Products

Excerpt

Hyundai has developed a predictive transmission technology based on Information and Communication Technology (ICT). The intelligent control technology enables the vehicle to automatically shift to the optimal gear after the system has analyzed the road and traffic conditions ahead. The shift system uses software in the Transmission Control Unit (TCU) that collects and interprets data from existing technologies in real time, including information from the 3-D navigation as well as cameras and radar for speed control. The 3-D navigation information includes gradient, elevation, curvature and current traffic conditions. The radar detects the speed and distance between the vehicle and other road users, and a front camera provides lane information. Using this data, the TCU predicts the optimal shift scenario. For example, the transmission clutch switches to neutral mode if a gradually lowered speed limit is expected and the radar does not detect any speed irregularities with the vehicle ahead. This improves fuel efficiency. During test drives with the ICT-based shift system on an extremely twisty road, the shifting frequency during cornering was reduced by about 43 % compared to vehicles without the ICT system. In addition, the braking frequency was minimized by around 11 %. Hyundai and Kia plan to apply the technology in future vehicles.

…