Unsafe driving behaviour and four wheel drive vehicles: observational study

Objective To assess the level of compliance with the new law in the United Kingdom mandating penalties for rising a hand held mobile phone while driving, to compare compliance with this law with the one on the use of seat belts, and to compare compliance with these laws between drivers of four wheel drive vehicles and drivers of normal cars. Design Observational study with two phases-one within the grace period, the other starting one week after penalties were imposed on drivers using such telephones. Setting Three busy sites in London. Participants Drivers of 38 182 normal cars and 2944 four wheel drive vehicles. Main outcome measures Proportions of drivers seen to be using hand held mobile phones and not using seat belts. Results Drivers of four wheel drive vehicles were more likely than drivers of other cars to be seen using hand held mobile phones (8.2% v 2.0%) and not complying with the law on seat belts (19.5% v 15.0%). Levels of non-compliance with both laws were slightly higher in the penalty phase of observation, and breaking one law was associated with increased likelihood of breaking the other. Conclusions The level of non-compliance with the law on the use of hand held mobile phones by drivers in London is high, as is non-compliance with the law on seat belts. Drivers of four wheel drive vehicles were four times more likely than drivers of other cars to be seen using hand held mobile phones and slightly more likely not to comply with the law on seat belts.

Brake system performance requirements of a lightweight electric/hybrid rear wheel drive vehicle

Investigates the braking performance requirements of the UltraCommuter, a lightweight series hybrid electric vehicle currently under development at the University of Queensland. With a predicted vehicle mass of 600 kg and two in-wheel motors each capable of 500 Nm of peak torque, decelerations up to 0.46 g are theoretically possible using purely regenerative braking. With 99% of braking demands less than 0.35 g, essentially all braking can be regenerative. The wheel motors have sufficient peak torque capability to lock the rear wheels in combination with front axle braking, eliminating the need for friction braking at the rear. Emergency braking levels approaching 1 g are achieved by supplementation with front disk brakes. This paper presents equations describing the peak front and rear axle braking forces which occur under straight line braking, including gradients. Conventionally, to guarantee stability, mechanical front/rear proportioning of braking effort ensures that the front axle locks first. In this application, all braking is initially regenerative at the rear, and an adaptive ''by-wire'' proportioning system presented ensures this stability requirement is still satisfied. Front wheel drive and all wheel drive systems are also discussed. Finally, peak and continuous performance measures, not commonly provided for friction brakes, are derived for the UltraCommuter's motor capability and range of operation.

Networked control system for the guidance of a four-wheel steering agricultural robotic platform

A current trend in the agricultural area is the development of mobile robots and autonomous vehicles for precision agriculture (PA). One of the major challenges in the design of these robots is the development of the electronic architecture for the control of the devices. In a joint project among research institutions and a private company in Brazil a multifunctional robotic platform for information acquisition in PA is being designed. This platform has as main characteristics four-wheel propulsion and independent steering, adjustable width, span of 1,80m in height, diesel engine, hydraulic system, and a CAN-based networked control system (NCS). This paper presents a NCS solution for the platform guidance by the four-wheel hydraulic steering distributed control. The control strategy, centered on the robot manipulators control theory, is based on the difference between the desired and actual position and considering the angular speed of the wheels. The results demonstrate that the NCS was simple and efficient, providing suitable steering performance for the platform guidance. Even though the simplicity of the NCS solution developed, it also overcame some verified control challenges in the robot guidance system design such as the hydraulic system delay, nonlinearities in the steering actuators, and inertia in the steering system due the friction of different terrains. Copyright © 2012 Eduardo Pacincia Godoy et al.

Development of car/trailer handling and braking standards. Volume II: technical report for Phase I - rear wheel drive tow cars. Final report.

National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, Office of Passenger Vehicle Research, Washington, D.C.

Occupant response and vehicle acceleration in a 30 mph frontal impact test - 1981 Subaru DL - 4 wheel drive - 4 door wagon - NHTSA 811301. Final report.

National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, Office of Passenger Vehicle Research, Washington, D.C.

Operator, organizational, direct support, and general support maintenance manual : loader, scoop type, DED, 4 wheel drive, pneumatic tired, hinged frame steer, 2 1/2 cu. yd. multi-purpose bucket (J.I. Case model MW-24), FSN 3805-253-0627.

"December 1970."

Operator, organizational, field, and depot maintenance manual : loader, scoop type, diesel engine, 4 wheel drive, rear wheel steerable pneumatic tires, 2 1/2 cu yd, w/multi-segment bucket (Frank G. Hough model H-90CM), FSN 3805-995-3236.

"February 1964."

Organizational maintenance repair parts and special tools lists : loader, scoop type, diesel engine, 4-wheel drive, rear wheel steerable pneumatic tires, 2 1/2 cu yd, w/ multi-segment bucket, (Frank G. Hough model H-90CM) FSN 3805-995-3236.

Includes index.

Organizational maintenance repair parts and special tools lists : loader, scoop type, DED, 4-wheel drive, pneumatic tired hinged frame steer 2 1/2 cu yd, multi-purpose bucket, NSN 3805-00-169-4711, J.I. Case model MW24B.

Includes index.

Direct support and general support maintenance repair parts and special tools lists (including depot maintenance repair parts and special tools) : loader, scoop type, DED, 4-wheel drive, pneumatic tired hinged frame steer 1 1/2 cu yd, multi-purpose bucket, NSN 3805-00-169-4711, J.I. Case model MW24B.

Includes index.

Technical manual, operator and organizational manual : grader, road, motorized, DED, type 1, 6 wheel, 4 wheel drive, front wheel steering, 12-foot blade, Caterpillar model 120, FSN 3805-466-0084.

Includes index.

Operator, organizational, direct support, and general support maintenance manual : loader, scoop type, DED, 4 wheel drive, pneumatic tired, hinged frame steer, 2 1/2 cu. yd. multi-purpose bucket (J.I. Case model MW-24), FSN 3805-253-0627.

"December 1970."

Operator, organizational, direct and general support, and depot maintenance manual : loader, scoop type, DED, 4-wheel drive, pneumatic tires, hinged frame steer, w/forklift, front mounted, hydraulic operated, 10,500-lb capacity (Eaton, Yale & Towne Trojan model 3000M) FSN 3805-074-6378.

Includes index.

Unit, intermediate direct support, and intermediate general support parts and tools list : grader, road, motorized, DED 6 wheeled, 4 wheel drive, articulated frame, front wheel steering (CCE) airborne airmobile, sectionalized and nonsectionalized, models 130 GS and 130 GNS, NSN 3805-01-126-7894, NSN 3805-01-126-7895.

"22 April 1987."