
Cooling that removes engine heat through fins and airflow.
Air suspension
A suspension using pressurised air springs as elastic elements.
Airbag
A restraint system inflating during a crash to reduce impact with hard surfaces.
Anti-lock braking system
A system modulating brake pressure to reduce wheel lock during hard braking.
Atkinson cycle
An engine cycle designed for an effective expansion ratio greater than its compression ratio.
Automated Manual Transmission
A manual gearbox controlled by automated clutch and shift actuators.
Automated Manual Transmission (AMT)
A conventional manual transmission with clutch and gear selection automated by electrohydraulic or electromechanical actuators.
Automatic emergency braking
A system designed to assist or brake automatically when collision risk is detected.
Automotive Ethernet
Ethernet technologies adapted for high-bandwidth in-vehicle data transfer.
Battery Electric Vehicle
A fully electric vehicle drawing propulsion energy from a rechargeable battery.
Battery management system
An electronic system managing cell voltage, temperature, current, balancing and safety.
Battery Management System
An electronic system monitoring and protecting battery cells and managing energy flow.
Battery-electric vehicle
A vehicle powered from a rechargeable traction battery without a combustion engine.
Belt CVT
A continuously variable transmission using variable-diameter pulleys and a metal belt.
Blind-spot monitoring
A system detecting vehicles in side and rear blind zones and warning the driver.
Boost-control solenoid
A solenoid regulating control pressure to a wastegate or geometry actuator.
Boxer Engine
A flat-engine architecture with horizontally opposed cylinders.
Brake assist
A system detecting emergency braking intent and rapidly increasing brake pressure.
Brake-by-wire
A family of systems converting driver braking demand into brake actuation electronically.
CAN Bus
A serial network that allows vehicle control units to exchange prioritised messages.
Carburettor
A mechanical device metering and mixing fuel through airflow and pressure difference.
Catalytic Converter
A system reducing harmful exhaust constituents through chemical reactions.
Charge-air cooler
A heat exchanger reducing the temperature of compressed intake air.
CNG fuel system
A system storing compressed natural gas at high pressure and supplying it to an engine.
Common Rail
A diesel injection system supplying injectors from a shared high-pressure rail.
Compression-ignition engine
An engine family in which fuel ignites from the heat of high compression.
Constant-velocity joint
A joint transmitting torque through changing angles with minimal speed fluctuation.
Continuously Variable Transmission
A transmission providing continuously variable ratios rather than fixed gear steps.
Crumple zone
A body zone designed to absorb crash energy through controlled deformation.
DC fast charging
A charging method supplying high-power direct current to the battery using external power electronics.
Diagnostics over Internet Protocol
A communication approach carrying vehicle diagnostic traffic over IP and Ethernet.
Diesel Engine
A compression-ignition internal-combustion engine.
Diesel oxidation catalyst
A catalyst oxidising carbon monoxide and hydrocarbons in diesel exhaust.
Diesel particulate filter
A filter trapping soot particles from diesel exhaust and cleaning itself through regeneration.
Diesel Particulate Filter
A filter trapping diesel exhaust particulates and regenerating under suitable conditions.
Differential-pressure sensor
A sensor measuring pressure difference across a filter or flow restriction.
Direct Fuel Injection
High-pressure injection architecture delivering fuel directly into the combustion chamber.
Double-wishbone suspension
An independent suspension locating the wheel hub with upper and lower control arms.
Dry-sump lubrication
A lubrication system storing oil in a separate tank and circulating it with pumps.
Dual-clutch Transmission
An automated transmission using two clutches for alternating gear sets.
Electric power steering
A system providing steering assistance with an electric motor.
Electronic brake-force distribution
A system adjusting braking force between axles or wheels according to load and dynamics.
Electronic Differential Lock (EDL)
EDL is an ABS/ESC-based function that supports traction by braking a spinning wheel.
Electronic Stability Control
A system intervening in braking and engine torque to support directional stability.
Evaporative-emissions system
A system capturing hydrocarbon vapours from the fuel tank and routing them to the engine.