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 ABS speed sensors on each wheel and a brake pedal sensor. These constantly measure the lateral and longitudinal acceleration of the car during driving. From this data, the ADS Electronic Control Unit calculates the optimal damper setting for each individual wheel and transmits the signals to special actuator valves located on the gas-pressure shock absorbers.
These valves are able to switch between different preset damping characteristics during the blink of an eye, thus switching from comfort to sporty mode at the touch of a button.
ADS – Adaptive Damping System
