The Automatic Locking Differential improves handling during acceleration in curves or when one of the driving wheels is on a surface with a different grip coefficient than the others. In short, it ensures the best rotational speed for each of the driving wheels, thus preventing loss of the car’s dynamics during evasive maneuvers or potentially […]
AIRMATIC – Airmatic
Instead of a conventional suspension and damping system with coil springs and gas-pressure shock absorbers, some Mercedes-Benz models are equipped with AIRMATIC, a system which combines a pneumatic suspension with the Adaptive Damping System (ADS). All of its components mainly consist of pneumatic lines, pneumatic suspension struts on all wheels, an air compressor, a central […]
Airbag ECU – Airbag Electronic Control Unit
The Airbag ECU uses information gathered from deceleration sensors usually located in the crumple zones of a vehicle. Within just 15 milliseconds of any impact, the information is already processed by the ECU, therefore it can determine if there is really a need for airbag deployment, whether they should be triggered in stages (in the […]
AIRBAG – Airbag
The airbag is also called a “Supplementary Restraint System”, and in short it consists of an inflatable bag or envelope which keeps the occupants from hitting any hard parts of the vehicle’s interior during a crash. In case of a collision, cars equipped with airbags give a much better chance of survival for its occupants, […]
AIRBAG – Airbag
The airbag is also called a “Supplementary Restraint System”, and in short it consists of an inflatable bag or envelope which keeps the occupants from hitting any hard parts of the vehicle’s interior during a crash. In case of a collision, cars equipped with airbags give a much better chance of survival for its occupants, […]
AFS – Active Front-lighting System
The Active Front-lighting system (AFS) can redirect the headlamp units individually on a horizontal direction during vehicle cornering. All is made in accordance with steering angle and vehicle speed, and is assisted by a computer which determines the angle it needs to rotate the headlamps. An early purely mechanical version of the system appeared in […]
AERODYNAMICS – Aerodynamics
Aerodynamics are a very important part of automotive design, since it singlehandedly can influence by a high margin factors like fuel consumption, noise levels, top speed and undesired lift forces experienced by any vehicle at high speed. A more streamlined car will have a lower drag coefficient, thus increasing its mileage, its top speed and […]
ADS – Adaptive Damping System
The AIRMATIC suspension system from Mercedes-Benz combines the pneumatic suspension with an Adaptive Damping System (ADS), which can individually adjust the shock absorbers forces to match the vehicle’s payload, the state of the road surface and even the driving style. The system comprises of a steering angle sensor, three accelerometers on the vehicle body, the […]
ADJUSTABLE HEIGHT SHOULDER BELT – Adjustable height shoulder belt
A belt that usually has an anchor point with assorted slot positions, allowing the car occupants to individually adjust the safety belt to fit their size and/or height.
ADC – Automatic Distance Control
The Automatic Distance control (ADC) technology is similar with the DISTRONIC system from Mercedes-Benz. It is in essence a combination between Cruise Control and a radar based speed control system. When activated, the speed control system can make the car keep a constant distance to another vehicle in front independent of driver input. If the […]