Summary
For motorized vehicles, such as automobiles, aircraft, and watercraft, vehicle dynamics is the study of vehicle motion, e.g., how a vehicle's forward movement changes in response to driver inputs, propulsion system outputs, ambient conditions, air/surface/water conditions, etc. Vehicle dynamics is a part of engineering primarily based on classical mechanics. The aspects of a vehicle's design which affect the dynamics can be grouped into drivetrain and braking, suspension and steering, distribution of mass, aerodynamics and tires. Automobile layout (i.e. location of engine and driven wheels) Powertrain Braking system Some attributes relate to the geometry of the suspension, steering and chassis. These include: Ackermann steering geometry Axle track Camber angle Caster angle Ride height Roll center Scrub radius Steering ratio Toe Wheel alignment Wheelbase Some attributes or aspects of vehicle dynamics are purely due to mass and its distribution. These include: Center of mass Moment of inertia Roll moment Sprung mass Unsprung mass Weight distribution Some attributes or aspects of vehicle dynamics are purely aerodynamic. These include: Automobile drag coefficient Automotive aerodynamics Center of pressure Downforce Ground effect in cars Some attributes or aspects of vehicle dynamics can be attributed directly to the tires. These include: Camber thrust Circle of forces Contact patch Cornering force Ground pressure Pacejka's Magic Formula Pneumatic trail Radial Force Variation Relaxation length Rolling resistance Self aligning torque Skid Slip angle Slip (vehicle dynamics) Spinout Steering ratio Tire load sensitivity Car handling Some attributes or aspects of vehicle dynamics are purely dynamic. These include: Body flex Body roll Bump Steer Bundorf analysis Directional stability Critical speed Noise, vibration, and harshness Pitch Ride quality Roll Speed wobble Understeer, oversteer, lift-off oversteer, and fishtailing Weight transfer and load transfer Yaw The dynamic behavior of vehicles can be analysed in several different ways.
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Automobile handling
Automobile handling and vehicle handling are descriptions of the way a wheeled vehicle responds and reacts to the inputs of a driver, as well as how it moves along a track or road. It is commonly judged by how a vehicle performs particularly during cornering, acceleration, and braking as well as on the vehicle's directional stability when moving in steady state condition. In the automotive industry, handling and braking are the major components of a vehicle's "active" safety, as well as its ability to perform in auto racing.
Automotive suspension design process
Automotive suspension design is an aspect of automotive engineering, concerned with designing the suspension for cars and trucks. Suspension design for other vehicles is similar, though the process may not be as well established.
Ackermann steering geometry
The Ackermann steering geometry is a geometric arrangement of linkages in the steering of a car or other vehicle designed to solve the problem of wheels on the inside and outside of a turn needing to trace out circles of different radii. It was invented by the German carriage builder Georg Lankensperger in Munich in 1816, then patented by his agent in England, Rudolph Ackermann (1764–1834) in 1818 for horse-drawn carriages. Erasmus Darwin may have a prior claim as the inventor dating from 1758.
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