Mengenal MObil Drift dan cara Drift

FORMULA drift, sebenarnya sudah cukup lama dikenal di tanah air. Tapi akhir-akhir ini olah raga otomotif ini  mulai banyak diminati di indonesia, khususnya bagi mereka yang suka tantangan dan aktivitas yang memacu adrenalin. Drifting sendiri adalah sebuah teknik menyetir, dimana pengemudi berusaha untuk membuat mobilnya berada dalam posisi miring dan meluncur selama mungkin.

Drifting pertama kali diperkenalkan oleh Keiichi Tsuchiya pembalap jalanan di jepang sekitar tahun tujuh puluhan, dan semakin dikenal berkat film Fast And Furious Tokyo Drift di  tahun 2006. Nah saat ini kompetisi drifting sudah cukup dikenal di beberapa negara. Selain di jepang, Formula-D, istilah  untuk drifting, sangat populer di amerika, disamping nascar racing.

Mobil yang dipergunakan untuk formula drift biasanya dari jenis sedan, seperti Nissan Skyline, Toyota Mark II, Corolla DX, dan Mitsubishi Lancer. Dalam kejuaraan drifting, pemenang ditentukan oleh penilaian juri berdasarkan teknik, presisi dan gaya mengemudi dari pembalapnya. Sejumlah trik yang biasa digunakan oleh drifter, seperti hand brake drift, power slide dan shift lock. Nah untuk mengetahui lebih banyak seputar teknik drifting dan mobil drift, kami akan berbincang langsung dengan salah seorang drifter yang juga seorang mekanik mobil drift.

Di indonesia sendiri, sejumlah kompetisi sudah pernah digelar, seperti kejuaraan international driftbash asia challenge yang berlangsung bulan mei lalu di Speed City Bali Sirkuit GWK Jimbaran, Bali. Sementara di negara tetangga, formula drift juga banyak digelar di Singapura, Thailand dan Malaysia.

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Manual Transmissions Vs. Automatic Transmissions

Power

• The translation of power created by the engine to that used by a car transmission varies between an automatic and manual. Because an automatic works in set ranges of engine revolutions per minute before gear changing, the maximum output between gears can never be obtained. The engine changes gears before that happens. A manual transmission waits for the driver to make the change, and a good driver with experience knows exactly when the maximum output at each gear range is achieved. This in turn gets the most out of the engine production. When manual drivers say they "hear" the engine, they are referring to this process, listening to the engine power noise to tell them when to change gears.

Acceleration

• Modern automatic transmissions have developed from sloppy affairs to very precise operating systems run by computers. However, a manual transmission with an experienced driver will still run faster than an automatic, again due to the driver knowing how to maximize engine power before gear-changing. Tests in the same model car can show a variance of as much as 2.4 seconds in favor of a manual transmission accelerating from 0 to 60 mph. This is a significant difference in engine speed.

Read more: Manual Transmissions Vs. Automatic Transmissions | eHow.com http://www.ehow.com/about_6301414_manual-transmissions-vs_-automatic-transmissions.html#ixzz2S67Q9amo

Fuel Efficiency

• There is no major gain in fuel difference between an automatic transmission and a manual transmission with city driving. Stop-and-go and short-hop commuting are just plain bad for any car and contribute to engines being insufficiently heated and residue buildup. Due to having to come to a full stop and then accelerate again many times, gas is wasted far more than on a regular cruise.

  On long stretches on which the car can maximize its gear ratios, automatics tend to do better, but not by much. The differences aren't going to save significant amounts of money, such as an entire month's worth of gas. In most cases, the savings is only about one to two miles more per gallon in efficiency.

Repair Expenses

• Automatic transmissions tend to win the award for transmission repair costs hands down in the first 80,000 to 100,000 miles. Because their design hadles gear-changing in a controlled environment, these transmissions don't suffer from human error. Assuming the proper transmission oil is used and changed regularly, and the engine is used correctly outside of extreme climates, automatic transmissions can last significantly longer than manual transmissions on average.

  Manual transmissions are more prone to repair because of the human factor being implemented through the clutch. Clutch wear and burnout tend to be the most common repair issues. The ball that the manual hand lever operates around while switching gears also tends to disintegrate.

Read more: Manual Transmissions Vs. Automatic Transmissions | eHow.com http://www.ehow.com/about_6301414_manual-transmissions-vs_-automatic-transmissions.html#ixzz2S67UfeK4

1. • Cost-wise however, manual transmissions seem to cost less in total repairs. An automatic transmission repair, when it does go bad, usually requires a full rebuild, with a significant charge for labor involved.

   Which One Is Right for Me?

   • Choice is where the automatic versus manual preference gets personal. You have to decide whether you want to be thinking about what your car does as you drive it, or if you just want to push the gas pedal and go forward. For those looking for serious power feel and response, a manual transmission will be the way to go. For those who just need transportation, an automatic will work just fine.

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Read more: Manual Transmissions Vs. Automatic Transmissions | eHow.com http://www.ehow.com/about_6301414_manual-transmissions-vs_-automatic-transmissions.html#ixzz2S67e5ngr

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SEKILAS TENTANG DRIVE BY WIRE PADA KENDARAAN RODA EMPAT

Mungkin saat ini kita semakin  sering mendengar teknologi drive by wire diaplikasikan pada sebuah mobil. Seiiring dengan kemajuan teknologi maka pemanfaatannya akan semakin sering digunakan termasuk pada kendaraan sehari-hari. Setelah sering mendengar dengan teknologi EFI atau Electronic Fuel Injection maka pada mobil saat ini telah digunakan teknologi yang dinamakan Drive By wire. Drive by Wire ini merupakan teknologi yang memungkinkan kendaraan atau mobil dapat berpikir sendiri, jadi ada campur tangan komputer pada saat mobil dijalankan.

Seperti apakah Drive by Wire itu? Kita akan mengenal sekilas teknologi tersebut. Untuk mobil saat ini biasanya menggunakan teknologi drive by wire yang dibagi lagi menjadi Throttle by Wire dan Brake by Wire.

Throttle by wire merupakan teknologi yang membuat hubungan atau sistem pada pedal gas dan throttle tidak lagi menggunakan kabel melainkan melalui sensor-sensor yang terhubung pada sebuah komputer atau ECU. Secara teknis sih , modul  yang tehubung dengan ECU akan membaca kebutuhan mesin tentang pengapian dan pasokan bahan bakar kemudian dibandingkan dengan bukaan throttle dan tekanan pedal gas. Secara gamblang aplikasinya adalah bila saat mobil berjalan dan kemudian modul membaca bahwa mesin tidak membutuhkan bensin yang banyak meskipun pedal diinjak dalam-dalam maka bahan bakar akan dialirkan sesuai dengan kebutuhan. Maka dari itu untuk mobil yang telah menggunakan drive by wire ini terdapat “jeda” bila kita menginjak pedal secara dalam. Mobil yang telah mengadopsi teknologi ini antara lain adalah Yang kedua adalah Brake by wire yaitu teknologi yang memungkinkan untuk mobil mengerem sendiri bila terdapat penghalang di depan. Jadi terdapat sensor di depan mobil kemudian sensor tersebut akan mengirim sinyal ke ECU untuk memerintahkan mobil untuk berhenti. Mobil yang memakai teknologi ini salah satunya adalah Ford Focus. Kemudian untuk teknologi brake by wire secara kecil adalah adanya ABS yang memungkinkan mobil untuk mengatur kerja tekanan oli pada kaliper rem dengan masukan dari sensor putaran roda serta tekanan oli pada rem. Ternyata teknologi semakin ada disekitar kita dan semakin memudahkan pekerjaan, jadi jangan alergi dengan teknologi ya.

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FORD MAKES PARALLEL PARKING A BREEZE WITH NEW ACTIVE PARK ASSIST

• Active park assist helps drivers parallel park with the touch of a button and without ever touching the steering wheel
• Active park assist uses ultrasonic-based sensing system and electric power-assisted steering (EPAS) to steer the vehicle into a parking spot – EPAS also improves fuel economy up to 
  5 percent, while reducing CO2 emissions and enhancing performance, compared with traditional steering
• Launched in mid-2009, the innovative technology is available very affordably on the Ford Focus, Explorer, Escape, Flex, Lincoln MKS and Lincoln MKT

WASHINGTON, D.C., Jan. 26, 2011 – The often stressful and frustrating task of parallel parking can now be as easy as pressing a button, thanks to an exclusive technology from Ford called active park assist.

The innovative technology – an affordable option on the Ford Focus, Explorer, Escape, Flex, Lincoln MKS and Lincoln MKT – uses an ultrasonic-based sensing system and electric power-assisted steering (EPAS) to position the vehicle for parallel parking, calculate the optimal steering angle and quickly steer the vehicle into a parking spot.

“With the touch of a button, drivers can parallel park quickly, easily and safely without ever touching the steering wheel,” said Derrick Kuzak, Ford’s group vice president of Global Product Development. “This is another example of exclusive Ford technology that makes the driving experience easier and more enjoyable for customers.”

Active park assist uses sensors on the front and rear of the vehicle to guide the vehicle into a parking space. The technology is a major leap forward in speed and ease of use compared with the camera-reliant systems offered by competitors, including a video camera-based system offered by Lexus. Ford’s system requires less driver interface and reduces the risk of selecting a parking spot that is too tight. Ford’s active park assist also works in downhill parking situations, unlike competing systems.

How active park assist works:

• The driver activates the system by pressing an instrument panel button, which activates the ultrasonic sensors to measure and identify a feasible parallel parking space
• The system then prompts the driver to accept the system assistance to park
• The steering system then takes over and steers the car into the parking space hands-free. The driver still shifts the transmission and operates the gas and brake pedals
• A visual and/or audible driver interface advises the driver about the proximity of other cars, objects and people and provides instructions
• While the steering is all done automatically, the driver remains responsible for safe parking and can interrupt the system by grasping the steering wheel

Active park assist is enabled by Ford’s advanced EPAS technology. In addition to helping with parallel parking, EPAS improves fuel economy up to 5 percent, while reducing CO2 emissions and enhancing steering performance compared with traditional hydraulic power-assisted steering systems. EPAS saves fuel primarily because the steering system is powered by an electric motor connected to the vehicle’s battery, as opposed to engine-mounted hydraulic pump steering systems.

By 2012, Ford plans to fit nearly 90 percent of the Ford and Lincoln lineup with EPAS.

“As we use advanced technology to improve the fuel efficiency across our vehicle lineup, we have the opportunity to introduce new comfort and convenience innovations like active park assist,” said Ali Jammoul, Ford’s chief engineer for chassis engineering and steering systems. “This is technology not for the sake of technology, but one designed to meet the needs and wants of customers.”

As Ford introduces EPAS in more vehicles, it will be able to offer active park assist in more models as well. In addition, Ford is working on using EPAS and other sensors for other smart technologies, including one that could prevent a vehicle from drifting out of its lane on the highway.

Active park assist works in tandem with other technologies, including Blind Spot Information System (BLIS®) and cross-traffic alert. BLIS employs a sensor on the outboard rear quarter panel that monitors the traditional blind spot area, and can notify the driver with a warning indicator light in the corresponding sideview mirror if the sensors in this optional system detect a vehicle in the blind spot. Cross-traffic alertuses BLIS sensors to help detect cross traffic when backing out of a parking space.

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