The first generation of the Audi A8 is the first car with an aluminium body built according to the Audi Space Frame principle. The ASF is a high-strength aluminium frame structure into which the panels are integrated so that they also perform a load-bearing function. The main advantage of this solution, especially on a heavier […]
ASC – Anti Skid Control
The Anti Skid Control (ASC) keeps the driving wheel spin within the optimum range during hard acceleration or on slippery surfaces. The system uses information taken from the ABS sensors which monitor the rotational speed of the wheels and can intervene by individually applying the brakes or even cutting the engine power to the driving […]
ARS – Advanced Restraint Systems
Advanced Restraint Systems are a safety technology designed to improve the efficiency of safety items during a crash. A combination of sensors in the cockpit monitor everything from the occupant’s height, the seating position, safety belt usage and the vehicle’s deceleration to control the airbag deployment and the belt forces during a crash. The data […]
ARM – Active Roll Mitigation
Active Roll Mitigation (ARM) is similar with Land Rover’s Active Cornering Enhancement (ACE). This system is also able to react when the vehicle becomes light on one side in a fast corner, only in a different way. The ARM system only uses the braking system to stabilize the vehicle, by providing very short brake bursts […]
APS – Acoustic Parking System
The Acoustic Parking System (APS) uses ultrasonic sensors installed at the rear as well as at the front of a vehicle to make parking easier. Using information from the sensors, a microprocessor calculates how far is the car from an obstacle. An intermittent warning tone or lights on a display are usually used to give […]
ANGLE OF DEPARTURE – Angle of Departure
When viewing a vehicle from its side, the angle of departure is the angle between the ground and a line running from the rear tires to the lowest-hanging component directly behind them (which is usually the rear bumper). Similar to the approach angle only backwards, the departure angle indicates a vehicle’s ability to drive off […]
ANGLE OF APPROACH – Angle of Approach
When viewing the side of a vehicle, the angle of approach is the angle between the ground and a line running from the front tire to the low est-hanging component directly ahead (which is usually the front bumper). The intensity of this angle gives an indication of how steep a ramp can the vehicle negotiate […]
ANC – Active Noise Cancellation
The Active Noise Cancellation system is designed to implement an acoustically adaptive algorithm that cancels the unwanted sound by generating an anti-sound (or anti-noise) of equal amplitude and opposite phase. The original sound and the anti-sound acoustically combine, resulting in the cancellation of both sounds, thus improving the acoustical comfort in the vehicle.
AMG – Aufrecht Melcher Grossaspach
AMG is short for Aufrecht Melcher Grossaspach, and is the tuning arm of Mercedes-Benz. The company was founded in 1967 by former Mercedes engineer Hans-Werner Aufrecht and his business partner Erhard Melcher in a small German town named Grossaspach. The name originated from each of the two partner’s family names and the town in which […]
ALR – Automatic Locking Retractors
Automatic Locking Retractors allow the safety belt to be pulled in one motion until fastened, then operates as a ratchet, thus preventing further extension. On most safety belts you will hear a faint clicking sound that indicates the belt is locked and ratcheting in. The Automatic Locking Retractors on belts help to keep the occupants […]