Automobiles are an integral part of our lives, whether it is for business or pleasure. With three trillion miles driven annually, they’ve become the primary mode of family transportation. Today, 1.4 billion passenger cars are in use worldwide, with one-quarter of them in the United States. More than half of them are made by foreign manufacturers. As demand for cars continues to grow, manufacturers are increasingly introducing new designs to the market.
Parts of a car
Car parts are important to the proper functioning of your vehicle. They help your car to move forward and to maintain a steady speed. The brake system is one of the most important parts of your vehicle, as it works in tandem with all the other moving parts. If it fails to function properly, you risk an accident. The brakes use hydraulic fluid to transmit force to the wheels.
Chassis
A vehicle’s chassis is the main support structure that bears stresses in both dynamic and static conditions. The word “chassis” is derived from the French language, which means “frame”. In simple terms, the chassis is the frame of a vehicle. It supports the weight of the body, various systems, and the load of the passengers and luggage inside.
Engine
Engines in automobiles use combustion to generate energy and drive a vehicle. The combustion of fuel produces energy and heat that is transferred directly to the components of the engine. The resulting force pushes the pistons which then turn a crankshaft and drive wheels. Engines are usually fitted with a gearbox that converts this mechanical energy into usable work. Depending on the type of engine, transmissions may be manual or automatic.
Transmission
An automobile’s transmission is the system that transfers power from the engine to the wheels. Engines produce the greatest torque and power across the rev range, but the transmission transforms these outputs into the movement the wheels need to move. The transmission helps the engine perform at different speeds, and allows the driver to change the power output as needed.
Suspension system
A suspension system for a car helps in providing the proper ride quality. It works by using air-filled bellows that suspend the vehicle body. The bellows are connected mechanically to a multi-section bellow unit. The bellow sections are each connected by a spring and a conduit that translates the pressure pulse of the suspension bellow to a uniform movement of all the bellow sections.
Air pollution
Automobile emissions are responsible for an alarming amount of air pollution. In fact, a recent study suggests that about 50 percent of the pollutants in metropolitan areas are emitted by automobiles. These pollutants include volatile organic compounds (VOCs), nitrogen oxides, PM2.5 (particulate matter), and carbon dioxide. These pollutants are toxic to the human body and have numerous negative health effects.
