Questions tagged [automotive-engineering]
446 questions
54
votes
9 answers
Why do cars have mirrors for rear view rather than cameras?
Despite having so much technological advancement, I wonder why cars still uses mirrors (right and left side of the driver) for the rear view. These mirrors can be easily replaced by cameras and monitors (display for the driver). I noticed such…
parag
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51
votes
2 answers
How was Volkswagen able to trick the lab pollution test?
The recent Volkswagen pollution test cheating scandal has shocked many people with its widespread extent as well as how it was hidden for so many years.
Last year, the International Council on Clean Transportation (ICCT) in
Washington DC…
March Ho
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28
votes
4 answers
Which is Worse: Car vs. Car or Car vs. Wall?
So I got myself questioning what could be worse for the driver... a collision of two identical cars at equal speed (frontal crash) or the same car with the same speed crashing through a wall? The first case I see it would double the impact, but also…
Alessandro Nardinelli
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25
votes
5 answers
Why are engine blocks so robust apart from containing high pressure?
Lately, I've been pondering why some engine blocks are so bulky, I always thought intuitively it was because they had to last a long time whilst containing thousands of combustion cycles but the more, I look into the reality of engine design that…
David Nolan
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23
votes
8 answers
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 from the rear. What is the reason for this?
Biju
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22
votes
6 answers
Why do car wheels have holes?
If you have a look at the car's wheels, you'll notice that they have holes which can be of different forms (mostly circular or rectangular).
Why do they have such holes? Doesn't that reduce the stiffness of the wheels?
PaulD
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20
votes
7 answers
Why do cars turn by turning the front wheel?
Why do we design cars to turn by turning the front wheel?
Wouldn't it better to keep all wheels straight and turn by rotating the wheels on one side of a car more then the wheels on the opposite side of the car, like tank tracks do? That way you can…
Mustafa
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16
votes
3 answers
Why do heavy trucks use air brakes?
I was having a discussion today, which led to the question
why do heavy trucks still use air brakes?
To my knowledge, it has been used for at least 40 years (I remember that as a kid), and apparently (I was told today but I haven't gotten around…
NMech
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16
votes
2 answers
While going downhill, does my car consume less fuel when in neutral or in gear?
I once meditated on the fact that a car, in downhill, would consume more fuel when in neutral to keep the engine on, rather than in gear. To keep the engine on when in gear, in fact, you mostly need the gravity and enough thrust to keep it rotating,…
Wes
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14
votes
5 answers
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.
Why are pneumatic tires necessary or helpful on…
feetwet
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14
votes
3 answers
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?
Debanshu Thakur
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13
votes
4 answers
How much clearance does a car need when turning a corner?
I am contemplating buying a new car. However, the approach to the underground garage in my apartment has a 90 degree frustrating turn. Given the dimensions of the approach and car, what is the max turn circle for the car to fit the garage and…
Misha
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13
votes
8 answers
Is there a reason (in terms of the physics involved) why it is better to push start a car in 2nd gear rather than 1st?
I am struggling to understand why it is recommended to push start a car in 2nd gear rather than 1st - in terms of the physics involved, I fail to see a reason why this would be the case. I have compiled where I am at currently with a for/against…
PhysicsGuy123
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12
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1 answer
What causes the sound coming from electrical vehicles?
All the electrical vehicles I've ever ride make that humming sound (either cars or trains).
What exactly causes that sound? Is it drag force in the gears? Is it a fan?
Or is it because of the coils (see coil noise)?
cinico
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11
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1 answer
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, but now I have observed that that isn't the case;…
nmtoken
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