Question

An accelerator in an automobile is defined as anything a person directly interacts with, resulting in a change in motion of the vehicle. Your mission is to list 12 accelerators (describe what external forces gass pedal, parking brake, window switch button, engine start/stop button, shifting lever, clutch, A/C switch, heater switch, light buttons, radio button (uses some energy maybe?), door handle (opening door would decrease aerodynamic efficiency), cigarette lighter affect in an auotmobile indirectly) that you would find in any standard automobile. You must accurately describe each accelerator and state the external forces that directly cause each acceleration using adequate diagrams and explanations. Only standard cars and trucks.

Answer 1

Types of accelerators in automobiles:

Organ type acccelerators

An organ type accelerator pedal allows the drivers foot to be placed on the floor.Moreover,the drivers foot and the pedal follows the same trajectory making the control easier.The accelerator pedal is placed in such a way that the drivers foot is in natural resting position when sitting on a seat.This can reduce fatigue to a great extent.In operating the accelerator,the ankle become a fulcrum around which the foot pivots downwards.

Suspended type accelerators

Most cheap cars makes use of the suspended type accelerator pedals.These can lead to fatigue in long drives as we make use of our shin muscles for control.This type allows fine control in comparison with the organ type.

Electronic Throttle Control

This accelerator technology electronically connects the pedal to the throttle body.The three major components are accelerator pedal module,PCM and throttle valve.The PCM takes sinals from the sensors on the pedal to determine the pedal position and send the signal to control the throttle position based on the input from the pedal sensor.The electric motor controls the throttle valve based on the received signal from the PCM.

Effects of various equipments in the performance of a car:

A/C switch,Heater switch

Air conditioning unit draws power from the engine to drive the unit.As a result certain load acts on the engine and can reduce the power of the engine to some extent.But the amount of effect it has on the engine as soon as the ac switch on ON depends on the engine capacity,capacity of ac unit and also the manufacturing date of the car.Heater switch also has the same effect as ac switch.

Gas Pedal

The position of the gas pedal determines the amount of acceleration the car acquires.So the pressing of gas pedal does not contribute to any power loss rather it contributes to increased fuel and air supply in the throttle valve which inturn increases the acceleration.

Parking Brake

Parking brake also known as handbrake is an essential part of every vehicle.Parking brake easily wears out if used everyday.But if its not used for a long time it will get corroded and will not work when necessary.So inspection of parking brake is necessary.If you drive with the parking brake engaged it can lead to problems in braking system like brake pad wear,tyre wear,brake lining wear and heating up of the engine.

Light buttons

Lighta also draws a certain amount of power from the engine when in ON position as they makes use of the energy from the battery which receives power from an alternator coupled with the engine.The load caused by the lights on the engine is comparatively negligible.The innovation of LED lights has reduced the load significantly.

Cigarette lighter,Radio buttons

These equipments receive power from the battery like the lights in an automobile.But the power required for these equipments are even lesser tha these lights which inturn takes them out of the picture when considering the load on the engine.

Door handle

Door handle can induce a drag on the vehicle by incresing the air resistance if not designed aerodynamically.But almost every car companies gives significant importance for their designs so that they do not cause much drag which can result in an increased load on the engine.In addition,if the windows are open when driving at higher speeds in an automobile,it can induce sufficient drag which contributes to an increased load on the engine.So it is advisable to drive with windows closed at higher speeds to increase fuel efficiency.