Automotive

Fundamentals
Subject: Automotive Electronics
Course Code: (18UECO632)
Semester: VI(A )
Academic Year: 2021-22
Course Instructor: Dr. Vyas R Murnal
Assistant Professor
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Dept of ECE, SDMCET, Dharwad

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Automotive Electronics
• AutomotiveRelating to Motor Vehicles
• Electronics We know it!!
• Both are revolutionary and created lots of jobs
• Applying technologies of Electronics to automobiles to
improve performance, comfort and quality

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THE AUTOMOBILE PHYSICAL CONFIGURATION
1. Engine
2. Drive train (transmission, differential,
axle)
3. Suspension
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4. Steering

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5. Brakes

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 6. Instrumentation
7. Electrical/electronic
8. Motion control
9. Safety
10. Comfort/convenience11.
Entertainment
/communication/navigation

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Cutaway View of a 6- Cylinder, Overhead Valve, Inline Engine

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The Engine

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Provides all the power for moving the automobile, for the hydraulic and
pneumatic systems, and for the electrical system Most cars have engine
mounted in the front:
Advantages: crash protection, efficient engine cooling
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 Disadvantage: unequal distribution of weight
2 types of Combustion Engines
1. External Combustion Engine
2. Internal Combustion Engine

Internal Combustion Engine

– widely used
2 types
1. Spark Ignition (SI).
(Petrol or gasoline Engine)
2. Compression Ignition(CI) Engine. (Diesel
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Engine)

IC EnginesMajor
Components of
an Engine 1. Engine
block
2. Cylinder
3. Crankshaft
4. Pistons
5. Connecting rods
6. Camshaft
7. Cylinder head
8. Valves

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9. Fuel control system
10. Ignition system
11. Exhaust system
12. Cooling system

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Engine Block

• Heavy, strong, made of cast iron or aluminum

• Cylinder – smooth finish
• Piston – tightly fit into cylinder
• Connecting Rod – piston to crankshaft
• Crank shaft – converts up-down(linear) to rotary
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Piston fitted in cylinder
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Linear to rotary motion conversion

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Camshaft

-Contains cams used in valve control operations

-Driven by Crank shaft

-Camshaft rotates at half speed of Crankshaft
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- In four stroke engines, 1 cylinder cycle=2 crankshaft rotations

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CAM
Role of CAM in Engine Operation
- Eccentric shaped structures
– to convert rotary to linear motion

- opening and closing of valves

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Cylinder Head
• At the top of the engine cylinder
• Houses Intake and exhaust valves operated
by cams, spark plugs ,fuel injector, coolant
ducts, lubricant ducts, etc
• Three types:
1. Flathead Engine Cylinder Heads – plain
blank head with holes for valves
2. Overhead Valve (OHV) Engine Cylinder
Heads – fitted with valves
3. Overhead Camshaft (OHC) Engine Heads
– camshaft also fitted

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Common Car Engine Layouts
1. Straight /Inline 2. V 3. Flat or Boxer

4 Stroke Cycle in SI Engine

1. Intake
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2.
Compression
3. Power
4. Exhaust

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1. Intake (suction) Stroke:
• Piston is moving from top to bottom
• The intake valve is open.
• Mixture of air and vaporized gasoline drawn into the cylinder - in modern,
electronically controlled engines, fuel is injected into the intake port and is timed to
coincide with the intake stroke.
• Intake valve is closed after the piston reaches the bottom. This position is normally
called bottom dead center (BDC).
2. Compression Stroke:
• Both valves are closed
• Piston moves upward and compresses the fuel and air mixture against the cylinder
head (up to a ratio of 8 to 10) – temperature and pressure gets increased
• When the piston is near the top of this stroke(top dead center—TDC), the ignition
system produces an electrical spark at the tip of the spark plug.
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• Spark produces temperature up to 700oC and ignites the air–fuel mixture and the
mixture burns quickly, causing a rapid rise in the pressure in the cylinder.
3. Power(Expansion or Combustion) Stroke:
• Both valves remain closed
• Power generated by high pressure created by the burning mixture
• Forces the piston downward, making crankshaft to rotate.

4. Exhaust Stroke:
• Piston is again moving upward.
• The exhaust valve gets opened
• The piston forces the burned gases from the cylinder through the exhaust
port into the exhaust system and out the tailpipe into the atmosphere.

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Observe: Two complete rotations of crankshaft
Note: Intake , sparkplug, Exhaust can be electronically controlled

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Note:
• Power is produced only during
the power stroke
• To maintain crankshaft rotation
during the other three-quarters
of the cycle, a flywheel is used.
Flywheel is a relatively large,
heavy, circular object that is
connected to the crankshaft to
provide inertia
• In a multi-cylinder engine, the
power strokes are staggered so
that power is produced during a
larger fraction of the cycle than
for a single-cylinder engine.
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Staggering of the power strokes to get maximum power

Power Pulses from a 4 - Cylinder Engine

Operation of Four stroke CI Engine

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• Diesel is used
• Air is let in and
compressed to
Compression Ratio
around 20
• Temperature
developed due
to compression is
2500oC.
• Fuel is injected into
chamber
• Auto ignition, Spark
is not required

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 Spark Ignition (SI) Engine Compression Ignition (CI)
Engine
1. Spark Plug is required Spark plug not required
2 Air and fuel mixture is taken in Only air is taken in and fuel is injected later

3 Compresses the air and fuel together Only air is compressed

4 Compression ratio is relatively low Compression ratio is relative high (twice)

5 Uses highly volatile fuel like petrol Uses less volatile fuel like diesel

6 Fuel used is relatively costly Fuel used is relatively cheaper

7 Fuel efficiency is less Better fuel efficiency

 8 Lighter in weight Heavier in weight
9 Smoother operation/less noise and Rougher operation /more noise and
vibration vibration
10 Less initial and maintenance cost High Initial and maintenance cost
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Engine Control
• Regulating the power that it produces at any time in accordance with
driving needs
• Via accelerator pedal, which, in turn, determines the setting of the throttle
plate via a mechanical linkage system.
• Throttle plate is situated in the air intake system and controls the
amount of air being drawn into the engine during each intake stroke

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• Intake system is an assembly of pipes or passageways through which the
air flows from outside into each cylinder
• Air flowing into the engine flows past the throttle plate, which, in fact,
controls the amount of air being drawn into the engine during each intake
stroke.
Intake Manifold and Fuel Metering

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• Power produced by the engine is proportional to the mass flow

rate of air into the engine(power produced also depends on fuel
being present in the correct proportions )
• Driver then controls engine power directly by controlling the air
mass flow rate with the throttle plate.
• As the accelerator pedal is depressed, the throttle plate rotates,
permitting air to flow at an increased rate
• Fuel is delivered to each cylinder at a rate that is proportional to air
flow
• Fuel flow rate is determined by fuel injectors (one for each
cylinder), which are operated by an electronic engine control
system
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Fuel Injector

Carburetor
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Accelerator & Throttle Plate

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Ignition System
• Means of initiating combustion of the air-fuel mixture through electric
spark produced across the gap between a pair of electrodes of a spark
plug
• Electric arc or spark provides sufficient energy to cause combustion •
Typically, the spark must persist for a period of about 1 millisecond.
• This relatively short period makes spark ignition possible using highly
efficient pulse transformer circuits in which a circuit having a relatively
low average current can deliver a very high-voltage (high peak power)
pulse to the spark plug.
• Components of Ignition System: 1. the spark plug, 2. one or more pulse
transformers (typically called coils), 3.timing control circuitry, and
4.distribution apparatus that supplies the high-voltage pulse to the correct
cylinder.
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Spark Plug
• The spark plug consists of a pair of electrodes,
called the center and ground electrodes,
separated by a gap.
• The gap size is important and is specified for
each engine. The gap may be 0.025 inch (0.6
mm) for one engine and 0.040 inch (1mm) for
another engine.
• The center electrode is insulated from the
ground electrode and the metallic shell
assembly.
• The ground electrode is at electrical ground
potential

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• Spark is produced by applying a high-voltage pulse of
from 20kV to 40kV between the center electrode and
ground
• The arc is sustained long enough to ignite the air–fuel
mixture. The voltage required to sustain it is much lower
because the gas mixture near the gap becomes highly
ionized, thus allows current to flow more freely.

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High-Voltage Circuit and Distribution
• Ignition system that existed before electronic control systems

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 Spark Pulse Generation
• High-voltage pulse is accomplished by switching the current through the
primary circuit.
• The mechanism in the distributor of a traditional ignition system for
switching the primary circuit of the coil consists of opening and closing the
breaker points (of a switch) by a rotary cam in the distributor.
• During the intervals between ignition pulses (i.e., when the rotor is between
contacts), the breaker points are closed (known as dwell ).
• Current flows through the primary of the coil, and a magnetic field is
created that links the primary and secondary of the coil.

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• At the instant the spark pulse is required, the breaker points are
opened.
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• This interrupts the flow of current in the primary of the coil and
the magnetic field collapses rapidly.
• The rapid collapse of the magnetic field induces the high-voltage
pulse in the secondary of the coil.
• The capacitor absorbs the primary current, which continues to
flow during the short interval in which the points are opening, and
limits arcing at the breaker points.
• High-voltage pulse is generated by inductive discharge of a special
highvoltage transformer commonly called an ignition coil.
• In modern Engine, the breaker points have been replaced with an
electronic control module in which a power transistor controls the coil
current

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• The high-voltage pulse is delivered to the appropriate spark plug at the
correct time for ignition by a distribution circuit.
• Before the advent of modern electronic controls, the distribution of high
voltage pulses was accomplished with a rotary switch called the distributor.
• The distributor is an obsolete means for distribution of the spark to the
appropriate spark plug, and is being replaced by multiple coils.
• The primary current increases with time after the points close (point a on
waveform).
• At the instant the points open, this current begins to fall rapidly.
• It is during this rapid drop in primary current that the secondary high-voltage
pulse occurs (point b).
• The primary current oscillates (the “wavy’’ portion; point c) because of the
resonant circuit formed between the coil and capacitor.

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• The center electrode is mechanically driven by the camshaft (via gears) and
rotates synchronously at camshaft speed.
• A set of electrical leads, commonly called spark plug wires, is connected
between the various spark plug center terminals and the individual
terminals in the distributor cap.
• The center terminal in the distributor cap is connected to the ignition coil
secondary

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Mechanism for opening and closing the breaker points
• A cam having a number of lobes equal to the number of cylinders is
mounted on the distributor shaft
• Movable arm of the breaker points
has an insulated rubbing block that
is pressed against the cam by a
spring
• As the cam rotates, the rubbing
block is moved by the lobe (high
point) on the . At this time, the
breaker points open
Note: In electronic ignition system,
breaker points are replaced by a
solid-state switch

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Spark Plug

Ignition

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• Significantly affects engine

performance and exhaust emissions

• Ignition made to occurs some time

before top dead center (BTDC) during

the compression stroke

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Ignition Timing

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• 8-10 degrees before TDC at low speeds - set by the proper design of the
mechanical coupling between the crankshaft and the distributor
•Larger BTDC angle as the speed increases – this change in ignition timing
is called spark advance. Also ignition timing needs to be adjusted as a
function of intake manifold pressure

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Electric Cars
• Mechanical power required to move the car comes from an electric motor
• Necessary electric energy required is supplied by storage batteries
• Energy density (i.e., the energy per unit weight) of storage cells has been and
continues to be significantly less than gasoline or diesel fuel
• Exhaust emissions coming from an electrically powered carare
(theoretically) zero, making this type of car very attractive from a pollution
standpoint
• Performance and range are inferior to those of gasoline-fueled cars

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Hybrid cars

• Combination of a gasoline-fueled engine with an electric propulsion system

• The hybrid vehicle is capable of operation in three modes in which power
comes from: (a) the engine only; (b) the electric motor only (c) the combined
engine and electric motor
• In a*-
*********************************************+*****************
******************************+chieving these modes of operation, the
engine and electric motor must be coupled to the drive-train Series Hybrid
• Operated either as purely electric propulsion (with energy supplied by
storage cells) or as a combination of an engine driving a generator to supply
the electric power for the motor
Parallel Hybrid
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 One Example….

• Electric motor rotor is constructed on an extended crankshaft of the engine.

• The power to move the vehicle can come from the engine alone, from the
battery via electric power to the motor/generator (motor in this case), or by
both acting together.
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• The motor generator/rotor is connected on the shaft between the crankshaft
and the transaxle assembly.
• The engine is connected to the transaxle by a mechanism that permits the
modes of operation.
• This mechanism is denoted C, which is an electrically activated clutch that
disconnects the engine from the transaxle when it is switched off for electric
propulsion but connects the engine to the transaxle for engineonly power or
for combined engine electric motor operation
Drive train
Consists of the engine, transmission, drive shaft, differential, and driven
wheels.
Delivers power from transmission to wheels

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 Transmission (Gear System)
• Transmission is a gear system that adjusts the ratio of engine speed to
wheel speed
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• Enables the engine to operate within its optimal performance range
regardless of the vehicle load or speed
• Provides a gear ratio between the engine speed and vehicle speed such
that the engine provides adequate power to drive the vehicle at any speed
• In manual transmission driver selects the correct gear ratio from a set of
possible gear ratios (usually three to five for passenger cars)
• An automatic transmission selects this gear ratio by means of an automatic
control system
• Normally properly used manual transmission has efficiency advantages over
an automatic transmission
• Automatic transmissions have been controlled by a hydraulic and
pneumatic system, but the industry is moving toward electronic controls.

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• The control system must determine the correct gear ratio by sensing the
driver-selected command, accelerator pedal position, and engine load

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Gears

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Manual
Transmission

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 Automatic Transmission

Continuous Variable Transmission Planetary gear system

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Automated Manual Transmission
• Sensors are used to
measure speed, load etc.
• ECU plays a role in
deciding about the shifts
• Clutch and gear change
operations achieved
through actuators

Drive Shaft
• To couple the transmission
output shaft to the
differential input shaft

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• Flexible couplings, called universal joints, allow the rear axle housing and
wheels to move up and down while the transmission remains stationary

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Rear Wheel and Front Wheel Drives
• Until recently, so-called drive wheels through which power is delivered to
the road have been the rear wheels - This configuration is known as rear
wheel drive
• Rear wheel drive configuration is not optimal from a traction standpoint
since the relatively large weight of the engine/transmission is primarily on
the front wheels.
• In order to take advantage of the engine weight for traction, many
presentday cars combine steering and drive wheels in the front (i.e., so-
called front wheel drive cars)
• In achieving front wheel drive, certain compromises must be made with
respect to complexity and steering radius.

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• There is a tendency for the torque applied to the front wheels to adversely
affect steering through a phenomenon known as “torque steer.”
• In front wheel drive cars the engine is mounted transversely (i.e., with the
rotation axis orthogonal to the
vehicle axis as opposed to along
the vehicle axis -called East-
West).
• The transmission is mounted
adjacent to the engine and
oriented with its axis parallel to
the engine axis.
• The differential and drive axle
configuration is normally

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 mounted in the transmission; the combined unit is thus called the
transaxle.

Differential
Three Purposes
• Right angle(perpendicular) transfer
of the rotary motion of the drive shaft to the wheels.
• To allow each driven wheel to turn
at a different speed.
• To allow different torque to be
delivered to the wheels while using
the same engine and transmission

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Suspension
• Mechanical assembly that connects each
wheel to the car body
• Primary purpose of the suspension system
is to isolate the car body from the vertical
motion of the wheels as they travel over
the rough road surface
• Weight of the car is supported by springs
• Shock absorber (sometimes a strut), which
is in effect a viscous damping device
Major Components

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Shock Absorber
• Consists of a cylinder and piston assembly
• Cylinder is filled with a viscous oil
• Small oil passages through the piston through
which the oil can flow
• As the wheel assembly moves up and down,
the piston moves identically through the
cylinder
• Oil flows through the oil passages – developed
force provide a damping force
• Magnitude of this force for any given piston
velocity varies inversely with the aperture of
the oil passages
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Brakes
• Responsible for slowing and stopping the
vehicle
• Two major types of automotive brakes:
drum and disk brakes.
• Disk Brakes:
Flat disk is attached to each wheel and rotates
with it as the car moves
Wheel cylinder assembly (often called a
caliper) is connected to the axle assembly
Pair of pistons having brake pad material are
mounted in the caliper assembly and are
close to the disk.
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 Operation
• Under normal driving conditions, the pads are not in contact with the disk, and
the disk is free to rotate
• When the brake pedal is
depressed, hydraulic pressure is
applied through the brake fluid to
force the brake pads against the
disk
• Braking force that decelerates the
car results from friction between
the disk and the pads.

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 Steering
• Control of the path of the car over the ground
• Rotating the plane of the front
wheels in the desired direction of
the turn
• Angle between the front wheel
plane and the longitudinal axis of
the car is known as the steering
angle

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Rack and Pinion Steering

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 Power Steering
• Restoring torque is proportional to the vehicle weight for any given
steering angle, considerable driver effort is required for large cars,
particularly at low speeds and when parking
• To overcome this effort in relatively large cars, a power steering system is
added
• Consists of an engine-driven hydraulic pump, a hydraulic actuator, and
control valve
• Whenever the steering wheel is turned, a proportioning valve opens,
allowing hydraulic pressure to activate the actuator
• Piston, in turn, is connected to the steering linkage and provides
mechanical torque to assist the driver in turning – called as steering boost

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Desired Boost v/s Speed
• Desired steering boost varies with vehicle speed
• Available boost from the pump
increases with engine speed (or
vehicle speed), whereas the
desired boost decreases with
increasing speed
Power Steering types
• Hydraulic Power Steering
Using a hydraulic system to
multiply force applied to the
steering wheel
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Uses pump driven by the engine
Disadvantage: Loss of engine power

• Electric Power Steering

Electric motor is used
More efficient

• Hybrid Power Steering

Hydraulic system driven by electric pump

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Hydraulic PS Electric PS

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Steer by wire – Future !!

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