Title: Development trends for future passenger cars

Authors: U. Seiffert, P. Walzer

Addresses: Director of Research, Volkswagenwerk AG, Wolfsburg, West Germany. ' Research Division, Volkswagenwerk AG, Wolfsburg, West Germany

Abstract: The passenger car of the future will have to meet the demands for less energy consumption, lower exhaust-gas emissions, lower noise levels, more safety for occupants and other traffic-mix constituents. At the same time, present performance levels should be maintained, as should the relative share the automobile takes of the cost of living in industrialized societies. This means that we must find development tasks that are aimed at simultaneous compliance with as many of these demands as possible, while they should not lead to adverse effects on any of the other requirements to be met by the vehicle. This paper describes the developments in the areas of automobile structure and powerplant that are geared towards these objectives. The conditions discussed are those that would permit the successful use of unconventional fuels, new types of powerplants and modified traffic systems.

Keywords: vehicle design; passenger car development; fuel economy; exhaust gas emissions; emission control; passenger safety; vehicle safety; driving performance; aerodynamic drag; weight reduction; lean-burn Otto engine; diesel engines; alternative means of transport.

DOI: 10.1504/IJVD.1982.061260

International Journal of Vehicle Design, 1982 Vol.3 No.1, pp.3 - 20

Published online: 25 May 2014 *

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