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    In the cabin of today’s cars, there are pedals, large steering wheels and dashboards. Get into any car and you are instantly restricted to a specific position: your feet must go on the pedals, your hands on the steering wheel. And yet, when one talks of ‘comfort’, it should mean that the person can change his or her position.

    In Bertone’s latest concept car, the FILO, “drive by wire” technology enables a radical re-evaluation of the man-machine interface and the architecture of a car’s interior. Bertone has created a ‘living space’ devoid of the traditional constraints imposed on position and freedom of movement.

    ‘Mechatronics’ – the combination of mechanical devices under intelligent electronic control – is at the heart of the FILO. It is this feature which has allowed much of the interior redefinition, making possible a reassessment of how a driver interacts with the vehicle and environment in which it is being driven.

    With the FILO, there is a re-invention of the man-machine interface, breaking with tradition, thinking simply and focusing attention on the personal. Steering, accelerator, brakes, gear shifter and clutch are all controlled “by wire”; the same technology used in the controls of a modern aircraft. The abolition of mechanical links for all these functions in favour of electronic signals sent along the wires has created new spaces that allow for the complete re-design of the interior, fully exploiting the broad freedoms that the power of electronics bring.

    Finally freed of the bulky and potentially dangerous presence of the steering column, the designers have been able to consider a dashboard free of obstructions and constraints, a large free surface, simple, clean, relaxing. A central binnacle houses the information and driving equipment, while the air outlets disappear and the air conditioning is diffused evenly. The waved floor offers various possibilities for the driver to rest his feet, no longer restricted by the presence of pedals. Both front and rear seats have the appearance of lounge sofas, with the rear positioned higher than that of the front to give greater forward visibility for the passengers. Entrance into the car is made easier due to the absence of the central pillar (which could present a structural issue when safety is considered).

    The technology
    SKF, the automotive industry’s leading supplier of bearing and sealing solutions, worked with Bertone on the drive-by-wire technologies and drew on its deep pool of skills for the FILO concept. Its Drive-By-Wire business unit, based in Italy, has driven the project from the beginning, taking design responsibility for the systems. Support has come from other areas of SKF, such as SARMA, SKF’s avionics and aerospace arm which provided the development basis for the FILO concept’s man-machine interface.

    The braking system was developed jointly with Brembo, SKF’s partner in brake-by-wire. Brembo’s knowledge and experience in caliper design and braking systems, coupled with compact, smart electro-mechanical actuating units from SKF has produced a braking system that, even at this interim stage in the solution development, rivals conventional hydraulic arrangements in performance.

    Smart electro-mechanical actuating units are at the heart of drive-by-wire. Ball and roller screws convert between rotary and linear motion. Compact electric motors and gearing systems provide the power. Smart control, a combination of sensors, logic and control units, brings by-wire to reality. Control systems for the steering, clutch and shift and braking are all SKF developments as well.

    The benefits of full by-wire operation, integrating throttle, braking and steering as hand controls are found in the FILO. The centre boss accommodates all other controls that the driver needs. Gear selection is made by the button system already used in F1 and WRC cars. Lights, wipers, audio, heating and air-conditioning are all located within driver’s immediate reach.

    By-wire is also an environment-friendly technology, dispensing with hydraulic oil for the braking and power steering systems. The “feel” for the driver’s controls frorn the mechatronic actuation systems is provided by a closed-loop sensor and feedback system. Thus “by wire” actuation is actually very much more than a simple replcement of a hydraulic or mechanical system with an electric motor and gearing arrangement.

    The electro-mechanical actuating units are “smart”. Taking the brake electro-mechanical actuating unit as an example, during operation, the actuators must provide information on the forces exerted, overall travel and so on. All the control systems, whether for the clutch, gearshift or steering, are coupled with the related vehicle stability and safety systems or engine functions. At the heart of the smart actuating unit is an electro-mechanical arrangement that converts rotary motion to linear travel.

    SKF’s long experience in producing ball and roller screws for the industrial markets and positioning systems for the machine tool industry provided a secure foundation on which to develop solutions suitable for the automotive industry.

    The modern car is not truly maintenance-free. The smart electro-mechanical actuator units must therefore offer in-service life and servicing requirements at least as good as the traditional mechanisms they are to replace. Sealing such systems is essential. Dirt, water – even brake-pad dust – can have a devastating effect on the life of such high-precision assemblies.

    Chicago Rawhide, the sealing arm of the SKF Group, is a recognised leader in sealing systems for general industrial applications and, specifically, automotive engines and transmissions. The skills they bring to design and elastomeric material selection are crucial in keeping the adverse elements from the environment at bay.

    Safety is always critical. As with all things “new”, there is apprehension, but the overall system design of the mechatronic controls has been evaluated using the same techniques applied to the fly-by-wire systems employed in many of today’s airliners like the Airbus and also fighter jets.

    The FILO is thus a vision of the future automobile and Bertone believes it’s not that distant either, perhaps within a couple of model generations from now.

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    In its efforts to secure a stronger and more visible presence of its Blaupunkt range of car audio products in Malaysia, Bosch is beefing up its retail network by 50%. Complementing this move is the introduction of the new Blaupunkt Skyline II range of audio systems recently.

    The Skyline II range, comprising 5 models and priced between RM1,478.00 to RM2,368.00, is the second generation of Skyline car audio products which are named after famous cities such as San Francisco and New Orleans. Reputed to be more powerful with crystal clear reception, the styling presents clean lines with many new technological inclusions.

    Cool designs and metallic hues identify the front of all Skyline II models. The brightly illuminated, large 24 sq cm-sized display is powered by six ultra-bright LEDs and scores a first as the most powerful LED technology available. Panel temperature is said to be dramatically reduced due to the use of LEDs instead of bulbs.

    With coloured light diodes in orange, red or blue, the display remains brilliant and easy to read even in the dark. The distinction of the Skyline II is undoubtedly the unique display, which is a consummate match for the interior of many vehicles. At night, the display glows in coloured-flash design.

    The radios are equipped with metallic operating elements which glow through the transparent keys against coloured backgrounds with their flash illumination, even during the day. Depending on the model, the front panel sports an anthracite black or silver-metallic look. At the touch of a button, the front panel folds down to reveal a MD, CD or Cassette Drive.

    The Blaupunkt brand is owned by the Bosch Group, reputed to be one of the world’s best known brands within the automotive and power tools industries. The 115-year old corporation, headquartered in Germany, is a worldwide name in a large number of sectors, covering electrical and electronic automotive equipment, power tools, automation technology and packaging machines. In 1999, the group achieved a worldwide sales turnover of US$30 billion (RM 120 billion).

    The Bosch Group has factories worldwide, including Malaysia where a manufacturing plant in Penang has making a wide range of products covering car radios, loudspeakers, relays and antennae, small motors, lighting equipment and even power tools. The plant was set up in 1972 and its first products were 8 mm movie cameras, which were designed with local R & D The production of car radios started in 1983 and production of digital car radio, which was also designed with local R & D, started in 1987.

    “Malaysia is a very important market to us for the earning power of its people has improved over the years. Also, their disposable income has increased and lifestyle habits have changed to become more discerning and sophisticated,” noted Manfred Seitz, Managing Director of Robert Bosch (SEA) Pte Ltd.

    “As a manufacturing base, we have seen many positive attributes through how the economic scenario was handled over the last few years, with no untoward negative effects to our plant in Penang. In fact, manufacturing went on smoothly during the 1997 – 1999 period, and there were appreciable increases in product capacity during that time,” he revealed.

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    The rubber tyres on a car provide the grip that is necessary to initiate changes in direction when you turn the steering wheel. This grip is available so long as the tyres are rotating; the moment a wheel locks up (ie it stops rotating), the tyre will slide along the road and lose its grip. When this happens, a skid occurs and more dangerously, there is loss of steering control because it is the friction between the tyre and road that enables the car to make a turn. Should such a situation occur in a turn, the car will simply respond to the laws of physics and continue straight on even if you turn the steering wheel.

    Many years ago, this understanding of the dynamics of wheel lock-up and their effect led driving specialists to recommend that ‘cadence braking’ be applied on wet and slippery surfaces when wheel lock-up would be most likely. Cadence braking requires rapid depression and release of the brake pedal (an action like pumping with the foot) so that the braking force applied is momentary, avoiding the likelihood of total wheel lock-up. Deceleration would occur without skidding and loss of steering control.

    Unfortunately, cadence braking is something which the average driver may not be able to use as it requires practice and conditioning. For most people, the normal response when approaching a bend too quickly is to apply the brakes as hard as possible to slow down as fast as possible; not many people will be able to do cadence braking in such emergencies. There are also some people who, upon being faced with a dangerous situation, panic and do nothing…

    Automobile researchers thus looked for a solution which could duplicate cadence braking without requiring the driver’s intervention. Just as disc brakes were adopted from aircraft, so too was the braking system which prevents wheel lock-up. For an aircraft landing, especially at speed on a slippery runway, loss of grip and steering control can have significant implications and so aviation engineers developed a braking system which used a form of cadence braking to avoid the wheel lock-up – even while the brake pedal is fully depressed.

    Although the principles of anti-lock braking were understood as far back as the early 1930s and patented in 1936, research into anti-lock braking systems – ABS, they are commonly known now – for cars began in earnest in 1954 when a Ford engineer, Earle S. MacPherson (the same man who developed the widely used MacPherson strut) adopted the ABS of a French aircraft to a Ford model and found it to offer significant improvements to braking. However, it was only in the 1970s when such a system began to be commercialised by Bosch, starting with luxury models from BMW and Mercedes-Benz. Due to its high cost initially, it was found only in expensive cars but as costs have fallen over the decades, ABS is now available in small, lower-priced models (even 1-litre cars), pick-ups and 4WDs.

    HOW ABS WORKS
    As mentioned earlier, the prevention of loss of tyre grip and steering control due to wheel lock-up and skidding can be achieved by not allowing the wheels to lock up in the first place. A very good driver might be able to do this by cadence braking which requires manually pumping on the brake pedal. The rapid on-off pressure brings on some deceleration of the car but has to be done very quickly since there is usually a limited stopping distance.

    ABS initiates the cadence effect automatically, using speed sensors on each wheel and assessing the relative rotating speeds of each wheel by means of an Electronic Control Unit (ECU) which is a small but powerful microprocessor. There are also mechanical systems which are not as effective and there are some other so-called ‘ABS’ units which simply rely on sensing of pressure in the system and releasing the pressure at a certain level.

    Based on signals from the wheel speed sensors, the ECU will detect that, during braking, the rotational speed of the wheels drops but the amount of deceleration depends on both the vehicle speed during braking as well as the road surface conditions. In other words, the ECU constantly judges the slip condition between the wheels and the road surface from the change in the wheel’s rotational speed during braking. This is known as the ‘slip ratio’ which is the ratio between the vehicle’s speed and the speed of the wheels.

    When a vehicle is being driven at a constant speed, the speed of the vehicle and that of the wheels is identical, ie the tyres are not skidding along. However, when the brakes are used, the speed of the wheels will gradually decrease and not match that of the vehicles’ actual speed. This changes the slip ratio from 0% – where the wheels are turning freely – to 100% when the wheels are fully locked up and the vehicle’s body continues to move forward while the wheels are not spinning at all. Skidding occurs and with it, there is loss of grip and steering control.

    The ECU monitors the slip condition of each wheel all the time and whenever it approaches 100% on any wheel or deviates from the 10% – 30% optimum slip ratio, the ECU sends a signal to the ABS actuator to adjust the hydraulic pressure that applies the braking force on the disc brake of that affected wheel. This split-second pressure reduction is enough to adjust the slip ratio so that it is no longer close to 100% and a lock-up condition.

    With the use of electronics, the ABS can apply and reduce brake pressure up to 20 times a second – a rate far quicker than a human being can achieve. In some cars, drivers can actually feel a ‘pulsing’ effect through the brake pedal as the ABS keeps adjusting the hydraulic pressure on and off rapidly. The frequency of on/off adjustments is a measure of how good the system is, with more pulses indicating a highly refined control strategy for maximum braking effectiveness.

    The pulsing effect, in some early systems, was felt as a strong vibration which worried drivers who were not clear on what was happening. So over the years, the manufacturers have found ways to mask the feeling at the pedal and on some cars, it is hard to discern when the ABS comes into action.

    With ABS, a driver can maintain maximum force on the brake pedal and the ECU will intervene to relieve the pressure whenever necessary. And because wheel lock-up and loss of grip are prevented, it is also possible to apply the brakes fully during cornering and still be able to steer the car round the corner. This is an important feature of ABS as a driver will be able to avoid an obstacle even while braking.

    Another advantage of ABS which is especially applicable in Malaysia is the directional stability while braking on slippery and wet roads. On such surfaces, the degree of grip achieved by each tyre constantly changes (depending on the amount of water on a particular spot) and this variation can cause the car to slide out of control during braking as one or more wheels may lock up. With ABS, there is greater directional stability because no wheel will lock up during hard braking and grip will always be available.

    Using ABS requires no special training but for those who are used to cadence braking, you should refrain from that style of braking. ABS works best when you apply maximum and constant force on the brake pedal. According to studies by BMW’s advanced driving school, the average driver does not apply maximum force in most braking situations to achieve really good braking. Just press hard and concentrate on avoiding the danger by steering.

    But even with ABS installed in a car, it must be noted that total avoidance of an accident is not possible. For example, if the road is muddy and exceptionally slippery, and the approach speed is excessively high, the inertia of the car’s weight may cause it to deviate substantially as the grip of the tyres is exceeded. Thus, it is important to remember that even with ABS-equipped brakes on their car, the same degree of caution as with a car not equipped with ABS should be exercised. HAVING ABS DEFINITELY DOES NOT PERMIT FASTER CORNERING SPEEDS THROUGH TURNS.

    Due to the softness of the rubber, it is possible for severe wear to occur when braking hard and if the wheel locks up, it means that it skids along the rough road surface and wears out only in a certain spot. This creates what is known as a ‘flat spot’ on the tyre and it is no longer round, as a tyre should be. Each time the wheel’s rotation brings the tyre to that flat spot, there is an annoying thump which becomes irritating vibration at higher speeds. There is no repair possible and you have to change the tyre. But ABS will help prevent flat-spotting since the wheels won’t lock up under any braking conditions, so the tyres will not be dragged along the road.

    ABS FOR 4WDs
    Because ABS is so effective for stopping a car, even on slippery surfaces, it would be assumed that it is ideal for an off-road vehicle which is being driven over loose ground. In some cases, that may be so, but in off-road conditions where the surfaces are soft and loose, it is actually useful to have the tyres lock up a bit and skid so as to cause a build-up of earth in front of the tyre. This helps to reduce the stopping distance because the earth acts like a ‘barrier’.

    For this reason, ABS for off-road vehicles usually have a different program from road-going cars and it gives slightly difference operational characteristics. Furthermore, in the often bumpy conditions, wheels will momentarily lose contact with the surface and this will give a false signal to the ABS, causing it to react when it does not need to. The ABS program is also specially modified to cope with such behaviour to optimise braking effectiveness.

    FAIL-SAFE OPERATION
    In the three decades of service, there has not been any drawback found in ABS and the units themselves have been fairly reliable. Of course, like any other mechanical or electronic component, there can be manufacturing defects but the system itself is pretty reliable. All systems have a self-check mode which occurs with each starting of the engine and if something is not right, a warning light will come on.

    No servicing is needed at all but you still need to maintain and service the brake system as recommended by the manufacturer. Brakes pads and brake fluids should be changed as necessary for optimum stopping performance. According to Allied Signal, a manufacturer of brake systems, the hydraulic side of any car’s brake system needs preventive maintenance. For example, regularly flushing out of the brake fluid and replacing it with fresh fluid goes a long way toward preventing brake problems as the vehicle ages.

    It’s even more important for a car with ABS. The ABS modulator unit isn’t just complicated and expensive; it will get damaged if the fluid in it is either dirty or moisture-contaminated. Since most brake fluid naturally absorbs moisture from the atmosphere, the only way to fight this problem is to regularly flush and replace the fluid every 2 years or 40,000 kms

    Should a malfunction be detected while driving, a warning light on the instrument panel will illuminate. However, failure of the ABS does not mean that all stopping power is lost as there will always be the normal braking system available. Additionally, there are dual hydraulic circuits for extra safety in the event that one circuit fails. The only thing is that the driver should be aware that the ABS is probably not working so skidding could occur.

    It is advisable to go to a workshop straight away to fix the fault. Not all workshops have diagnostic equipment to handle ABS so it is best to find out which ones have the equipment and trained technicians. As ABS is a safety item, it is best to ensure that it is fixed by people who really know what they are doing. Never accept the suggestion that the warning light is ‘nothing’… some mechanics have been known to just disconnect the bulb and tell the owner they have fixed the problem!


    by -

    The rubber tyres on a car provide the grip that is necessary to initiate changes in direction when you turn the steering wheel. This grip is available so long as the tyres are rotating; the moment a wheel locks up (ie it stops rotating), the tyre will slide along the road and lose its grip. When this happens, a skid occurs and more dangerously, there is loss of steering control because it is the friction between the tyre and road that enables the car to make a turn. Should such a situation occur in a turn, the car will simply respond to the laws of physics and continue straight on even if you turn the steering wheel.

    Many years ago, this understanding of the dynamics of wheel lock-up and their effect led driving specialists to recommend that ‘cadence braking’ be applied on wet and slippery surfaces when wheel lock-up would be most likely. Cadence braking requires rapid depression and release of the brake pedal (an action like pumping with the foot) so that the braking force applied is momentary, avoiding the likelihood of total wheel lock-up. Deceleration would occur without skidding and loss of steering control.

    Unfortunately, cadence braking is something which the average driver may not be able to use as it requires practice and conditioning. For most people, the normal response when approaching a bend too quickly is to apply the brakes as hard as possible to slow down as fast as possible; not many people will be able to do cadence braking in such emergencies. There are also some people who, upon being faced with a dangerous situation, panic and do nothing…

    Automobile researchers thus looked for a solution which could duplicate cadence braking without requiring the driver’s intervention. Just as disc brakes were adopted from aircraft, so too was the braking system which prevents wheel lock-up. For an aircraft landing, especially at speed on a slippery runway, loss of grip and steering control can have significant implications and so aviation engineers developed a braking system which used a form of cadence braking to avoid the wheel lock-up – even while the brake pedal is fully depressed.

    Although the principles of anti-lock braking were understood as far back as the early 1930s and patented in 1936, research into anti-lock braking systems – ABS, they are commonly known now – for cars began in earnest in 1954 when a Ford engineer, Earle S. MacPherson (the same man who developed the widely used MacPherson strut) adopted the ABS of a French aircraft to a Ford model and found it to offer significant improvements to braking. However, it was only in the 1970s when such a system began to be commercialised by Bosch, starting with luxury models from BMW and Mercedes-Benz. Due to its high cost initially, it was found only in expensive cars but as costs have fallen over the decades, ABS is now available in small, lower-priced models (even 1-litre cars), pick-ups and 4WDs.

    HOW ABS WORKS
    As mentioned earlier, the prevention of loss of tyre grip and steering control due to wheel lock-up and skidding can be achieved by not allowing the wheels to lock up in the first place. A very good driver might be able to do this by cadence braking which requires manually pumping on the brake pedal. The rapid on-off pressure brings on some deceleration of the car but has to be done very quickly since there is usually a limited stopping distance.

    ABS initiates the cadence effect automatically, using speed sensors on each wheel and assessing the relative rotating speeds of each wheel by means of an Electronic Control Unit (ECU) which is a small but powerful microprocessor. There are also mechanical systems which are not as effective and there are some other so-called ‘ABS’ units which simply rely on sensing of pressure in the system and releasing the pressure at a certain level.

    Based on signals from the wheel speed sensors, the ECU will detect that, during braking, the rotational speed of the wheels drops but the amount of deceleration depends on both the vehicle speed during braking as well as the road surface conditions. In other words, the ECU constantly judges the slip condition between the wheels and the road surface from the change in the wheel’s rotational speed during braking. This is known as the ‘slip ratio’ which is the ratio between the vehicle’s speed and the speed of the wheels.

    When a vehicle is being driven at a constant speed, the speed of the vehicle and that of the wheels is identical, ie the tyres are not skidding along. However, when the brakes are used, the speed of the wheels will gradually decrease and not match that of the vehicles’ actual speed. This changes the slip ratio from 0% – where the wheels are turning freely – to 100% when the wheels are fully locked up and the vehicle’s body continues to move forward while the wheels are not spinning at all. Skidding occurs and with it, there is loss of grip and steering control.

    The ECU monitors the slip condition of each wheel all the time and whenever it approaches 100% on any wheel or deviates from the 10% – 30% optimum slip ratio, the ECU sends a signal to the ABS actuator to adjust the hydraulic pressure that applies the braking force on the disc brake of that affected wheel. This split-second pressure reduction is enough to adjust the slip ratio so that it is no longer close to 100% and a lock-up condition.

    With the use of electronics, the ABS can apply and reduce brake pressure up to 20 times a second – a rate far quicker than a human being can achieve. In some cars, drivers can actually feel a ‘pulsing’ effect through the brake pedal as the ABS keeps adjusting the hydraulic pressure on and off rapidly. The frequency of on/off adjustments is a measure of how good the system is, with more pulses indicating a highly refined control strategy for maximum braking effectiveness.

    The pulsing effect, in some early systems, was felt as a strong vibration which worried drivers who were not clear on what was happening. So over the years, the manufacturers have found ways to mask the feeling at the pedal and on some cars, it is hard to discern when the ABS comes into action.

    With ABS, a driver can maintain maximum force on the brake pedal and the ECU will intervene to relieve the pressure whenever necessary. And because wheel lock-up and loss of grip are prevented, it is also possible to apply the brakes fully during cornering and still be able to steer the car round the corner. This is an important feature of ABS as a driver will be able to avoid an obstacle even while braking.

    Another advantage of ABS which is especially applicable in Malaysia is the directional stability while braking on slippery and wet roads. On such surfaces, the degree of grip achieved by each tyre constantly changes (depending on the amount of water on a particular spot) and this variation can cause the car to slide out of control during braking as one or more wheels may lock up. With ABS, there is greater directional stability because no wheel will lock up during hard braking and grip will always be available.

    Using ABS requires no special training but for those who are used to cadence braking, you should refrain from that style of braking. ABS works best when you apply maximum and constant force on the brake pedal. According to studies by BMW’s advanced driving school, the average driver does not apply maximum force in most braking situations to achieve really good braking. Just press hard and concentrate on avoiding the danger by steering.

    But even with ABS installed in a car, it must be noted that total avoidance of an accident is not possible. For example, if the road is muddy and exceptionally slippery, and the approach speed is excessively high, the inertia of the car’s weight may cause it to deviate substantially as the grip of the tyres is exceeded. Thus, it is important to remember that even with ABS-equipped brakes on their car, the same degree of caution as with a car not equipped with ABS should be exercised. HAVING ABS DEFINITELY DOES NOT PERMIT FASTER CORNERING SPEEDS THROUGH TURNS.

    Due to the softness of the rubber, it is possible for severe wear to occur when braking hard and if the wheel locks up, it means that it skids along the rough road surface and wears out only in a certain spot. This creates what is known as a ‘flat spot’ on the tyre and it is no longer round, as a tyre should be. Each time the wheel’s rotation brings the tyre to that flat spot, there is an annoying thump which becomes irritating vibration at higher speeds. There is no repair possible and you have to change the tyre. But ABS will help prevent flat-spotting since the wheels won’t lock up under any braking conditions, so the tyres will not be dragged along the road.

    ABS FOR 4WDs
    Because ABS is so effective for stopping a car, even on slippery surfaces, it would be assumed that it is ideal for an off-road vehicle which is being driven over loose ground. In some cases, that may be so, but in off-road conditions where the surfaces are soft and loose, it is actually useful to have the tyres lock up a bit and skid so as to cause a build-up of earth in front of the tyre. This helps to reduce the stopping distance because the earth acts like a ‘barrier’.

    For this reason, ABS for off-road vehicles usually have a different program from road-going cars and it gives slightly difference operational characteristics. Furthermore, in the often bumpy conditions, wheels will momentarily lose contact with the surface and this will give a false signal to the ABS, causing it to react when it does not need to. The ABS program is also specially modified to cope with such behaviour to optimise braking effectiveness.

    FAIL-SAFE OPERATION
    In the three decades of service, there has not been any drawback found in ABS and the units themselves have been fairly reliable. Of course, like any other mechanical or electronic component, there can be manufacturing defects but the system itself is pretty reliable. All systems have a self-check mode which occurs with each starting of the engine and if something is not right, a warning light will come on.

    No servicing is needed at all but you still need to maintain and service the brake system as recommended by the manufacturer. Brakes pads and brake fluids should be changed as necessary for optimum stopping performance. According to Allied Signal, a manufacturer of brake systems, the hydraulic side of any car’s brake system needs preventive maintenance. For example, regularly flushing out of the brake fluid and replacing it with fresh fluid goes a long way toward preventing brake problems as the vehicle ages.

    It’s even more important for a car with ABS. The ABS modulator unit isn’t just complicated and expensive; it will get damaged if the fluid in it is either dirty or moisture-contaminated. Since most brake fluid naturally absorbs moisture from the atmosphere, the only way to fight this problem is to regularly flush and replace the fluid every 2 years or 40,000 kms

    Should a malfunction be detected while driving, a warning light on the instrument panel will illuminate. However, failure of the ABS does not mean that all stopping power is lost as there will always be the normal braking system available. Additionally, there are dual hydraulic circuits for extra safety in the event that one circuit fails. The only thing is that the driver should be aware that the ABS is probably not working so skidding could occur.

    It is advisable to go to a workshop straight away to fix the fault. Not all workshops have diagnostic equipment to handle ABS so it is best to find out which ones have the equipment and trained technicians. As ABS is a safety item, it is best to ensure that it is fixed by people who really know what they are doing. Never accept the suggestion that the warning light is ‘nothing’… some mechanics have been known to just disconnect the bulb and tell the owner they have fixed the problem!


    by -

    Larger interior dimensions, the spaciousness and comfort of a luxury-class saloon, impressive adaptability and class-leading cargo volume are the highlights of the new 170-mm longer Mercedes-Benz A-Class which is going on sale in Europe shortly.

    With this long-wheelbase version, the A-Class continues to set new standards among compact cars. No other car in this segment can match its cargo capacity of up to 1,930 litres – 11% more than that of the standard version which went on sale in 1997. Still remarkable is the efficient way that space is utilised: thanks to the innovative sandwich design with the powertrain elements positioned either underneath the passenger compartment or in front of it, 53 % of the car’s total length of 3.78 metres – significantly more than for conventional cars of this size – is available for the occupants.

    MORE SPACE FOR THOSE WHO NEED IT
    “With this kind of spaciousness, we can now at last satisfy people who in the past were already won over by the design and concept of the A-Class but who needed more space for their own particular requirements” says Dr. Joachim Schmidt, member of the Divisional Board of Management for Mercedes-Benz Passenger Cars and smart and Head of Sales & Marketing. In his opinion, this addition to the A-Class range offers significant potential for an increase in sales. More than 550,000 units of the standard version have already bene sold in Europe and Asia since 1997.

    Spaciousness is the most significant thing in this new A-Class version, with accommodation previously unknown in this vehicle class. The extended wheelbase offers rear passengers 170 mm more legroom and a hip-to-hip distance between front and rear occupants of 945 millimetres. Mercedes-Benz claims that these dimensions beat those found in many luxury-class saloons.

    Thanks to the versatile rear bench seat, with 111 mm fore-and-aft adjustment, drivers can decide whether to use the extra space to extend the rear compartment or the load area. Even with the rear seats moved to the maximum forward setting, there’s still 60 mm more legroom for rear seat passengers in the new A-Class, compared to its shorter brother.

    With the rear seat in this same position, the load compartment space is increased by 80 litres, to 470 litres. When they are both lifted out, the luggage capacity of this version (loaded to the ceiling) is boosted to 1,530 litres. Even in a larger stationwagon, such a volume would be significantly above average.

    PACKAGE OF REFINEMENTS
    An extensive package of engineering and design refinements makes both versions of the updated A-Class for 2001 even more attractive and luxurious. Restyling at the front of the vehicle, with eye-catching front bumper contours, the lower part of which features a redesigned air inlet, gives an even sharper, more dynamic appearance and makes the body appear broader and strikingly athletic. Also new are the organically integrated, replaceable rub strips on the front bumper and the state-of-the-art clear-plastic headlamp lenses which add further ‘brilliance’ to the appearance of the smallest Mercedes model.

    As far as luxurious looks and high build quality are concerned, the interior of the A-Class matches the high standards of larger Mercedes saloons. The use of equally first-class materials which Mercedes-Benz also uses in the S-class makes the dashboard soft and pleasant to the touch. The entire cockpit has been redesigned, with a new, smooth transition to the front windscreen, while preserving the strikingly dynamic lines. Discreet restyling of various details has further enhanced the appearance of the dashboard, making it appear as if cast in a single piece.

    The new, more modern centre console treatment has its top part slightly wider than before and is more sharply raked, giving the driver and front passenger a better view of the controls. The positioning and design of the switches reflects the latest ergonomic advances derived from real-world research. The most frequently used buttons and the radio have been moved to the top, while the controls for heating and ventilation now occupy the lower part of the console.

    MORE POWERFUL CDI ENGINES
    From this month, the two common-rail direct-injection (CDI) turbodiesel engines will be developing up to 25% more power than before. For example the 4-cylinder engine in the A 160 CDI (only available for the short version) will eventually be equipped with an intercooler and develop 55 kW/75 bhp, instead of the previous 44 kW/60 bhp. Fuel consumption however will still remain at 20 kms/litre (58.7 mpg). The output of the A 170 CDI will rise from 66 kW/90 bhp to 70 kW/95 bhp. The three petrol engines remain unchanged.

    The Electronic Stability Program (ESP) has undergone further development and is fitted as standard. This latest-generation system functions even more smoothly and, for the first time, is combined with a new hydraulic Brake Assist system which develops maximum braking power in emergency situations, thus shortening stopping distances to a minimum.

    The Development Story of the A-Class

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    It was the summer of 1982, the year saw Mercedes-Benz presenting the new C-Class – regarded as a ‘baby Merc’ because it was smaller than any existing model from Stuttgart. As customers raved about the new model, a team of Daimler-Benz research engineers were busy presenting a city car concept to the management. The concept vehicle had front-wheel-drive, two seats, sliding doors and large windows for an optimum all-round view.

    Looking back now, was this the ancestor of the A-class? “Sure, the minicar is what stimulated us to think about new vehicle designs,” remembers Bernd Loper, project manager for the development of the A-class and one of the “founding fathers” of the innovative model which was caught by the camera of a spy photographer and led to speculations about a new model! The ‘breadbox’ design stumped the speculators who were puzzled about the tiny size and how it would be incorporated in the company’s line-up.

    There were solid reasons why the original study never made it to large-scale production: the little car failed to satisfy the stringent Mercedes-Benz safety criteria which give top priority to passenger safety. To overcome these hurdles would take new ideas which weren’t around at that time and only materialised years later in the form of sandwich design. Nevertheless, that concept study did a valuable service in paving the way for an entirely new Mercedes compact model. As Loper says: “It helped to define aims for the planning of a Mercedes sub-compact car and put our efforts on the right track.”

    This was the beginning of a process of several years’ research into a Mercedes sub-compact car, initially concentrating not just on technical aspects, but mainly on the wishes of the customer, traffic analyses and the findings of sociological studies. Mercedes market researchers spoke to more than 1,000 men and women motorists in Europe and asked them about their visions of the car of the future. This yielded a broad spectrum of opinions with various sets of demands:

    – attractive design
    – very compact exterior dimensions
    – spacious interior
    – high utility value
    – high standard of all-round safety expected of a Mercedes
    – low-emission engines with high fuel economy
    – alternative propulsion systems
    – variability

    Traffic studies conducted in Greater Berlin came to similar conclusions: the time was ripe for an innovative, extremely compact automobile taking up less space on the road, consuming less fuel and producing lower exhaust emissions. But the objectives and customer demands that had been defined could not possibly be met by a conventional sub-compact car design. Time for a rethink – there were still conflicts of aims which had to be overcome. Specifically, how to design a car with small exterior dimensions, but the interior space of a medium-size sedan? How should you design a car that is suitable for different propulsion systems? How can the company’s stringent internal safety regulations be met with a small bodyshell? In other words: new ideas were needed – ideas that would point the way for an entirely new class of car.

    The sandwich design arrives
    All the criteria were collated in a matrix and evaluated. A new design was on the table for a conventional front-wheel drive system with the novel principle of a drive unit accommodated in a sloping position, partly in front of, partly underneath the passenger cell so that in a crash it can dip downwards, thus not presenting a danger to the car occupants. Since the bodyshell is divided into two horizontal levels, this invention was called the ‘sandwich design’.

    As Loper says, “The conclusion was obvious: to have extremely compact dimensions and still achieve outstanding variability, spaciousness and safety you need to make sub-compact cars higher. In our points assessment, this principle beat the conventional car design in almost all disciplines.”

    Not surprising: in contrast to a conventional design in which the passenger cell sits in a low-set pan with structural members at the front and rear, the sandwich design has members going straight through from the bumper to the tail. The passengers are positioned above the member construction and are thus protected against impact. This offers particular advantages in a crash – while conventional body systems have to employ special structural member designs to conduct the impact forces around the passenger cell, this complex “bypassing” of the passengers is no longer necessary in the A-class. The straight longitudinal members absorb the forces of the crash in a single plane below the passenger cell, converting them at a high level of efficiency.

    Birth of the project
    The invention of the sandwich design then provided the impetus in November 1991 for the implementation of a second project in the form of a basic study. Loper can still clearly remember the day the decision was made: “28th November, 8:00 o’clock a.m. – that was the birth of Study A, the direct predecessor to the A-class”. Two driveable prototypes were to be built – one electric-powered, one with internal combustion engine. The Mercedes board aimed to present them to the public at the 1993 the Frankfurt International Motorshow so the time-frame for development was less than 24 months.

    But then came a different turn of events. At the presentation of the design in June 1992, the managers in Stuttgart already decided to set a course for large-scale production. A work team began recording all criteria for a possible production model in skeleton specifications. “That was a really unusual approach,” says Alfred Kist, head of A-class development, “because normally you would have first had a pre-development phase of roughly two years. But we were so enthusiastic and so convinced by the car and its design that we went all out right from the start”.

    From then on the process proceeded on two levels: a pre-development and design team took care of the studies for the motor show while, from January 1993, a project team began the development of the production model which is today called the A-class.

    Strong, positive public reaction
    Study A’s reception in Frankfurt, where it was presented as an experimental forerunner and idea-testing model for the A-class, vindicated the company’s decision to offer a compact car. The reaction of the press and the public was overwhelming. Some 1,800 newspaper articles with a total circulation of 930 million were published about Study A, making it the undisputed star of the Frankfurt Motorshow.

    Visitors to the motorshow were also thrilled. In response to the question whether Mercedes-Benz should build this car, 90% of visitor answered yes, because a car in this class with all the qualities which go with the name Mercedes-Benz would provide customers with something they had been looking for for years. In Japan where the Mercedes study was the major crowd-puller at the Tokyo Motorshow a few weeks later, 95% of those questioned said they would like to see the innovative model going into production soon.

    Customer opinion was also constantly the focus of attention during the A-class development phase. Regular customer interviews yielded new points and suggestions to be taken into consideration. Taking into account the wishes of young families, for instance, Mercedes engineers lengthened the new model’s bodyshell to 3.57 metres (Study A was 3.35 m) primarily leading to an enlargement of the boot. The result: even when the back seats are occupied, the rear compartment of the A-class offers sufficient space to easily stow a pram.

    Starting production
    With no doubt about the good market prospects for a Mercedes model in this size class, development was in full swing. This also meant that a production site would have to be found quickly – a plant with sufficient capacity for large-scale production of up to 200,000 cars per year.

    “There was a choice of several sites in France, the United Kingdom and the Czech Republic, but the final decision went to the newly-built Mercedes plant in Rastatt, Germany. This was made possible by the site’s pioneering management – staff agreement to reduce costs and increase productivity”, remembers Ulrich Bruhnke, head of Car Development and manager of the A and C-class product groups.

    Ten days before Christmas 1993, while negotiations were underway in Rastatt, the designers invited the board, directors and project managers to a presentation of five design models in the dome building at Sindelfingen. At the end of the event, which was held under the motto “One will be the winner“, the A-class interior and exterior design had been decided. The development team could now really get stuck into the task of adapting the systems and equipment to the new model which was already due to roll off the production line 32 months later. An ambitious target, given that the engineers had almost twice as many jobs to solve than is usual when developing a new car.

    “Almost every new car is based on a predecessor model,” explains Bruhnke. “Many parts are kept the same or just slightly modified. But with the A-class everything was new – from the engine to the tailgate.”

    One major milestone in the development was definitely passed in optimising the safety of the new body design. This also saw pioneering work. Never before had a car as short as 3.57 metres had to meet such high safety standards, and no manufacturer had ever attempted to use a novel body design to compensate for the physical crash handicap which cars of this size have. Computer simulations had pointed the way for the engineers, a large number of crash tests helped in the fine tuning and finally proved the wisdom of this new development with all its future potential.

    Crash Tests
    From April 1995, the first prototypes were up and running and set off for testing in the field throughout the world. The engineers had already tested the new model’s systems on so-called component carriers which were similar in appearance to the Study A. A major prototype test was scheduled for September 7th 1995: the A-class versus E-class crash test. “We wanted to use this vehicle-to-vehicle crash to test passenger safety in a typical accident involving oncoming traffic and the E-class’s crash compatibility in a collision with a smaller car,” explains Thomas Merker, strategic project manager for the A-class. “Mercedes-Benz had never carried out such a test on a new model in its prototype stage before.”

    And what was the result? “The sandwich design fulfilled all our expectations. Of course there were still a few minor problems in 1995, but these were solved within a short time.” A second vehicle-to-vehicle crash in which an A-class and an E-class collided in summer 1996 confirmed once more the outstanding passenger protection of the Mercedes sub-compact model.

    A total of 64 prototypes were out and about throughout the world covering millions of test kilometres between April 1995 and the start of pre-production in summer 1996. As Bernd Loper says: “The 32 months development time were definitely hectic. But they achieved a great deal – for Daimler-Benz and, in our opinion, for automobile engineering as a whole.”

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    Larger interior dimensions, the spaciousness and comfort of a luxury-class saloon, impressive adaptability and class-leading cargo volume are the highlights of the new 170-mm longer Mercedes-Benz A-Class which is going on sale in Europe shortly.

    With this long-wheelbase version, the A-Class continues to set new standards among compact cars. No other car in this segment can match its cargo capacity of up to 1,930 litres – 11% more than that of the standard version which went on sale in 1997. Still remarkable is the efficient way that space is utilised: thanks to the innovative sandwich design with the powertrain elements positioned either underneath the passenger compartment or in front of it, 53 % of the car’s total length of 3.78 metres – significantly more than for conventional cars of this size – is available for the occupants.

    MORE SPACE FOR THOSE WHO NEED IT
    “With this kind of spaciousness, we can now at last satisfy people who in the past were already won over by the design and concept of the A-Class but who needed more space for their own particular requirements” says Dr. Joachim Schmidt, member of the Divisional Board of Management for Mercedes-Benz Passenger Cars and smart and Head of Sales & Marketing. In his opinion, this addition to the A-Class range offers significant potential for an increase in sales. More than 550,000 units of the standard version have already bene sold in Europe and Asia since 1997.

    Spaciousness is the most significant thing in this new A-Class version, with accommodation previously unknown in this vehicle class. The extended wheelbase offers rear passengers 170 mm more legroom and a hip-to-hip distance between front and rear occupants of 945 millimetres. Mercedes-Benz claims that these dimensions beat those found in many luxury-class saloons.

    Thanks to the versatile rear bench seat, with 111 mm fore-and-aft adjustment, drivers can decide whether to use the extra space to extend the rear compartment or the load area. Even with the rear seats moved to the maximum forward setting, there’s still 60 mm more legroom for rear seat passengers in the new A-Class, compared to its shorter brother.

    With the rear seat in this same position, the load compartment space is increased by 80 litres, to 470 litres. When they are both lifted out, the luggage capacity of this version (loaded to the ceiling) is boosted to 1,530 litres. Even in a larger stationwagon, such a volume would be significantly above average.

    PACKAGE OF REFINEMENTS
    An extensive package of engineering and design refinements makes both versions of the updated A-Class for 2001 even more attractive and luxurious. Restyling at the front of the vehicle, with eye-catching front bumper contours, the lower part of which features a redesigned air inlet, gives an even sharper, more dynamic appearance and makes the body appear broader and strikingly athletic. Also new are the organically integrated, replaceable rub strips on the front bumper and the state-of-the-art clear-plastic headlamp lenses which add further ‘brilliance’ to the appearance of the smallest Mercedes model.

    As far as luxurious looks and high build quality are concerned, the interior of the A-Class matches the high standards of larger Mercedes saloons. The use of equally first-class materials which Mercedes-Benz also uses in the S-class makes the dashboard soft and pleasant to the touch. The entire cockpit has been redesigned, with a new, smooth transition to the front windscreen, while preserving the strikingly dynamic lines. Discreet restyling of various details has further enhanced the appearance of the dashboard, making it appear as if cast in a single piece.

    The new, more modern centre console treatment has its top part slightly wider than before and is more sharply raked, giving the driver and front passenger a better view of the controls. The positioning and design of the switches reflects the latest ergonomic advances derived from real-world research. The most frequently used buttons and the radio have been moved to the top, while the controls for heating and ventilation now occupy the lower part of the console.

    MORE POWERFUL CDI ENGINES
    From this month, the two common-rail direct-injection (CDI) turbodiesel engines will be developing up to 25% more power than before. For example the 4-cylinder engine in the A 160 CDI (only available for the short version) will eventually be equipped with an intercooler and develop 55 kW/75 bhp, instead of the previous 44 kW/60 bhp. Fuel consumption however will still remain at 20 kms/litre (58.7 mpg). The output of the A 170 CDI will rise from 66 kW/90 bhp to 70 kW/95 bhp. The three petrol engines remain unchanged.

    The Electronic Stability Program (ESP) has undergone further development and is fitted as standard. This latest-generation system functions even more smoothly and, for the first time, is combined with a new hydraulic Brake Assist system which develops maximum braking power in emergency situations, thus shortening stopping distances to a minimum.

    The Development Story of the A-Class

    by -

    Since the 1970s, the smallest volume-produced BMW has been the 3-Series and it seemed that BMW was not willing to follow arch-rival Mercedes-Benz and create a compact model like the A-Class.

    Now comes the news that there will be an entirely new model series with the numeral ‘1′, suggesting a small model which will be at entry level. This was confirmed by Professor Joachim Millberg, CEO of BMW, recently and insiders say the development program is on schedule for a launch in 2004.

    The new BMW model series will be positioned between the 3-Series and the Mini. An official statement says it ‘will introduce all BMW virtues into the upper end of the lower midrange segment. Rear-wheel drive, excellent handling as well as prime quality will provide outstanding “driving pleasure”.’

    Professor Millberg also announced the decision on the continuation of the 6-Series which will satisfy the customers’ demand for a big BMW sport coupe. “On the one hand, the BMW 6-Series Coupe will be very prestigious, and on the other hand, it will embody the sportiness that is typical for BMW cars. We also plan to put on the market an open-top version of this vehicle,” the CEO of BMW promised, adding that design work for the future 6-Series is already underway.

    Between 1976 and 1989, the first 6-Series Coupe was exclusively equipped with straight 6-cylinder engines. At that time, the 6 Series Coupe was the epitome of sportiness and elegance. This car served as a model for racing cars and it proved on the racetrack its enormous potential. In 1990, the exclusive 8-Series, the production of which was discontinued two years ago, replaced the 6-Series.

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    EON, which is the exclusive distributor of the made-in-Malaysia classic TD 2000 sportscar – is organising a series of Weekend Test Drives throughout the country. The first TD 2000 Weekend Test Drive will be held at the EON Glenmarie Showroom in Shah Alam, Selangor, on March 10th and March 11th 2001 from 3 pm – 7 pm.

    According to EON Managing Director Datuk Adzmi Abdul Wahab, the casual test drives are aimed at introducing the pleasures of a classic roadster sports car to a niche market who enjoy ‘air-in-their-hair’ while driving around the city or countryside.

    “We also intend to give people in other towns the same opportunity to enjoy such TD 2000 Weekend test drives in the near future,” he added.

    Those who wish to confirm their test-drive should contact branch manager Mat Dan at 03-7031111 (Extension 2268) before Saturday.

    The TD 2000, with prices starting from RM185,136 is manufactured in Malaysia and assembled locally by EON’s wholly-owned subsidiary Automotive Conversion Engineering Sdn Bhd (ACE).

    It is also is available for use as a bridal car or for other special occasions and those interested in using it for such a purpose should contact Avis Car Rentals.

    At the weekend test drive, the ACE-converted Proton Executive version of the Perdana V6 will also be made available.

    by -

    Brace yourself for corny tyre jokes and puns (sample: it’s “a-maize-ing”)… Goodyear has introduced the world’s first tyre with a compound derived from corn. Its new GT3 is the first tyre on the market using a new starch-based filler material called BioTRED, which uses common corn as its “feedstock.”

    A patented innovation developed at the company’s Luxembourg technical centre, BioTRED partially replaces more conventional carbon black and silica. “This presents important environmental advantages, including remarkably lower rolling resistance – and as a result, less fuel consumption, noise reduction, lower carbon dioxide emissions and less energy consumption in the production processes,” said Filomeno Corvasce, the Goodyear engineer who developed it.

    Moreover, BioTRED uses renewable compounds versus non-renewable sources. The starch used in the production of BioTRED is derived from corn, in a process similar to the one used in food industries. Then it is treated to obtain micro-droplets of starch. In a next step, these micro droplets are treated, transforming them into a biopolymeric filler. The end product has physical properties that differ substantially from those of traditional fillers. The lower specific gravity of this new material also reduces tyre weight and rolling inertia, thus further improving fuel efficiency.

    The tyre is being introduced in Europe first, where Ford will use it as original equipment on a new fuel-stingy version of its Fiesta. It will then likely will be made available in other regions. Initially, there are 17 GT3 sizes for compact to medium-sized vehicles, ranging from 155/70R13 to 195/65R15.

    Goodyear Malaysia has not announced any plans to offer this tyre in the local market.

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