UNIT-1

Introduction to Automobile
&Automobile Power Plants

By
Tauseef Shaikh
Dept. Of Mechanical Engg.
Matoshri Pratishthan’s School of Engineering
 Syllabus Content
• Introduction
Classification of Automobile, Major components & their
functions, different automobile layout.
• Automobile Body:
Requirements of automobile body, types and materials for
body work , safety considerations, Crash tests.
• Automobile Power Plant
Requirement of automobile power plant, comparison &
suitability considerations, types and special features of
automobile engine. Fuel cells, Electrical vehicles, Hybrid,
advantages and limitations.
• Aerodynamic drag
Aerodynamic lift and Pitching moments, Side force, Yawing &
Rolling moments.
 Classification of Automobile
Automobiles can be classified from the point of view of various
considerations as follows:

1) Use
i. Mopeds
ii. Motor cycles , scooters
iii. Cars , jeeps
iv. Buses and trucks

2) Capacity
I. Heavy Motor vehicles(HMV) ex trucks and buses.
II. Light Motor vehicles like car , jeeps etc

3) Make and Model

i. Bajaj ‘Pulsar’, Royal Enfield ‘Bullet’, Honda ‘Shine’ etc
ii. Premier Padmini , Hindustan Motor Ambassador , Maruti 800 etc
iii. Tata ‘Indica , Leyland ‘Dost, Ford ‘Fiesta’, Nissan ‘Terreno’etc
4) Fuel used:
i. Petrol vehicles e.g. scooters , motor cycles , some cars.
ii. Diesel vehicles e.g. buses , trucks , some cars.

5) Body Style:
i. Closed cars e.g. saloon, coupe.
ii. Open cars like Sports car , convertible car.
iii. Special styles such as estate car, station wagon etc.

6) Wheels:
i. Two wheelers ex. Scooters, motor cycles ,mopeds.
ii. Three wheelers like auto-rikshaws , tempos
iii. Four Wheelers e.g. cars , jeeps.
iv. Six Wheelers e.g. trucks, buses
7) Drives:

According to sitting of driver.

i. Left hand drive e.g American vehicles for use in USA.
ii. Right hand drive e.g. Indian vehicles

According to Axle for drive.

i. Front wheel drive. e.g. Maruti Suzuki cars
ii. Rear wheel drive. e.g. Ambassador cars
iii. All wheel drive. e.g. Jeep, most of the military vehicles
8) Transmission:
i. Manual. e.g. Most of the Indian cars.
ii. Semi automatic.
iii. Fully automatic. e.g. Mercedes ‘7G-Tronic
iv. Continuously variable. e.g. Audi with multitronic.
v. Automated manual i.e. cars with transmissions that are basically manual, but
operated hydraulically and electronically. e.g. Audi with DSG.
Major Component of Automobile
 Major Components are;
1. Basic Structure
a. Frame
b. Suspension system
c. Axles
d. Wheels
2. Power Plant
a. I.C. Engine
b. CNG or LPG
c. Electrical
d. Fuel Cell
e. Hybrid
3. Transmission System
a. Clutch
b. Gear box
c. Axle
d. Differential
4. The Auxiliaries / Electrical system
a. Battery and Generator
b. The starter
c. Ignition System
d. Ancillary device
e. Miscellaneous
5. The Control systems
a. Steering system
b. Brakes
6. The Super Structure
Frame / Chassis
 FUNCTIONS OF THE CHASSIS FRAME:

1. To carry load of the passengers or goods carried

in the body.
2. To support the load of the body, engine, gear
box etc.,
3. To withstand the forces caused due to the
sudden braking or acceleration
4. To withstand the stresses caused due to the bad
road condition.
5. To withstand centrifugal force while cornering
 TYPES OF CHASSIS FRAMES:
There are three types of frames

1. Conventional frame
It has two long side members and 5 to 6 cross members joined together with the help of
rivets and bolts. The frame sections are used generally.
a. Channel Section - Good resistance to bending
b. Tabular Section - Good resistance to Torsion
c. Box Section - Good resistance to both bending and Torsion

2. Integral frame / Unibody / Monocoque

This frame is used now a days in most of the cars. There is no frame and all the assembly
units are attached to the body. All the functions of the frame carried out by the body
itself. Due to elimination of long frame it is cheaper and due to less weight most
economical also. Only disadvantage is repairing is difficult

3. Semi-integral frame
In some vehicles half frame is fixed in the front end on which engine gear box and front
suspension is mounted. It has the advantage when the vehicle is met with accident the
front frame can be taken easily to replace the damaged chassis frame. This type of frame
is used in FIAT cars and some of the European and American cars.
 Different automobile layout
1. Front engine rear wheel drive
2. Rear engine rear wheel drive
3. Front engine front wheel drive
4. Four wheel drive
5. Articulated vehicles
6. Heavy commercial vehicles
7. Rigid vehicles
Front engine rear wheel drive
Advantages:
1. Balanced weight distribution in vehicle.
2. Simple front axle design with steering mechanism.
3. Better engine cooling by taking full benefits of natural airstream flowing
across the radiator
4. Accessibility to various engine components is easier

Disadvantages:
1. It requires long Propeller shaft to transmit the power from gearbox to
differential.
2. Higher noise transmitted from front engine to driver cabin
3. The rear floor houses the propeller shaft and hence rear legs space is
limited.
4. It requires larger brake pads at front wheels because of higher weight being
transmitted on front wheels while deceleration.
Rear engine rear wheel drive
Advantages:
1. The front axle consists of a very simple design and houses the steering
mechanism only.
2. Because of high weight on the driving axle, it provides excellent traction
and grip on steep hills.
3. The rear floor can be made flat due to absence of propeller shaft
4. The driver cabin is well isolated from engine noise.
5. Because of elimination of front engine packaging constraints, the front
body can be design as per styling

Disadvantages:
1. Natural air cooling of engine is not possible; hence it requires a powerful
radiator fan
2. The clutch and gear shifting mechanism is long and complex.
3. Because of higher weight concentration at rear, the vehicle has a tendency
to oversteer while taking a sharp turn.
4. Luggage space at front is restricted due to small compartment that houses
the fuel tank and spare wheel.
Front engine front wheel drive
Four wheel drive
 Auto Body Styles
A. Car Bodies:-

I. Closed Cars
a. Saloon or Sedan has two or four doors , a single compartment with two
rows of seats , one at the front and other at the rear. There is separate
luggage space at the rear or at the front end.
b. Hatchback is a saloon with a door at the back is called hatchback.
c. Coupe In this type there is one row of seats for two persons. Only two
doors are provided
d. Limousine riving compartment is separated from rear compartment by
sliding glass division.
II. Open Cars
a. Convertible
b. Semi-convertible
c. Special type
B. Transport Vehicles Bodies:-
I. Van These are light transport vehicles having seats at the front and luggage
at the back
II. Truck These are heavy goods commercial vehicle with all axles attached to
single frame. Generally twin wheels on the non steered axle
III. Articulated Vehicle It’s a heavy commercial vehicle having tractor and
trailer.
IV. Bus It is used for carrying large number of people over a short distance.
V. Coach It is used for transporting passengers over a long distance. It is
provided with luxurious interior, comforts and all other amenities
 SAFETY features in a car

1. Seat Belts
2. All-Wheel Drive
3. Air Bags
4. Anti-lock Brake Systems
5. Electronic Stability Control
6. Head Injury Protection / Head Restraints
7. Traction Control
1. Seat Belts
In the event of a crash, seat belts are designed to keep
you
inside the vehicle. They also reduce the risk that you will
collide with the steering wheel, dashboard, or windshield.
2. All-Wheel Drive
All-wheel drive distributes power to both front and rear
wheels to maximize traction. Unless combined with
traction control, all-wheel drive systems do not prevent
the drive wheels from slipping when you apply excess
power during acceleration
3. Air Bags
Depending on the speed at impact and the stiffness of
the object struck, front air bags inflate to prevent
occupants from hitting the dashboard, steering wheel,
and windshield. Side air bags reduce the risk that
occupants will hit the door or objects that crash through
it.
4. Antilock Brake System
An antilock brake system (ABS) prevents a vehicle's
wheels from locking during "panic" braking, which allows
the driver to maintain greater steering control -- a key
factor in avoiding a collision.
5. Electronic Stability Control
Electronic stability control is designed to assist drivers in
maintaining control of their vehicles during extreme steering
maneuvers. Electronic stability control senses when a vehicle is
starting to spin out (oversteer) or plow out (understeer), and it
automatically applies the brake to a
single wheel.
6. Head Restraints
Head restraints are extensions of the vehicle's seats that limit
head movement during a rear-impact crash, thus, reducing the
probability of neck injury. Head restraints meeting specific size
and strength requirements are required in front seats, but not
in rear seats.
7. Traction Control
Traction control systems improve vehicle stability by
controlling the amount the drive wheels can slip
when you apply excess power. The system
automatically adjusts the engine power output and,
in some systems, applies braking force to selected
wheels during acceleration. Traction control is
mainly found in vehicles with four-wheel antilock
brake systems
 Crash Test

It is for vehicle safety

It’s a kind of destructive testing carried out to ensure that
design of car is crashworthiness or not
Following are the types of crash test
1. Frontal impact test
2. Side impact test
3. Rollover test
 Automobile Power Plant

1. I.C. Engine
a. Petrol (2-Stroke / 4-Stroke)
b. Diesel (2-Stroke / 4-Stroke)
c. CNG or LPG
2. Electrical
3. Fuel Cell
4. Hybrid
I.C. Engine- 2 Stroke
I.C. Engine- 4 Stroke
 LPG & CNG
Advantages of LPG & CNG operated engines:

1. Low cost of fuel.

2. Less pollution and more efficiency.
3. It is safer for vehicle. The LPG/CNG fuel tank is made of thick wall so they can
withstand dynamic explosion, crash test, and direct gunfire.
4. Increased life of lubricating oils, as LPG/CNG does not contaminate and dilute the
crankcase oil. No need of oil change frequently which reduce vehicle maintenance.
5. Due to its antilock property, CNG can be used safely in engine with compression ratio
as high as 12:1 compare to gasoline engine. Because CNG has a higher octane number
than petrol, CNG engines operate at higher compression ratio without knocking.
6. CNG/LPG fuel systems are sealed, preventing fuel losses from spills or evaporation.

Disadvantages of LPG & CNG operated engines:

1. Space Required for LPG/CNG Cylinder is more.

2. LPG/CNG tank is bulky.
3. More current rated battery is required.
4. Eats entire boots space of vehicle.
5. Easily not available in rural areas.
 ELECTRIC VEHICLE
Advantages :-

 Rapid acceleration.
 Noise free operation.
 No exhaust fumes.
 High reliability.
 Easy maintenance.
 Regenerative braking.
 No loss of power in idling.
 Easy to drive.

Disadvantages :-

 The range is limited to about 100-150 km because of the need to recharge

the batteries.
 The top speed is quite low.
 Life of battery is quite short.