Proposal for a High Tech Car

Hi, my name is Hank. Ihave a lifelong passion for technology. I believe that all our worldly problems can be resolved by the application of technology. Here is a automobile concept that I dreamed up some time ago.

A Hydraulic Motor Vehicle

A proposal for a high tech car


Introduction
A Popular Science/mechanics magazine some time ago, gathered a group of innovative designers to brainstorm a replacement for the Piper Cub. The group came up with a unique new airplane design concept. This has encouraged me to do the same for automobiles. I am not an expert in automobile design or construction, but I am a driver with almost 60 years behind the wheel, and an expert in computer hardware and software. The following is a car I would buy and joyously drive!

Concepts
The automotive industry has developed many improvements over the years. There is, however, an emphasis on mechanical design. Really ingenious mechanisms have been devised by the engineers. The industry has been relatively slow to embrace electronics, although they have made strides in recent years. There is also a reluctance to be too innovative; probably for fear that the public will not purchase the result.
I start with an open mind, unencumbered by past experience or even the certain knowledge that any of the ideas below are workable. So here is the car I'd like to buy and own!

Let’s begin with a clean slate. No preconceived notions or conditions. There is no frame, power plant, or any other system or subsystem constraints. We start from scratch




Drive by Wire
I would like to drive this vehicle with a stick, not a wheel. Possibly two sticks or a reversible stick are needed so that either hand can operate the car. The stick should be adjustable vertically and horizontally so that it is comfortably reachable with arm supported by an adjustable arm rest. The stick should allow lateral control by bending left or right. Or by twisting, acceleration by pushing forward and breaking by pulling backward. Combination functions are obtained by allowing the stick 3 degrees of freedom in the horizontal plane, that is acceleration and turning by forward and twist or left/right displacement. The stick is an electronic control device; there are no mechanical connections to the rest of the vehicle. To provide adjustable road feel, the stick needs servo feedback to allow the driver to "feel" the effect of control as in conventional control mechanisms. At least the cruise control, light switches and display selection should be integrated into the control stick.
The use of electronic control opens many new possibilities for the entire car. Drive-by-wire is a departure but if modern high performance fighter and commercial aircraft can reliably be so controlled why not cars?
The stick should be rather small, just enough to comfortably fit a hand.

Micro Processor Control
The control stick output is an electrical signal which can readily be input to a microprocessor. The basic element of the car is therefore one or more computer subsystems. This presents the opportunity to define the overall perception of the vehicle in terms of software. Change the program and you can have a quite different feeling and handling car. The introduction of software as a major element in automobile design is a powerful idea.
Consider aircraft simulator and flight control technology. The actual feel of the simulator or response of the real airplane can be modified by changing computer software. Computer manufacturers have used this technique for many years to create a range of models where only one basic unit exists. Why shouldn't cars take advantage of software to control ride and handling characteristics?
4 Wheel Drive/4 Wheel Steering
The drive concept for the vehicle involves the use of four independent and hopefully identical drive devices. These may be electric or hydraulic, probably the latter. The drive unit integrates:

a) Wheel
b) Suspension
c) Drive motor
d) Breaking
e) Steering

As one of the major mechanical components, the use of identical modules should permit production economies. The drive module is, of course, electronically controlled. Thus the output of the microprocessors acts to continually adjust the operation of the driving modules. As a consequence of this approach, the vehicle automatically has 4 wheel drive, 4 wheel steering, anti-skid breaking and suspension control. The actual operating characteristics of the driving module are software controlled so that one module design can perform a range of operational requirements.
The drive modules, being independent, can be mounted virtually anywhere on a frame or integrated body/frame structure, thus allowing great freedom for aesthetic design.
The internal combustion (IC) engine is a poor match to the requirements of an automobile. At zero speed the (IC) has zero torque, but the car needs maximum torque. At cruising speed the car needs little torque, but the IC delivers its maximum torque. Mechanical engineers have solved this mismatch with ingenious mechanical devices the clutch and transmission, a collection of gears that are heavy, expensive and really unnecessary. To replace the internal combustion engine and its required transmission, we propose to drive the wheel with a hydraulic motor directly connected to it.
The drive module is perceived to be a hydraulic motor fed by an electrically driven hydraulic pump. The hydraulic motor has great torque at zero speed, like a steam engine, and can be easily controlled by variable valves. The motor can be reversed quickly. Breaking can be done with reverse hydraulic pressure. The module can be automatically turned off when the vehicle is not moving. Hopefully no gears will be needed in the drive module. The suspension is built into the module. Since hydraulic pressure is already available, it can be used to raise/lower the wheel parts and adjust compliance of the suspension. This should allow the module to be used for a soft ride passenger vehicle and also for off-road vehicles.

Constant speed Engine/Generator
An internal combustion engine can be run with very low pollution and high efficiency if it can be operated at constant speed. Given drive modules that are designed around hydraulic motors, the engine can indeed operate at constant speed either driving a generator or a hydraulic pump. It is preferable to integrate all the hydraulics into the drive module and supply only electric power thus eliminating piping and hoses. If only electric power need be generated, some consideration should be given to use of fuel cells as the basic power source eliminating the IC altogether..
The power subsystem also should be highly computer controlled so that the purposes of efficiency are served. The power source can operate on demand, it need not run continuously.

Hydraulic Drive– Independent 4 Wheel
The drive modules, being independent and identical units, automatically provide a full time 4 wheel drive system. Since steering must be part of the drive module, 4 wheel steering is also a benefit. To make the system work, a computer must coordinate the operation of the drive modules. The advantage here is that software as opposed to mechanical linkages control the operation of the vehicle.

Drive/Reverse/Break
In conventional drives, complex and expensive mechanical gearing is required to compensate for the differential motion of wheels in any but straight line motion. With independent hydraulic units, software, rather than hardware, controls wheel motion. A program can readily speed up one wheel while slowing the opposing wheel in a turn. The software replaces gearing at a much lower cost and with greater accuracy. The computer controls all variants of forward motion, reverse motion and by applying combinations of forward/reverse pressure; it controls breaking and anti-skid functions.


Independent 4WD microprocessor coordinated
Each wheel and its drive and control unit is an independent unit. It consists of the wheel/tire, mounted on an axle, a hydraulic motor subsystem and sensors to detect wheel rotation, hydraulic pressure, valve setting, temperature, air pressure, and actuators to give effect to computed control signals. The overall behavior of these units, which can be used in virtually any combination (3, 4 or more wheeled vehicles), is determined by the software. The software can provide hard/soft suspension, control acceleration etc.


Four Wheel Steering
Steering all four wheels could be readily done in the proposed Vehicle. Since the drive modules are identical they must all permit steering. Four wheel steering needs to be speed sensitive i.e., steer all in the same direction at high speed and opposing directions at low speed. There should also be a parking mode; all four wheels turn perpendicular to the direction of motion. The vehicle can be parked in its own length.

Anti-collision Radar

Anti-collision radar has recently become available for trucks. The vehicle should have such a facility. Preferably, the radar system should be forward, rearward and side looking to detect threats from all directions. The detection of an obstacle in front or approaching traffic from the rear or sides could be translated by the computer into a breaking or avoidance maneuver. The action recommended could be fed to the control stick feedback servos to instantaneously alert the driver as to what to do. The driver should be able to override this recommendation by manipulating the stick as his experience indicates. Nevertheless, the driver must deliberately overcome the computer generated suggestion. In these situations, the display should also show the recommended avoidance action. The radar capability can also be used in the parking maneuver to avoid contact in tight spaces.

Auto Pilot
In recent years, Global positioning Satellites (GPS) have become popular. The accuracy of satellite navigation warrants, the inclusion of an autopilot subsystem would be very desirable. The autopilot would make use of the radar subsystem as well as the navigation subsystem. A reliable road sensing device would probably be needed to make this fully functional. The idea of automatically guiding a vehicle from point a to point b without driver input is very appealing.

Smart Speed Control
The addition of radar allows smart speed control. The radar can sense vehicles in front and slow or stop the car. Several vehicles so equipped can roll as trains on highways each separated from the other by a safe distance.

Heads-up Integrated Windshield Display
The dashboard in conventional cars is little changed from the beginning of the industry. In a computer controlled vehicle, the display of operating parameters should be digital and graphic. Advances have been made in aircraft in computer generated displays. An important feature is the heads-up display, that is, the information is projected onto the windshield so that the driver never need divert his eyes from the road. In addition to speed, fuel, temperature, pressure and other displays, a graphic of the road ahead with obstacles should be displayed. At the touch of a button a display of the rear view could be superimposed or replace the normal display. There should be no need for rear view mirrors. The display should indicate danger situations by color change, flashing and audible warning.
The driver should also be able to display output from the trip computer giving such items as distance to go, fuel consumption, range remaining, time, outside temperature, etc.


Composite Light Weight Frame/Body
One of the most annoying and expensive aspects of owning a car made of steel is the problem of minor body repairs. The vehicle should have a body made of rubber or plastic to eliminate minor collision damage. The material should, when dented, return to its original shape. The use of lightweight composite materials should be considered. The structure should be totally rust-free.

Automatic Driver/Passenger Restraint System
Passengers would probably not Iike to sit backwards in the vehicle although that is a safe way to sit. Air bags have proven to be a safe system. Pilots would never think of taking off without first engaging their restraint system. Ideally the vehicle should have an automatic restraint system, at least 3 point, 4 point is preferable. By automatic is meant a system that buckles the driver and passengers, if any, in automatically before the vehicle can move.

Safety

Many will argue that an electronically controlled vehicle is inherently unsafe. What if a computer or other component fails? The vehicle could suddenly be without coordinated control. Obviously redundant computers and control paths must be part of the design. It might be instructive to study the methods used by Boeing Corp. in the design of the '767 aircraft which has more than 150 computer subsystems aboard. Evidently, a highly automated vehicle can be made safe. The vehicle here proposed has some inherent safety features built in.
The drive modules are unlikely to fail simultaneously. One drive module can propel the car to a garage. The many other features such as heads-up display, automatic restraints, anti collision radar and so on make this concept considerably safer than any presently available car.
Additional safety features desired are: non blowout tires, crushable body structure, high speed bumpers.
The car should have a device that absolutely prevents operation if the driver body alcohol content exceeds some small threshold. The manufacturer should include this feature as a matter of course and not wait for government action.

Simulator
This proposed vehicle is quite different from ordinary cars. It might be helpful to provide prospective buyers with a simulator in car showrooms that provides both the flavor of operating the vehicle and training in its use.