Automobile engineering

UNIT – I

Chapter - 2 (B)

AUTOMOBILE ENGINEERING

 

AUTOMOBILE ENGINEERING

 

1. INTRODUCTION TO AUTOMOBILE ENGINEERING

An automobile is defined as a vehicle which can move by itself. Automobiles are the different types of vehicles used for transportation of passengers, goods etc. Automobile engineering deals with various types of automobiles, methods of propulsion, their mechanism of transmission and their applications. An engine supplies power, that is delivered by the transmission system to the wheels. Most of the automobiles are powered by internal combustion engines.

In general, the modern automobile is essentially a transportation equipment unit. It is made up of a frame supporting the body and power developing and transmitting units. These are further supported by tyres and wheels through springs and axles.

 

2. HISTORY AND EVOLUTION OF THE AUTOMOBILE

.The major milestones in automobile history are given below.

1769 Nicolas Cugnot, a French artillery officer, designed and built the world's first self-propelledi road vehicle. It attained a speed of about 2.5 miles per hour for 15 minutes only.

1801 First stream carriage built by Richard Trevithick in England.

1804 Oliver Evans built the finest American self-propelled steam vehicle.

1827 Onésiphore Pecqueur of France invented the first differential. A differential allows the outer drive wheel to rotate faster than the inner drive wheel during a turn.

1832 First three speed transmission was patented by W.H James in England.

1860 Jean Etienne Lenoir, a Belgian inventor, built the first practicable gas engine. It subsequently became the model from which all other internal combustion engines were developed.

1876 Nikolaus Otto, a German engineer, successfully developed the compressed charge internal combustion engine which ran on petroleum gas and led to the modern internal combustion engine.

1883 Gottlieb Daimler and Carl Benz, working with Wilhelm Maybach, produced an engine which created a sensation by running at more than four times the speed of Otto's engines.

1908 Ford started his model with an initial run of 20,000 vehicles, an output unheard of at that time. This was the period when the designer's chief objective was to make his vehicle run in mass production, at the lowest possible price.

1920 There was a gradual change and refinement in automobile design. By that time, the spark ignition gasoline engine was to be the power plant of the modern motor vehicle. Water cooled engines were almost universal. The sliding gear transmission had established itself predominantly. Engines were all located in the front of the chassis.

Substantial progress has been made after the Second World War in every car feature. The designers during this time tried to produce a vehicle which not only functioned at all times under all conditions, but also was comfortable to ride and easy to operate. The performance of engine, tyres, brakes, suspension, heating and ventilation were improved. Safety and exhaust emission were the additional features.

Anti-lock braking system (ABS), Electronic Stability Control(ESC), Traction Control(TC), Electric Power Steering (EPS), Engine Management System (EMS) are some of the latest technologies that are finding their place in today's automobiles. Bluetooth connectivity, voice control, wireless charging and self-parking sensors are also used.

The environmental impact of automobiles is significant because transport is a major user of energy, and burns most of the world's petroleum. This creates air pollution, including nitrous oxides and particulates, and is a significant contributor to global warming through emission of carbon dioxide. In order to overcome the environmental impact caused by existing automobiles, new technologies are under development. These technologies include petrol/electric hybrids, battery electric vehicles, hydrogen cars, biofuels, and various alternative fuels.

An electric car is an automobile that is propelled by one or more electric motors, using electrical energy stored in rechargeable batteries. Compared with cars using internal combustion engines, electric cars are quieter and have no emissions. When recharged by low-emission electrical power sources, electric vehicles can reduce greenhouse gas emissions compared to IC engines. Tesla, Nissan and BMW are some of the leading electric car manufacturers in the world.

Another technology which is gaining popularity in the automobile field is the self-driving car. A self-driving car is a vehicle that is capable of sensing its environment and navigating without human input. Some of the companies which are working on this futuristic technology are Uber, Google, Tesla and Toyota.

However, this is not the end. Further research and development efforts continue and are focused to produce better, cheaper and safer vehicles.

 

3. INDIAN AUTOMOBILES

The development of Indian Automobile industry in the chronological order is given below.

1897 The first car ran on Indian road. Cars were only imported in small numbers.

1947 The Government of India and the private sector launched efforts to create an automotive component manufacturing industry to supply to the automobile industry.

1980 The automobile market was dominated by Hindustan and Premier involved in selling cars in fairly limited numbers.

1980 Multinational automakers such as Suzuki and Toyota of Japan and Hyundai of South Korea, were allowed to invest in the Indian market, furthering the establishment of an automotive industry in India.

1991 A number of foreign firms also initiated joint ventures with existing Indian companies. The options available to the consumer began to multiply in the nineties.

2000 There were 12 large automotive companies in the Indian market. Most of them were part of global companies.

2012 The Indian government planned to unveil the road map for the development of domestic electric and hybrid vehicles in the country. Car manufacturers such as Ajanta Oreva, Mahindra and Tata Motors began manufacturing electric cars in India.

The Government of India has set up emission standards to regulate the output of air pollutants from internal combustion. The standards and the timeline for implementation are set by the Central Pollution Control Board under the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change.

The automobile manufacturers in India are developing their engines to meet BS VI emissions norms that come into effect across India, in 2020. BS VI is a challenge, especially for diesel engines, since the particulate matter (PM) regulation is very strict. Though technology is available, its implementation leads to higher costs.