Automotive Definitions
Adaptive Automatic Transmission - Transmissions which can learn to adapt
to the driver's style by altering shift points and
other transmission functions, and thus, produce the most
efficient operation possible.
Adaptive (Intelligent) Cruise
Control -
An advanced cruise control system that uses a radar sensor that is mounted in
the front of the vehicle to maintain a safe
cruising distance between your vehicle and the
vehicle in front of you when in use. They usually allow you
to set the distance between vehicles
and then the system will either accelerate or brake to maintain that interval.
Some systems can adjust for hilly terrain and passing situations.
Air Suspension - Suspension system that used airbags instead of steel coil or leaf springs
for a softer ride. Some cars will have a unit at each corner that contains
pressurized air. It can be equipped to have the up-and-down or bouncing ride you
often see.
Adjustable
Suspension - Systems used to vary
shock-absorber firmness to give a better ride or handling. Some can automatically
sense different road conditions and adjust the shock-absorber
settings for the correct ride. Some allow the driver to adjust the
shock-absorber settings by a switch on the dash to give a
softer or firmer ride or tweak the handling.
Anti-Lock Brakes
(ABS) - ABS works automatically to pump the brakes when the driver applies
steady pressure to the brake pedal thus preventing the wheels from locking up.
This helps the driver maintain control in emergency stops or on slick pavement.
Automatic
Climate Control - Like central heat and air for your car. The heating and air conditioning system
automatically adjusts itself to maintain a
temperature that you select.
Automatic
Transmission With Manual-Shift Capability - An automatic transmission, that
allows you to manually change gears when you feel like it. Usually, it is a
traditional automatic transmission when left in
Drive, but it can be shifted manually through
the gears for increased control of engine
speed, but
there is no clutch pedal.
Bluetooth
Capability - A radio system designed to work
with Bluetooth wireless connectivity when it is available on your cell phone.
Brake Assist - Sensors gauge the speed at which the driver begins
pressing the brake pedal and determines whether full emergency stopping power is
required shortening the stopping distance in
a panic stop even if the driver did not push the pedal all the way to the floor.
Continuously
Variable Transmission (CVT) - CVT works like an automatic transmission,
but without
gears. Power is sent in a
continuous flow to the
wheels from the engine.
Curtain Side
Airbags - Side airbags are located on both sides of the car while the
curtain side airbags deploy from above the front and rear side windows in the
case of a side-impact collision. The bags are designed to protect
occupants' heads. Some advanced
systems can deploy the bags when sensors detect a rollover. The bags inflate within a
fraction of a second and deflate after a few
seconds just as steering wheel airbags do. These bags also help keep the occupants
safer from
broken side glass. SUVs with three
rows of seats may not have curtain airbags for the
backseat occupants.
Dual Front Airbags -
Protect the driver and front
passenger in case of a front-end collision. One bag is mounted in the
steering wheel hub while the other is located in the right side of the
dashboard. Both inflate and deflate within a
fraction of a second. Most systems can judge the
severity of an impact and determine whether the
front-seat occupant is wearing their seat belt and to adjust
the rate of deployment to reduce injuries from
the airbags. If the front passenger seat is empty, the passenger airbag,
in may cars, will not be deployed and save you money in the body shop. Dual front airbags are
required by law on all new passenger vehicles.
Dual-Overhead-Cam - Engines which have two separate camshafts rather
than one to drive the valves.
Dual-Stage Airbags -
Front airbags that use sensors to deploy at either of two
levels, depending on the severity of a
collision.
Dual-Zone
Climate Control -
Allows control of heating and air
conditioning by both
the driver and front passenger for their side of the car, while some have a
third adjustment for rear passengers.
Electronic
Brake-Force Distribution -
Works along with the ABS to balance the
force applied to brakes at front and rear
wheels to prevent over-braking, make your brake pads last longer, and to ensure braking
efficiency under any condition. Hybrid
Powertrain -
System using a gasoline engine
and and electric motor to work together to save fuel and to produce less
emissions. Intelligent (Adaptive) Cruise
Control -
An advanced cruise control system that uses a radar sensor that is mounted in
the front of the vehicle to maintain a safe
cruising distance between your vehicle and the
vehicle in front of you when in use. They usually allow you
to set the distance between vehicles
and then the system will either accelerate or brake to maintain that interval.
Some systems can adjust for hilly terrain and passing situations.
Lane-Departure
Warning System - Sensors that issue a warning when the vehicle reaches the highway lane markers
on the side of the road. It can detect the lane dividers and creates a sound when the
vehicle begins to move into an adjacent lane.
MP3 Capability -
The ability of a radio to play
MP3 music.
Navigation
System -
Basically a small computer system with an electronic screen which displays a map
and can audibly give directions on how far and where to turn to reach the
destination that has been programmed in by the car's driver. The system
receives signals from a
satellite to maintain the
vehicle's location and direction of
travel. Some new systems use
voice recognition to make it easier to operate for the driver.
Overhead-Cam
Engine -
The camshaft, which drives
the valves, is located on top of the engine rather than
down inside the middle of the engine.
Oversteer -
Rear-wheel drive cars are more likely to oversteer, which is also called loose,
if the car is going too fast in a turn. Oversteer is harder to control.
To correct oversteer, you must turn the steering wheel in the opposite direction
of the turn and carefully let off of the accelerator and ease onto the brake to
prevent a spin-out.
Real-Time Traffic Information -
System that comes with satellite radio to warn drivers of
traffic problems on the route and provide an alternate route.
Rear Obstacle
Warning System -
Vehicle system with sensors which are mounted in the rear bumper to warn the
driver of objects behind the car when the car is in reverse. The system issues a
warning to signal the
distance to the object.
Rear-Seat Entertainment System -
An
option most often offered on minivans and SUVs that allows the rear-seat
passengers to view video by playing DVDs.
They will either have a screen that drops from the ceiling
behind the front seats or mounted in the back of the headrests on the front
seats.
Satellite Radio -
Two satellite systems, XM and Sirius, provide radio
reception via satellites. You can drive across the country and never change the
station or lose the signal. The signal will be lost when you are under an
awning or in a garage. XM and Sirius charge a monthly fee for their
service. Satellite-ready radios
are standard in some vehicles and can be added to most.
Side Airbags -
Protect the car's occupants in case of a side
collision. Some are mounted in the side of the seat
backrest while others are found in the door panel. The bags
inflate and deflate within fractions of a
second. Side airbags may be provided for both
front and rear-seat occupants.
Stability Control System
(Anti-Skid System) - Stability control sensors automatically apply
individual brakes which prevents a sideways skid. The system may also slow the
engine to help control the skid. Can help keep control in fast turns even
if the brakes are not used.
Traction Control -
Limits tire slip when accelerating on
slippery surfaces. Sensors determine if the
wheels that are receiving power have lost
traction and pumps the
brake to those wheels to stop
slipping and may reduce engine power
to those wheels.
Turbocharged -
Turbochargers use the normally wasted exhaust gases to
compress the air that enters the engine, and
increase the engine's power.
Understeer - Front-wheel drive cars tend to understeer which can also
be called tight or pushing which is where the wheels lose their contact with the
road. This is worsened in snow or in rain. You feel this in curves
when the car feels that it wants to keep going straight even though you are
steering into the turn. Taking your foot off of the accelerator and gently
applying the brakes should correct the problem by shifting more weight to the
front tires and providing increased traction. Variable Valve Timing - VVT
is controlled by a computer which controls the opening
and closing of the engine's valves to produce the greatest level of efficiency.
Voice Recognition - Vocal commands can be used to control the climate-control system
and navigation systems.
Xenon Headlights - High-intensity-discharge (HID) or bi-xenon headlights
are now standard on some
vehicles and optional on others. These lights emit a brighter beam. Some
cars make the headlights move in unison with the steering wheel to light the road ahead even in a curve.
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