Ride quality

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Ride quality refers to a vehicle's effectiveness in insulating the occupants from undulations in the road surface such as bumps or corrugations. [1] [2] [3] A vehicle with good ride quality provides comfort for the driver and the passengers. [4]

Contents

Importance

Good ride quality provides comfort for the people inside the car, minimises damage to cargo and can reduce driver fatigue on long journeys in uncomfortable vehicles, [5] [6] and also because road disruption can impact the driver's ability to control the vehicle. [7] [8] [9]

Suspension design is often a compromise between ride quality and car handling because cars with firm suspension can result in greater control of body movements and quicker reactions. Similarly, a lower center of gravity is more ideal for handling, but low ground clearance limits suspension travel and requires stiffer springs. [10]

Ambulances have a special need for a high level of ride quality to avoid further injury to the already-ill passengers. [11]

Technology

Early vehicles, like the Ford Model T, with its leaf spring, live axle suspension design, were both uncomfortable and handled poorly.

Historically, weight was key to allowing cars such as the Rolls-Royce Silver Cloud and the Cadillac in the 1950s and the 1960s to have a more comfortable ride quality. However, there are various drawbacks to heavier cars, including poor fuel efficiency, acceleration, braking, cornering and additional stresses on components.

Over time, technology has shifted the curve outward and so it is possible to offer vehicles that are extremely comfortable and still handle very well or vehicles with excellent handling that are also reasonably comfortable. One technical solution for offering both excellent comfort and reduced or eliminating body roll is by using computer-controlled suspensions, such as hydraulic active suspension system (like Active Body Control) or active anti-roll bars, but such systems are expensive because of their complexity.

Factors

The main factor affecting ride quality is the stiffness of suspension components (e.g. springs, shock absorbers, anti-roll bars and bushings). [12] [13] Other factors include suspension geometry, vehicle mass and weight distribution. [4]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Shock absorber</span> Mechanical component

A shock absorber or damper is a mechanical or hydraulic device designed to absorb and damp shock impulses. It does this by converting the kinetic energy of the shock into another form of energy which is then dissipated. Most shock absorbers are a form of dashpot.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Car suspension</span> Suspension system for a vehicle

Suspension is the system of tires, tire air, springs, shock absorbers and linkages that connects a vehicle to its wheels and allows relative motion between the two. Suspension systems must support both road holding/handling and ride quality, which are at odds with each other. The tuning of suspensions involves finding the right compromise. The suspension is crucial for maintaining consistent contact between the road wheel and the road surface, as all forces exerted on the vehicle by the road or ground are transmitted through the tires' contact patches. The suspension also protects the vehicle itself and any cargo or luggage from damage and wear. The design of front and rear suspension of a car may be different.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hydropneumatic suspension</span> Pneumatics

Hydropneumatic suspension is a type of motor vehicle suspension system, designed by Paul Magès, invented by Citroën, and fitted to Citroën cars, as well as being used under licence by other car manufacturers. Similar systems are also widely used on modern tanks and other large military vehicles. The suspension was referred to as Suspension oléopneumatique in early literature, pointing to oil and air as its main components.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Independent suspension</span> Vehicle suspension in which each wheel is suspended independently

Independent suspension is any automobile suspension system that allows each wheel on the same axle to move vertically independently of the others. This is contrasted with a beam axle or deDion axle system in which the wheels are linked. "Independent" refers to the motion or path of movement of the wheels or suspension. It is common for the left and right sides of the suspension to be connected with anti-roll bars or other such mechanisms. The anti-roll bar ties the left and right suspension spring rates together but does not tie their motion together.

Automobile handling and vehicle handling are descriptions of the way a wheeled vehicle responds and reacts to the inputs of a driver, as well as how it moves along a track or road. It is commonly judged by how a vehicle performs particularly during cornering, acceleration, and braking as well as on the vehicle's directional stability when moving in steady state condition.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Car tuning</span> Modification of a cars performance

Car tuning is the modification of a car to optimise it for a different set of performance requirements from those it was originally designed to meet. Most commonly this is higher engine performance and dynamic handling characteristics but cars may also be altered to provide better fuel economy, or smoother response. The goal when tuning is the improvement of a vehicle's overall performance in response to the user's needs. Often, tuning is done at the expense of emissions performance, component reliability and occupant comfort.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Coilover</span> Automobile suspension device

A coilover is an automobile suspension device. The name coilover is an abbreviation of "coil over shock absorber".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Anti-roll bar</span> Device that reduces the body roll of a vehicle

An anti-roll bar is an automobile suspension part that helps reduce the body roll of a vehicle during fast cornering or over road irregularities. It links opposite front or rear wheels to a torsion spring using short lever arms for anchors. This increases the suspension's roll stiffness—its resistance to roll in turns.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Active Body Control</span> Type of automobile suspension technology

Active Body Control, or ABC, is the Mercedes-Benz brand name used to describe electronically controlled hydropneumatic suspension.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ride height</span> Distance between the base of a tire and the lowest point of the automobile

Ride height or ground clearance is the amount of space between the base of an automobile tire and the lowest point of the automobile, typically the bottom exterior of the differential housing ; or, more properly, to the shortest distance between a flat, level surface, and the lowest part of a vehicle other than those parts designed to contact the ground. Ground clearance is measured with standard vehicle equipment, and for cars, is usually given with no cargo or passengers.

Self-levelling refers to an automobile suspension system that maintains a constant ride height of the vehicle above the road, regardless of load.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Height adjustable suspension</span> Automobile suspension systems

Height adjustable suspension is a feature of certain automobile suspension systems that allow the motorist to vary the ride height or ground clearance. This can be done for various reasons including giving better ground clearance over rough terrain, a lower ground clearance to improve performance and fuel economy at high speed, or for stylistic reasons. Such a feature requires fairly sophisticated engineering.

An active suspension is a type of automotive suspension that uses an onboard control system to control the vertical movement of the vehicle's wheels and axles relative to the chassis or vehicle frame, rather than the conventional passive suspension that relies solely on large springs to maintain static support and dampen the vertical wheel movements caused by the road surface. Active suspensions are divided into two classes: true active suspensions, and adaptive or semi-active suspensions. While adaptive suspensions only vary shock absorber firmness to match changing road or dynamic conditions, active suspensions use some type of actuator to raise and lower the chassis independently at each wheel.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Racing setup</span>

In motorsport, the racing setup, car setup or vehicle setup is the set of adjustments made to the vehicle in order to optimize its behaviour for specific conditions. Vehicle setups are variable for a variety of reasons, ranging from weather, driver/rider preference and race track characteristics. Contrary to common misperceptions, setup is not used to maximize the performance of the engine, but to optimize it for the track at which it is being used. For example, motorcycle racers frequently detune their engines to reduce performance and power output so as to ensure the bike accelerates in a predictable manner.

Automotive suspension design is an aspect of automotive engineering, concerned with designing the suspension for cars and trucks. Suspension design for other vehicles is similar, though the process may not be as well established.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Twist-beam rear suspension</span> Type of automobile suspension

The twist-beam rear suspension is a type of automobile suspension based on a large H- or C-shaped member. The front of the H attaches to the body via rubber bushings, and the rear of the H carries each stub-axle assembly, on each side of the car. The cross beam of the H holds the two trailing arms together, and provides the roll stiffness of the suspension, by twisting as the two trailing arms move vertically, relative to each other.

The 7 post shaker is a piece of test equipment used to perform technical analysis on race cars. By applying shaking forces the shaker can emulate banking loads, lateral load transfer, longitudinal weight transfer and ride height sensitive downforce to emulate specific racetracks.

The Hydraulic Body Motion Control System (HBMC) technology was employed initially in the Nissan Patrol, and subsequently the Infiniti QX. The system was invented and developed by Nissan Motors and was tested on the Nissan Patrol in the Middle East. The system helps reduce body lean while turning for a more comfortable ride. Utilizing hydraulic cylinders located at the shock absorbers, it adjusts roll stiffness by allowing transfer of fluid between the left and right sides of the vehicle through passive weight transfer during normal driving. It also helps reduce bump shock by setting bounce and roll damping forces separately. In off-road conditions, HBMC activates when it senses that a wheel has dropped.

TEMS is a shock absorber that is electronically controlled based on multiple factors, and was built and exclusively used by Toyota for selected products during the 1980s and 1990s. The semi-active suspension system was widely used on luxury and top sport trim packages on most of Toyota's products sold internationally. Its popularity fell after the “bubble economy” as it was seen as an unnecessary expense to purchase and maintain, and remained in use on luxury or high performance sports cars.

Road-holding – also written as roadholding and road holding –, is essentially determined by the ability of a vehicle to stay on the road and on a desired trajectory of motion, whatever the circumstances may be, but also by the degree of ease that a driver may sense in controlling it in an emergency situation.

References

  1. ↑ "Automobile Ride, Handling, and Suspension Design". www.rqriley.com. Archived from the original on 6 August 2017. Retrieved 10 April 2018.
  2. ↑ "What is Ride Quality?". www.ridetech.com. Retrieved 10 April 2018.
  3. ↑ Reina, Giulio (2018). "On the vibration analysis of off-road vehicles: Influence of terrain deformation and irregularity". Journal of Vibration and Control. 24 (22): 5418–5436. doi:10.1177/1077546318754682. S2CID   125696656.
  4. 1 2 "Ride Quality, Part 1". www.autospeed.com. Retrieved 10 April 2018.
  5. ↑ "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2015-01-29. Retrieved 2015-01-29.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  6. ↑ "Suspension Truth #2: Sport Suspensions – The Illusion of Performance". www.thetruthaboutcars.com. 2012-09-07. Retrieved 12 April 2018.
  7. ↑ Kasaiezadeh, Alireza; Jahromi, Mohammad Rafiee; Alasty, Aria (2005-04-11). "Fatigue Life Assessment Approach to Ride Comfort Optimization of a Passenger Car under Random Road Execution Conditions". SAE Technical Paper Series. Vol. 1. doi:10.4271/2005-01-0805.
  8. ↑ Kumbhar, Prasad Bhagwan (August 2013). Simulation-Based Virtual Driver Fatigue Prediction and Determination of Optimal Vehicle Seat Dynamic Parameters (MSc). Texas Tech University. hdl:2346/50297.
  9. ↑ "Mustang Suspension 101". www.dazecars.com. Retrieved 12 April 2018.
  10. ↑ Els, P.S.; Theron, N.J.; Uys, P.E.; Thoresson, M.J. (October 2007). "The ride comfort vs. handling compromise for off-road vehicles". Journal of Terramechanics. 44 (4): 303–317. Bibcode:2007JTerr..44..303E. doi:10.1016/j.jterra.2007.05.001. hdl: 2263/26302 .
  11. ↑ https://www.wpi.edu/Pubs/E-project/Available/E-project-042712-134653/unrestricted/FINAL_AUCAS_MQP_Report.pdf Archived 2015-01-29 at the Wayback Machine [ bare URL PDF ]
  12. ↑ "Understanding Springs And Ride Quality – Tech". Hot Rod. March 2003. Retrieved 12 April 2018.
  13. ↑ "Driver Power 2012: Best for ride quality". www.autoexpress.co.uk. Retrieved 12 April 2018.

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