The suspension is one of the central systems in the automotive branch that influences the crucial characteristics of an automobile the most. The research and development of the chassis and suspension of the future must unify the following three goals for the purpose of sustainable mobility: energy efficiency, safety, and driving pleasure. While safety and energy efficiency are becoming more and more of a standard requirement, driving pleasure is and remains to be a decisive factor for the purchasing customer. This paper will give insight into which challenges should be focused on from the research perspective and which next steps in suspension development are necessary to resolve the numerous conflicting goals and to find the best trade-offs. The chassis of future vehicles will not only significantly improve ride and handling, but has the potential to further increase driving safety as well as energy efficiency. The increase of energy efficiency is driven by lightweight design, reduction of rolling resistance and the electrification and intelligent control of chassis actuators. Driving safety should be further improved by making use of information on future road conditions and the traffic environment. The driving experience may not only benefit from increasing communication and intelligence of future vehicles, but also from the electrification of the drivetrain, which allows for creating a new dimension of driving experience. IKA currently carries out several chassis related research projects, which address the potentials and goals described in this paper. The research vehicle SpeedE comprises a wheel individual Steer-by-wire system, allowing up to 90 steering angle, facilitating a significant increase in maneuverability, agility and driving stability. An electromechanical strut may not only be used as a development tool, but also offers functional potential with regard to dynamically changing suspension characteristics and energy harvesting. New approaches on the identification of friction potential promise to further increase driving safety, while a dynamic adjustment of tyre pressure may positively influence the energy efficiency of future vehicles. The research examples described in this paper underline the importance and potential of future chassis systems in order to contribute to the high level goals of improving driving safety, energy efficiency and driving experience.
Outlook for the Passenger Car Suspension of the Future
Internationales µ-Symposium, Bremsen-Fachtagung, 33, International µ-Symposium, Brake Conference, 33 ; 107-120
2014
14 Seiten, Bilder, 10 Quellen
Aufsatz (Konferenz)
Englisch
Outlook for the Passenger Car Suspension of the Future
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