#5 Automotive Technology Milestones

Less for More

Over the years cars have gone into advanced technology territory, more complicated but not necessarily need as frequent maintenances. No more routine maintenance on point breaker and subsequently becoming “Breakerless”, the “pointless” was due to the invention of Transistorized point breaker in early 1980s. Decades later owing to “Fly by Wire” technology the mechanical throttle linkage is also disappeared being replaced by wireless connection to actuate the throttle’s opening and closing movement.

Meanwhile most of the new cars have already tucked the spark plug wires away from the sight. Initially by an engine ornament cover introduced by BMW in early 1990s then by the help of distributor-less system which simultaneously enable coil insitu placement next to single or multiple spark plugs. Hence it is not a strange looking anymore for an engine to have no spark plug wires except under the top cylinder head cover, less impedance high voltage wires resulting instantaneous firing with quicker response on computer to adjust and control what’s happening within the combustion chambers.

Now instead of one coil per engine the 2000s new cars could have as much as its cylinder counts, but most cars having two coils to fire twice as many cylinders. Recently the keyless phenomena extends not only to lock or unlock the doors, but also have gone from mere opening the door itself as well as turning the engine on. Then less reliance on hydraulic; electric power steering and electric braking; whereby the loss energy under braking mechanism is turned into electrical generation to be stored on separated battery.

Engineless 1997 Honda Accord

Currently the most fuel efficient cars are mostly “Hybrid” consisting of dual gas/ petrol engine and electric driven motor since an electric motor alone has very limited range of driving. Yet there are some vehicles being driven by electric motor alone which subsequently have no combustion engine at all, and in the future perhaps the technology could get away with a practical but engineless car.

An electric car while it is being limited on its range capability (and overall weight due to its battery) has a flat torque at instantaneous delivery; resulting a very quick acceleration burst; that even some drag cars could easily be beaten up off the mark. That being said for those cars specifically designed for electric propulsion from drawing board, yet some converted vehicle may have been specially designed for such purpose too. For the outright acceleration performance, instead of merely zero pollutant emission. However a gentleman from Eugene, Oregon US has managed to convert his 1997 Honda Accord into an electric car by throwing out its engine and installing a 3 phase Siemens AC motor mating to the OEM 5 speed shifter.

For almost 5 years of trial and error development costing around 15 grand Bryan Avery gets a comparable acceleration to the stock 2.2 engine, and manage at best 10 miles range per charging!

Next: Leisure Drive on the Old Reliable Drifting Cars…

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Leisure Drive! : The Motor Magazine