Understanding the Importance of Torque Vectoring Technology in Modern Vehicles

Torque vectoring technology has been an essential component of modern automobiles for a while now. It refers to a computerized control system which decides the distribution of power between each individual wheel of the vehicle. Based on the principle of standard differential, this technology controls the amount of power the vehicle’s engine will provide to each wheel of the automobile in order to ensure smooth mobility. This power distribution mechanism is crucial as it ensures that the vehicle and its wheels have a firm grip of the road surface, especially while running on a slippery road or while turning.

Torque Vectoring for Enhancing the Overall Efficiency of AWD Cars

Though torque vectoring is found in different types of vehicles, it is a special characteristic of all-wheel drive (AWD) cars which makes their functioning much more smooth than other cars. It is because of this reason why almost all advanced vehicles, including luxury cars and SUVs have AWD. Apart from this, even contemporary electric vehicles employ torque vectoring technology in order to ensure that the wheels get adequate power to function efficiently. The utility of this technology is thus set to increase in the coming period. A report published by Research Dive highlights this point exactly; the rise in demand for luxury cars and electric vehicles is expected to be the primary growth driver of the global torque vectoring market in the near future.

But what makes torque vectoring technology special? The technology essentially detects the alignment of the wheels of the vehicle in motion, measures the power each wheel is getting, and adjusts the distribution as per the needs of the car accordingly. Consider this example; a car is being driven on a straight road and is about to take a turn ahead. When the driver slows down the speed of the vehicle and starts realigning the vehicle so as to take the turn, the torque vectoring system kicks in. It will measure the power on the wheels and redistribute the power if needed. If it finds out that one wheel is rotating at a higher speed than that of the car, it will engage the drive axle and absorb some power of that wheel and provide that power to a wheel which has been slower as compare to its counterparts. In this way, the driver will be able to take the turn without any jerks or interruption. This technology, thus, ensures a smooth and safe journey for its passengers by playing a crucial role in the functioning of the vehicle.

Apart from ensuring smooth mobility, torque vectoring technology provides another important advantage- fuel efficiency. Various studies done by automobile design and manufacturing companies have shown that the efficiency of torque vectoring technology is in inversely related to the fuel consumption; higher the efficiency, lower is the fuel consumption. This can be best demonstrated by Audi A6’s Cross-Axle Torque-Vectoring technology launched by Ricardo, a leading developer of torque vectoring systems. According to Ricardo, the system is designed such that the engine supplies 90% of the required torque to the wheels in 0.1 seconds. This accuracy has been instrumental in bringing down the fuel consumption drastically as unnecessary power distribution is largely avoided and much of the engine’s power is conserved.

Torque Vectoring Technology for Electric Vehicles

Any automobile technology that is used for traditional vehicles, nowadays has to undergo the question of whether the technology can be used in electric vehicles. A study conducted by a group of researchers from University of Surrey under the STEVE Project, has shown that torque vectoring technology increases the efficiency of electric vehicles too. The study showed that, similar to traditional vehicles, the vectoring system increased the range of the electric vehicle and enhanced the safety of the passengers and that the different motors employed in an electric vehicle allowed the vectoring system to function smoothly. Also, the electronic systems in average electronic vehicles made it sure that real-time data was provided to the vectoring system so as to decide on the power distribution. The efficiency of torque vectoring system in both traditional and electric vehicles has thus, made it a must-have feature for the automobile industry.

About the Author(s)

Princy A. J

Princy holds a bachelor’s degree in Civil Engineering from the prestigious Tamil Nadu Dr. M.G.R. University at Chennai, India. After a successful academic record, she pursued her passion for writing. A thorough professional and enthusiastic writer, she enjoys writing on various categories and advancements in the global industries. She plays an instrumental role in writing about current updates, news, blogs, and trends.