Questions tagged [automotive-engineering]
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Why are rear wheels not placed at the extreme rear of a bus?
In some cars, I have noticed the rear wheels are located at the extreme rear of the vehicle. However, I have noticed that the rear wheels of buses are always located about 1/4th of the way forward ...
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How can "mpg" be high under low engine load?
Let's say a car at 60 mph requires roughly 20 hp to maintain its speed (i.e., to overcome rolling resistance and drag).
If this car makes 240 hp and gets about 34 mpg (not too unrealistic), how is it ...
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How would adding a wind deflector in front of roof-mounted solar panels affect drag on an RV?
I am mounting solar panels on top of a recreational vehicle (RV). To reduce drag, I was planning on building a small ramp in front of the panels to deflect wind before it hits the flat panel and ...
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Is the reliability of automotive sensor technology impeding the success of self driving car?
The reality is that sci-fi KITT is almost here.
Recently I read articles Delphi car driving itself across the country as well as Tesla cars will be self-driving this summer. As of 2013 four states (...
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How does a diesel internal combustion engine start even though there are no spark plugs?
I was just wondering how a diesel engine starts, given that there are no spark plugs. How does it build up 'momentum' for that first explosion in the cylinder? Does it have something to do with the ...
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What happens when you put the wrong type of fuel in an internal combustion engine?
What happens to the working of petrol engine when it is emptied and filled with diesel or to a diesel engine emptied and filled with petrol? Will the engine be able to operate and, if not, why not?
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How do ultrasonic proximity sensors detect motorcycles differently from cars and trucks?
My car has ultrasonic proximity sensors to help me park. I've noticed that when motorcycles whiz past me the proximity alarm goes off. I originally thought that the motorcycles were just too close, ...
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Is active noise cancellation useful in vehicles?
The cabin noise of vehicles is a large concern in the luxury market. Why haven't any automakers used the same techniques as are employed in active noise cancelling headphones. In these devices a ...
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Are pneumatic tires obsolete?
Adaptive suspensions with adjustment rates on the order of milliseconds are going mainstream in consumer vehicles. Air suspensions have been common on commercial trucks and some SUVs for some time.
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