Almost 100% of cars on the roads today have a lead acid car battery within them; the exceptions to this rule at the moment are very high end Porsche cars and a few fully electric vehicles. The general usage of batteries in cars is for ignition, the starter motor and lighting, the most important out [...]
Sometimes technology throws up something that revolutionises the way we live: the mobile phone is a good example of an item that, just ten years ago, few had that everyone now possesses.
While Satellite Navigation devices – or Sat-Nav as they have become known – do not have the all-round capability and usefulness of a mobile [...]
Among the more useful – and also impressive – adornments you can give to your beloved car are spot lights. They not only look great – if chosen properly – but serve a very important purpose, too, particularly if your car is not one of the most up to date models with fantastic headlights.
Unlike many [...]
John W. Hetrick of Newport, Pennsylvania, USA invented the first airbag in 1952. He patented this new device in 1953. Nowadays, airbags are also called Supplementary Restraint Systems (SRS) or Supplemental Inflatable Restraints (SIR). Airbags are designed to complement the seatbelts in case of a collision. The airbag is very useful and approximately 400 lives [...]
Intelligent speed adaptation (commonly known as ISA) continuously monitors the speed limits during driving and if the car’s speed exceeds the speed limit takes action so that it slows down. This can be achieved by simply warning the driver through several methods (including audio) or through an active system which automatically controls the driving systems [...]
An intercooler (commonly known as charge air cooler) is a heat exchange device used to increase the intake air charge density of supercharged or turbocharged engines. The intercooler can be air-to-air or air-to-liquid. Intercoolers increase the output of the engine by decreasing the air intake temperature. This decrease in temperature provides denser intake charge for [...]
A traction control system (also known as TC) is a system designed to prevent the loss of traction due to excessive throttle or steering. The traction control system is typically an electro-hydraulic system and is somewhat similar with the electronic stability control. However, these two systems do not have the same goal. To prevent the [...]
A turbocharger is a forced induction compressor. The turbocharger is in fact driven by a turbine powered by the pressure of the engine exhaust gas. All turbochargers are made out of a compressor and a turbine. The turbine’s wheels rotate because of the pressure of the exhaust gases via the turbine’s inlet. The resulted rotation [...]
If you’re going ‘all out’ to mod your car, stiffened and lowered suspension will be near the top of your list! Lowered cars look purposeful and predatory, often enhancing a standard specification model to look like a racing version. It’s not all about the looks, though, as lowered suspension can also offer vastly improved handling.
Manufacturers [...]
As we all know, alloy wheels can transform a car instantly and dramatically! Replacing your car’s factory fitted 14” steel wheels (and plastic trims) with a striking set of aggressive ‘rims’ can transform your car’s appearance from runabout to ‘coolmobile’!
Until fairly recently, the vast majority of new cars came off the production line with standard [...]