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Buick,GM,Deep Dive,Crossover,SUV,Driveway Tests
Continue reading Buick Envista Luggage Test: How much cargo space?
Buick Envista Luggage Test: How much cargo space? originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 2 Oct 2023 10:00:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Traction control is an electronic monitoring system that senses if a wheel (or multiple wheels) is spinning faster than it should and reduces power to regain grip. In 2012,, all passenger cars sold in the U.S. were required to include traction control, along with antilock brakes and stability control. This feature predates the requirement by decades, though.
Traction control can go by many different names, depending on the carmaker, but they all operate in a similar fashion. Each wheel has a speed sensor that relays that information to the main computer. Under normal conditions, all wheels are spinning at the same speed. Under low-grip situations such as rain, snow, and gravel, it’s common for one or more wheels the lose traction and spin faster. In an instant, the computer identifies which wheel needs to be slowed and either cuts power or applies some braking.
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In the early days of traction control, the power coming from the engine was cut or reduced to all wheels, resulting in rather inelegant lurches. As the technology evolved, the power cut was less jarring, and control over individual wheels became more common. Nowadays, most drivers won’t even notice when traction control kicks into action.
There are several adaptations of traction control. In off-road applications, it ensures that you’ll get the maximum amount of traction and power when ascending steep climbs. Hill descent control is somewhat related and in most cases applies the brakes to an individual wheel to regain control. Some vehicles offer specific traction control tunings for different road conditions, too.
In performance cars, traction control can help drivers shorten their lap times as they can begin applying power earlier as they come out of a curve. In drag racing, the system is often referred to as launch control and distributes the optimal amount of power for the conditions. Traction control is banned in most professional motorsports as it represents an unfair advantage over driver skill.
Traction control is typically always active, but in some circumstances, you may want to disable it. In low-traction situations, it may be advantageous to spin the wheels in order to dig down to a harder surface or to simply power out of whatever you’re stuck in. In most vehicles, this can be done by tapping the traction control button which is often represented by a rearview pictogram of a car with squiggly lines trailing off the tires. Sometimes it only takes one press, but some vehicles require a long press of a few seconds, so be sure to consult your owner’s manual.
Traction control is related to but not as sophisticated as stability control. Stability control includes traction control data and augments it with speed, steering angle, and other systems to ensure the vehicle stays on its intended path. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), in the first five years after requiring traction and stability control, approximately 7,000 lives had been saved as a result.
That leaves no doubt as to traction control’s efficacy and contribution to road safety. For even more proof, there are countless fail videos of drivers leaving their cars and coffee events with the feature disabled, resulting in some embarrassing wrecks into curbs. Traction control isn’t perfect of course, and it can’t keep you safe in all situations, but the added assurance is most certainly an advantage.
Traction control is an electronic monitoring system that senses if a wheel (or multiple wheels) is spinning faster than it should and reduces power to regain grip. In 2012,, all passenger cars sold in the U.S. were required to include a traction control system, along with antilock brakes and stability control. This feature predates the requirement by decades, though.
Traction control systems can go by many different names, depending on the carmaker, but they all operate in a similar fashion. Each wheel has a speed sensor that relays that information to the main computer. Under normal conditions, all wheels are spinning at the same speed. Under low-grip situations such as rain, snow, and gravel, it’s common for one or more wheels the lose traction and spin faster. In an instant, the computer identifies which wheel needs to be slowed and either cuts power or applies some braking.
.embed-container { position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.25%; height: 0; overflow: hidden; max-width: 100%; } .embed-container iframe, .embed-container object, .embed-container embed { position: absolute; top: 0; left: 0; width: 100%; height: 100%; }
In the early days of traction control systems, the power coming from the engine was cut or reduced to all wheels, resulting in rather inelegant lurches. As the technology evolved, the power cut was less jarring, and control over individual wheels became more common. Nowadays, most drivers won’t even notice when traction control kicks into action.
There are several adaptations of a traction control system. In off-road applications, it ensures that you’ll get the maximum amount of traction and power when ascending steep climbs. Hill descent control is somewhat related and in most cases applies the brakes to an individual wheel to regain control. Some vehicles offer specific traction control system tunings for different road conditions, too.
In performance cars, traction control systems can help drivers shorten their lap times as they can begin applying power earlier as they come out of a curve. In drag racing, the system is often referred to as launch control and distributes the optimal amount of power for the conditions. Traction control is banned in most professional motorsports as it represents an unfair advantage over driver skill.
Traction control is typically always active, but in some circumstances, you may want to disable it. In low-traction situations, it may be advantageous to spin the wheels in order to dig down to a harder surface or to simply power out of whatever you’re stuck in. In most vehicles, this can be done by tapping the traction control button which is often represented by a rearview pictogram of a car with squiggly lines trailing off the tires. Sometimes it only takes one press, but some vehicles require a long press of a few seconds, so be sure to consult your owner’s manual.
Traction control is related to but not as sophisticated as stability control. Stability control includes traction control data and augments it with speed, steering angle, and other systems to ensure the vehicle stays on its intended path. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), in the first five years after requiring traction and stability control, approximately 7,000 lives had been saved as a result.
That leaves no doubt as to traction control’s efficacy and contribution to road safety. For even more proof, there are countless fail videos of drivers leaving their cars and coffee events with the feature disabled, resulting in some embarrassing wrecks into curbs. Traction control isn’t perfect of course, and it can’t keep you safe in all situations, but the added assurance is most certainly an advantage.
A downward trend in traffic fatalities appears to be emerging as the country shakes off the effects of the Covid-19 pandemic, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration said in a preliminary report released Thursday. Based on early numbers, the agency says that fatalities on U.S. roads have decreased for five straight quarters, resulting in a 3-percent drop in fatalities in the first half of 2023.
“After spiking during the pandemic, traffic deaths are continuing to slowly come down — but we still have a long way to go,” U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg said. “Safety has always been the core mission of this department, and thanks to President Biden, we are delivering unprecedented resources to communities across the country to make their streets safer.”
And while this is good news on spec, NHTSA included two caveats. First, these are preliminary numbers and they may change when the F.A.R.S. system is fully updated. Second, the improvements weren’t universal; the downward trend presented itself in 29 states; 21 states, Puerto Rico, and the District of Columbia are projected to show increases in traffic fatalities when all the data are in.
While data released earlier this year suggested that driver fatalities declined in 2022, the same report indicated that pedestrian, cyclist and motorcyclist deaths were offsetting those improvements. American roads were the most hazardous they’ve been in decades during the height of the pandemic, when NHTSA observed a spike in fatalities of more than 10%.
“While we are encouraged to see traffic fatalities continue to decline from the height of the pandemic, there’s still significantly more work to be done,” NHTSA Acting Administrator Ann Carlson said in the announcement. “NHTSA is addressing traffic safety in many ways, including new rulemakings for lifesaving vehicle technologies and increased Bipartisan Infrastructure Law funding for state highway safety offices. We will continue to work with our safety partners to meet the collective goal of zero fatalities.”
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Spy Photos,Buick,SUV
Continue reading Next-generation Buick Enclave spotted with Wildcat looks
Next-generation Buick Enclave spotted with Wildcat looks originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 15 Sep 2023 14:43:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Podcasts,Detroit Auto Show,Cadillac,Ford,GMC,Jeep,Truck,Crossover,SUV,Electric,Luxury,Off-Road Vehicles,Performance,Sedan
We talk Ford F-150, Jeep Gladiator, GMC Acadia, Cadillac CT-5, Mustang GTD and more
Continue reading 2023 Detroit Auto Show recap | Autoblog Podcast #798
2023 Detroit Auto Show recap | Autoblog Podcast #798 originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 15 Sep 2023 13:53:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Gasoline prices have surged to a record high for this time of year in the U.S., jeopardizing the fight against inflation that’s dogged President Joe Biden.
Average regular gasoline now costs $3.866 a gallon, a seasonal record on a trailing-12-months basis, according to data from the American Automobile Association. Prices have risen by 7.8% in just eight weeks in a rare late-summer rally.
The gains have been driven by increases in the price of oil, which jumped about 20% in the past two months. Top analysts from International Energy Agency and Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries have warned of a crude-market deficit through end-2023, underpinned by the extension of production curbs by Saudi Arabia and Russia.
Gasoline costs already accounted for over half of the increase in the August consumer price index. The continued escalation will likely stoke inflation further while eroding consumer confidence.
Biden last year released a record amount of emergency oil supply in order to tame gasoline’s record summertime surge. This time, the administration is trying to refill the reserves as the vast caverns sit empty, while Biden’s political rivals have seized on high pump prices as a means of criticizing his climate policies.
It’s also unusual to see gasoline climbing at this time of year, after the end of the summer-driving season that boosts U.S. demand.
Compounding higher gasoline prices is a simultaneous spike in diesel costs. Diesel prices often climb in the fall due to seasonal consumption from farmers, who use the fuel for harvesting, and as demand for heating climbs. But this year, the prices are still much higher than usual.
U.S. refiners have raised operations to near pre-pandemic levels and gasoline stockpiles, though still below normal, rose by the most in more than a year last week. The supply boost will likely fade in the coming weeks as refiners enter fall maintenance — typically scheduled after the peak summer gasoline season to avoid a price squeeze.
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Plants/Manufacturing,UAW/Unions,Chevrolet,Ford,GMC,Jeep,Truck,SUV
Continue reading UAW strike’s three-pronged attack focuses on popular midsize trucks, SUVs
UAW strike’s three-pronged attack focuses on popular midsize trucks, SUVs originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 15 Sep 2023 10:40:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Green,Cadillac,Ford,GMC,Jeep,Truck,Crossover,SUV,Electric,Hybrid,Off-Road Vehicles,Performance,Sedan
Continue reading 2023 Detroit Auto Show Editors’ Rankings
2023 Detroit Auto Show Editors’ Rankings originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 15 Sep 2023 10:30:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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UAW/Unions,Chevrolet,Chrysler,Dodge,Ford,GMC,Jeep
Continue reading UAW Chief Shawn Fain disrupts Detroit’s labor tradition
UAW Chief Shawn Fain disrupts Detroit’s labor tradition originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 15 Sep 2023 08:45:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
