Influential Cars of the 20th Century

Jim Rauf

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Automobile Electronics -- Traction Control
• 1971 Buick Riviera had an available computerized
traction-control system- Max-Trac
• It used a small analog computer to provide
optimum acceleration and reduce the tendency to
spin out under power when on slick and icy road
surfaces
• The computer received inputs from front and rear
wheel speed sensors and interrupted the ignition
circuit anytime the rear wheel speed was a
minimum of 10 per cent greater than the front
wheel speed
• It worked ideally with a positive traction axle
• The system was dropped for 1973 due to
maintenance issues and emission control
regulations

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Automobile Electronics –Door Locks and Dash Displays
• 1980 Ford introduced the SecuriCode, a pillar-
mounted keypad fitted to Ford , Mercury and
Lincoln vehicles
• 1983 Renault Fuego offered the world’s first
handheld keyless-entry system
• 1986 Buick Riviera offered its Graphic Control
Center touchscreen technology
• GCC had a 3x4 inch cathode-ray tube display with
a green-and-black screen
• The driver could control electronic settings such as
the trip computer , radio, and climate settings
• Buick dropped the GCC in 1990 after owners found
it onerous and distracting

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Automobile Electronics – Navigation System
• 1995 Oldsmobile offered the Guidestar system in
the Oldsmobile Eighty-Eight
• It was a $2000 option
• A test run in rental cars, conducted with AAA and
centered around Orlando, Florida, had proved the
concept starting in 1992
• GM had given up on the touchscreen for a while by
1995, so there was no place for the unit in-dash
• It had to sit on a stalk on the center console
• Decent digital maps were still a decade or more
away

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Automobile Electronics – Electronic Stability Control (ESC)

• 1995 Mercedes Benz S600 introduced Electronic

Stability Control (ESC)
• BMW and Toyota got their ESC systems out later in
1995
• ESC combines anti-lock brakes , traction control,
and advanced sensing technologies
• With ESC, the car detects not only a wheel spinning
or locking, but also side-slip and other deviations
from the driver's intended path
• Applying brakes on each wheel independently
and/or adjusting engine output (or even the
transmission and steering on some versions), the
car stays stable
• U.S. regulators required ESC on all cars sold by
2012

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Battery Electric Cars -- EV1
• The 1990 revised Clean Air Act requirements put
California in danger of losing Federal highway
money
• The zero-emissions-vehicle mandate proposed that
by 1998, 2% of California-sold cars would be zero-
emission, increasing to 5% by 2001, and 10% by
2003
• GM produced the EV1 , a fully-electric, battery-
powered, emissions-free, two-seater car
• Due to concerns regarding temperature effects on
the battery , GM restricted the EV1 to drivers in A two-seater car is impractical for families, and with its
California and Arizona limited range (estimates range from 50-100 miles), this
• 1,100 EV1’s were available on a lease-basis only car was intended for commuting short distances
• Lease options ranged from $250-500 per month

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Battery Electric Cars -- EV1
Powertrain
Electric motor •three-phase Alternating current
•Induction motor with
•IGBT power inverter
•137 bhp (102 kW) at 7000 rpm
•110 lb⋅ft (149 N⋅m) at 0–7000 rpm
Transmission Single-speed reduction integrated
with motor and differential
Battery Early vehicles 16.5–18.7 kWh lead-
acid, later versions
26.4 kWh Nickel Metal
Hydride (NiMH)
Electric range •EPA, revised according to 2019
procedure
•lead-acid: 55 miles
•NiMH: 105 miles
Dimensions
Wheelbase 98.9 in Plug-in charging 6.6 kW Magne Charge inductive
Length 169.7 in converter
Width 69.5 in
Height 50.5 in
Curb weight •3,086 lb with Lead-acid
batteries
•2,908 lb
•with NiMH batteries

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Battery Electric Cars -- EV1

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Battery Electric Cars -- EV1
• Customer reaction to the EV1 was positive
• An alliance of the major automakers litigated the
CARB regulation, resulting in a slackening of the
ZEV stipulation, permitting the companies to
produce super-low-emissions vehicles, natural gas
vehicles, and hybrid cars in place of pure electrics
• The EV1 lease program was discontinued in 2002,
and all cars on the road were taken back , under
the terms of the lease
• Lessees were not given the option to purchase
their cars from GM, which cited parts, service, and
liability regulations
• GM believed that electric cars occupied an
unprofitable niche of the automobile market, and
ended up crushing most of the cars
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• EV1 development cost was estimated at $340,000
per car, followed by the piece or marginal cost,
which was estimated in 1992 at $16,000-18,000
per car
• Half of those figures went toward the propulsion
system alone
• Battery technology in the EV1 was just not ready to
meet the demands of its consumers and certainly
nowhere near poised to replace the internal-
combustion, piston-powered engines
10
Battery Electric Cars -- EV1

• The EV1's discontinuation remains controversial,

with electric car enthusiasts, environmental
interest groups and former EV1 lessees
• They accused GM of self-sabotaging its electric car
program to avoid potential losses in spare parts
sales (sales forced by government regulations),
while also blaming the oil industry for conspiring to
keep electric cars off the road
• As a result of GM taking the cars back as the leases
ended and the subsequent destruction of the
majority of EV1s, an intact and working EV1 is one
of the rarest cars from the 1990s

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Hybrid Electric Car – Nothing New

• 1900 Lohner–Porsche Mixed Hybrid vehicle

was developed by Ferdinand Porsche at the
Austrian Lohner -Werke
• First prototypes were two-wheel drive,
battery-powered electric vehicles with two
front-wheel hub-mounted motors
• A later version was a series hybrid using hub-
mounted electric motors in each wheel
powered by batteries and a gasoline-engine
generator Lohner–Porsche Electromobile
Production 1900–1905
• The Lohner-Porsche Electromobile Designer Ferdinand Porsche
Class Horseless Carriage
• The first front wheel drive vehicle Body style 2-seater convertible
4-seater
• The first all wheel drive vehicle 10–14 hp Two/four hub-mounted electric motors,
Engine driven by battery and/or petrol engine
• The first hybrid electric vehicle driven by gasoline engine
Curb weight 3,307 lb

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Hybrid Electric Car – 1999 Honda Insight

• The Honda Insight is a hybrid electric car

• Its first generation as a two-door, two passenger
liftback (1999–2006)
• It was Honda's first model with Integrated Motor
Assist system and the most fuel efficient gasoline-
powered car available in the U.S. without plug-in
capability — for the length of its production run
• Honda presented its concept car the VV at the
1999 North American International Auto Show • Length 155.3 in

• It was a two-seat concept powered by a three- • Wheelbase 94 in

cylinder gasoline engine and an Integrated • Width 66.7 in
(electric) Motor Assist powering the front wheels • Height 53.3 in
• The VV was, like GM's EV1, a tiny two-seater • Curb weight 1847 lb -1964 lb
•

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 Hybrid Electric Car – 1999 Honda Insight
• The Insight (based on the VV with minimal
change) , went on sale in December of 1999
• Beating an improved Toyota Prius to the U.S.
market by seven months
• Produced through the 2006 model year, the
original Insight earned a 52-mpg combined EPA
mileage rating
• A second-generation, larger Insight was produced
2009-2014

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Hybrid Electric Car – 1999 Honda Insight

Dimensions
Wheelbase 94 in
Length 155.3 in
Width 66.7 in
Height 5303 in
Curb weight 1847-1964 lb

Powertrain
Engine 1.0 L 67 hp ECA1 I-3
Electric motor 144 V
10 kW (13 hp) at 3000 rpm
Transmission 5-speed manual
CVT automatic
FWD
Hybrid drivetrain Parallel hybrid
(Honda Integrated Motor Assist)
Battery 6.5 AH Ni-MH
144 V (120 cells @ 1.2V)

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Hybrid Electric Car -- Toyota Prius Hybrid

• The first Prius, model NHW10, went on sale in

December 1997 as the first mass produced hybrid
car
• It was available only in Japan

• Toyota Prius had front mounted naturally aspirated

1.5 liter 4 valves per cylinder 4 cylinder DOHC
engine powering the front wheels
• Power is 57 hp at 4000 rpm and 75 ft lbs torque at
4000 rpm
• The engine powers the front wheels via a
continuously variable transmission (CVT)
• The Prius weighs 2720 lbs
• HYBRID DRIVETRAIN
• SECONDARY MOTOR TYPE Permanent Magnet
• BATTERIES Nickel-Metal Hydride
• SECONDARY POWER 39.5 hp
• SECONDARY TORQUE 225 ft lb @0 rpm

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Hybrid Electric Car -- Toyota Prius Hybrid

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Automotive Electronics
• Electronic components in automobiles operate in • Advances in electronic control of automotive
harsh environments systems, especially engines awaited the
development of solid- state transistors as well as
• Automotive electronics can be subjected to, and
reliable sensors
are therefore rated at, more extreme temperature
ranges than commercial electronics • Crankshaft position sensor
• Cam shaft position sensors
• The list below is an example of temperature • Wheel speed sensors (ABS)
ratings/grades Note that the automotive grade is
• Air flow sensors
second only to the military grade (in terms of
extreme temperature ratings): • Exhaust gas oxygen sensors
• Knock sensors
Commercial: 0°C to 85°C
• Accelerometers (ESC)
Industrial: -40°C to 100°C
Automotive: -40°C to 125°C
Military: -55°C to 125°C
• Automotive electronic devices must also be able to
withstand mechanical shock and vibration

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Automotive Electronics – Engine Control Unit (ECU)
• The Engine Control unit (ECU) is computer
that processes multiple signals from an
array of sensors in order to determine the
correct amount of fuel flow for the engine
• The ECU considers temperatures,
pressures, engine speeds, crankshaft
position , engine knock , air flow into the
engine , throttle position , e oxygen level
in the exhaust gas , position of the cam
shafts , etc
• The ECU controls how long the fuel the
injector nozzles are open to meter the
fuel flow
• The ECU also controls the spark advance

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Automotive Electronics

• With each new model cars have become rolling

electronic devices
• At first the focus was on engine control to meet
emission requirements and improve performance
• This later expanded to include controls of wipers,
door locks, remote key systems, etc
• The focus has widened to on board diagnostics to
support engine maintenance /trouble shooting
• Automotive electronics have expanded to include
entertainment and information and touchscreen
control of cabin systems e. g. air conditioning and
heaters

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Electronic Engine Control and Sensors

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Electronic Engine Control and Fuel Injection

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Fuel Injection Systems

• In 1955 Mercedes-Benz outfitted a 300SL with the

Bosch mechanical direct fuel injection system
• 1957 Chevrolet introduced the Corvette equipped
with a mechanically fuel injected 283-cubic inch V8
• In 1957 the American Motors Corporation
outfitted the Rambler with a Bendix electronic
fuel injection system, called the Electrojector
• The system was very temperamental especially during cold
weather conditions and failed during pre-production
testing

• Chrysler also equipped a few models with the

Bendix Electrojector in 1958
• Near the end of the 1960s European automakers
began experimenting with mechanical fuel
injection for production vehicles
• Porsche, Peugeot, Audi, BMW, Aston Martin,
Triumph, and Volkswagen outfitted select models
with Bosch Jetronic mechanical fuel injection

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Electronic Fuel Injection

• The Electrojector patents were sold to Bosch • 1968 VW introduced the computer for engine
control
• Bosch developed their D-Jetronic from the
Electrojector • The Engine Control Unit (ECU) a computer to
perform one specific function: Electronic Fuel
• It was first used on the VW 1600TL/E in 1968 Injection (EFI)
• This was a speed/density system, using engine
speed and intake manifold air density to calculate
"air mass" flow rate and thus fuel requirements
• The system was used by VW, Mercedes-
Benz, Porsche, Citroën, Saab, and Volvo
• Lucas licensed the system for production
in Jaguar cars

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Electronic Fuel Injection

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Adaptive Cruise Control
• Chrysler Imperial introduced first car with cruise
control systems in 1958
• 1998, Toyota became the first to introduce an
adaptive cruise control (ACC) system on a
production vehicle - a laser-based system for its
Progress compact luxury sedan, which it sold in
Japan
• Nissan followed suit with a radar-based system, in
the company’s Cima 41LV-2, a luxury sedan also
sold only in Japan
• 1999 Jaguar began offering an ACC for its XKR
coupes and convertibles sold in Germany and
Britain
• ACC is now offered on many mass market vehicles

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On Board Diagnostics II

• 1980s the first On Board Diagnostic (OBD) systems

• 1995 OBD II was an evolution of the first on-board
diagnostics systems
• It provided far more diagnostic capability, allowing
technicians and home mechanics to find out
exactly what was wrong with their car through
specific codes accessed by a 16 pin connector
• OBD II could tell you that a specific cylinder was
misfiring
• OBD II allowed the adaptation of far more complex
and precise air and fuel management in the engine

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2021 Chevrolet Malibu Features

Curb weight 3135 lbs.

EPA interior volume 118.7 cu.ft.
Height 57.9 in.
Length 194.2 in.
Wheel base 111.4 in.
Width 73.0 in

• Direct fuel injection yes

• Base engine size 1.5 liter
• Engine Type Turbo charged 4 cylinder • Cam type Double overhead cam
• Transmission Continuously variable-speed • Cylinders Inline 4
automatic
• Horsepower 160 hp @ 5700 rpm
• Drive Type Front wheel drive
• Torque 184 lb-ft @ 2500 rpm
• Total Seating 5
• Valve timing Variable
• Valves 16

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2021 Chevrolet Malibu Features
• Auto delay off headlamps • 4-wheel ABS
• Child seat anchors • Emergency braking assist
• Daytime running lights • Passenger airbag occupant sensing deactivation
• Dual front and dual rear side-mounted airbags • Rear center 3-point belt
• Dusk sensing headlamps • Rear door child safety locks
• Emergency braking preparation • Rear height adjustable headrests
• Engine immobilizer • Ventilated front disc / solid rear disc brakes
• Font and rear head airbags • 6 total speakers
• Post-collision safety system • USB connection
• Remote anti-theft alarm system • Auxiliary audio input and USB with external media
control
• Stability control
• Speed sensitive volume control
• Tire pressure monitoring
• AM/FM stereo
• Traction control

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2021 Chevrolet Malibu Features
• Cruise control • Single zone front air conditioning
• Electric power steering • Clock
• Front and rear cupholders • Compass
• Front and rear door pockets • External temperature display
• Front seatback storage • Tachometer
• Keyless ignition • Trip computer
• Rear view camera • 6 -way manual passenger seat adjustment
• Tilt and telescopic steering wheel • 8 -way power driver seat
• Audio and cruise controls on steering wheel • Bucket front seats
Interior air filtration
• Height adjustable driver seat
• Leather steering wheel
• Height adjustable passenger seat
• 4 one-touch power windows
• Premium cloth
• Hands-free entry
• Driver seat with power adjustable lumbar support
• Heated mirrors
• Folding center armrest s
• Dual vanity mirrors
• Split-folding rear seatback

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2021 Chevrolet Malibu Features
• Painted alloy wheels
• Temporary spare tire
• 18 x 8.0 in. wheels
• 245/45R18 tires
• All season radial tires
• Cargo capacity 15.7 cu.ft.
• Curb weight 3135 lbs.
• EPA interior volume 118.7 cu.ft.
• Height 57.9 in.
• Length 194.2 in.
• Wheel base 111.4 in.
• Width 73.0 in

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2021 Chevrolet Malibu Features

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• The modern cars on the market today have come a long way from the horseless
carriages of the beginning of the 20th century
• The result of mostly incremental improvements that were introduced by one
manufacturer and adopted (copied) by other manufacturers throughout the
automotive world
• The application of electronics after the development of the solid state transistors
has allowed greatly improved fuel economy, performance and safety over
automobiles from previous years
• All this progress is the result of applying developments and discoveries from
many areas of technology to the design and manufacturing of vehicles for our
personal transportation needs and desires

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