Chasis systems integration

Major hurdles have to be overcome if the benefits of electronic chassis and suspension systems, together with emerging near-term systems such as steering-linked lane-keeping capability, are to be fully exploited.

“Its early promise was rather hyped, but the potential is tremendous.” That is the view of Hugh Kemp, Engineering Director of international automotive technology business at Prodrive, on the future of by-wire technology. “By-wire presents so many attractive solutions that it has to be the next big development,” he said. “From a chassis engineer's perspective, it provides an amazing wealth of ways to manipulate how a vehicle departs from linearity and to maximize the performance we can derive from tires.”

Kemp expects its implementation in two stages. “We are already seeing ‘control- by-wire’ systems that offer many of the benefits of full by-wire, but without the cost and risk of electrical actuation,” he said. “I think there is big potential for this type of hybrid system, which brings most of the benefits of full by-wire without many of the larger challenges. Electrohydraulic braking is an example. New technologies including Prodrive's ATD (Active Torque Dynamics) closed-loop yaw control system also fall into this category.”