Imagine a driving experience where you feel in complete control at every corner, stopping comfortably and having a direct connection down through your car seat, through the steering wheel, to the road you are travelling on. While it may sound like the stuff of dreams for only the high-end vehicles, it is quickly becoming a reality thanks to a new wave of innovative automotive part(s). The auto industry has been going through a quiet transformation, not only through the advances of the electric and connected vehicles, but also at the foundation level in how vehicles are designed and built. There is now an entire group of parts which have been engineered with a common goal to provide the driver with maximum durability and precision, allowing the daily commute to be consistently smoother, safer, and more responsive each time they get behind the wheel. This shift has moved the industry away from simply transporting the driver to a destination, and instead towards the concept of driver confidence and longevity of a vehicle by leveraging cutting-edge material science and micro-manufacturing techniques.

Unmatched Durability with Advanced Materials
The search for durability starts at a molecular level. Through multiple upgrades in the automotive industry, advanced composites or alloys are now replacing or augmenting the steel and rubber used in the past; particularly in suspension components (control arms and bushings). In the past, modern-day suspension components were manufactured from standard steel. Today, they are being made with forged aluminum, reinforced polymer composites, and other advanced types of materials. These advanced materials are much stronger than standard steel materials (at least 2-3 times), have a better strength-to-weight ratio for resisting fatigue, and deform under stress much less. With all of these advancements have come improved resistance to corrosion.
Imagine your driving experience feeling controlled at every corner and coming to rest comfortably, with an uninterrupted connection through your car seat, your steering wheel and into the road you’re driving on. This may sound like a dream scenario, only available when purchasing high-end luxury cars, but in reality, it’s becoming a reality in the mainstream automotive world because of a wave of innovativeYou've probably seen or experienced a sense of control through the steering wheel or the seat, making stops easily. That is no longer a dream or reserved for luxury automobiles; however, it now seems possible, thanks to a new era of innovative automotive parts. The automotive industry has been quietly evolving not only due to the growth of both electric and connected vehicles, but also through the foundational level of how automobiles are built and designed. There is now an entire group of parts engineered specifically to create the highest level of Durability and Precision for the driver, which results in consistently delivering a Smoother, Safer, and More Responsive daily commute every time they get into their vehicle. The result has transformed the industry from transporting the driver to their destination and instilling confidence in the driver, extending the Life Cycle of a vehicle through the application of cutting-edge Material Science and Micro-manufacturing Techniques.

The Beginning of Unmatched Durability and Superior Materials
Unmatched Durability and Superior Materials begin at the molecular level. The Continued Research and Development (R&D) in the Automotive Industry provides us with access to more advanced composite and alloy materials; the composite and alloy materials are the replacement for steel and rubber on most of today's Suspension Components (control arms) and Bushings. Traditionally, modern-day suspension components have been manufactured using standard Steel. Today, however, the majority of those components are being manufactured using Forged Aluminum, Reinforced Polymer Composites, and Other Advanced Materials. Due to the Advanced Material Science of our time, Advanced Material Components are 2-3 times stronger than Standard Steel Materials, provide a much Better Strength-to-Weight Ratio for resisting Durability and Fatigue, and exhibit Less Deformation with applied stress. All of these advancements lead to Superior Corrosion Resistance.Parts such as brake calipers and chassis brackets which are exposed to changeable weather conditions can be protected from wear and tear due to rust and chemical degradation by being coated with Nano-Ceramic Coatings or manufactured from Stainless Steel Alloys. Because of this treatment or material selection, the integrity of critical systems is maintained over hundreds of thousands of miles and gives you peace of mind as well as reducing long-term ownership costs.

Precision Engineering Means More Control and Safety

While Durability has its advantages, without Precision it can have a lot less value. New manufacturing processes such as Computer Numerical Control (CNC) Machining and Laser Calibration utilized in many of today's products allow for Tolerances to be measured in microns. Precision Engineering is extremely apparent in Steering and Braking Systems today. Rack and pinion steering gear has been produced so precisely that steering feedback from the Road becomes instantaneous and accurate with virtually no play or vagueness.

Precision also greatly influences Safety. Today's high-performance brake rotors, many featuring Cross-Drilled and Slotted designs, are machined to be perfectly True, thus preventing Warping and providing for equal contact of the pad surface for Reliable Stopping Power. Similarly, Wheel Bearings and Hub Assemblies are designed to prevent Wobble to keep the Wheel perfectly aligned with the Steering System. Being able to translate Driver Input into Vehicle Action instaneously and predictably and accurately is critical to Accident Avoidance.

Integrated Systems Equals A Seamless and Smooth Ride

The best innovation occurs when individual components have been made to Work Together as Integrated Systems. Adaptive Damping Systems are a great example of an Integrated System. These electronically controlled shock absorbers that utilize Sensors to read the surface of the Road to adjust their Damping Rates in milliseconds, when used in combination with Internal Valves that have been precision machined to provide Durable and Steady Performance also isolate the Cabin from Bumps while maintaining Firm Control during Cornering events.

Another example of Integrated Systems is the Drivetrain itself. Engine Mounts made from either Advanced Hydraulic Fluid or Magnetic Fluid compounds act to Damp Vibrations created by the engine from getting to the Chassis. In conjunction with Precision Balanced Drive Shafts and Low Tolerance Transmission Gears, the result is a very Smooth Power Delivery System. This approach to Drivetrains virtually Eliminates Noise, Vibration or Harshness (NVH) throughout the Car that can be annoying to Drivers and Passengers on the Road resulting in a Quieter, More Refined, Less Fatiguing Driving Experience on any trip, long or short.

The Smart Component Revolution

The next step in the evolution of Auto Parts is integrating Embedded Intelligence into the Parts. Parts are now actively Managing Durability and Precision. For example, Wheel Speed Sensors and "Smart" Brake Pads perform more than simply sending data back to the ABS; they also monitor the health of the Wheel Bearings and can Predict Wheel Failure. Brake Pads that have Wear Sensors give Real Time Data about Remaining Service Life in a vehicle compared to past practices of just estimating how long they would last based on Service Intervals.

Having this type of Proactive Safety net available results in a Precision Machined Part being able to report on itself so you can perform Maintenance when necessary and Prevent any Secondary Damage that could occur and achieve Optimal System Performance. The Alliance of Physical Engineering Excellence with Digital Awareness represents the ultimate progress toward Achieving the Smoothest, Safest, Most Intuitive and Most Reliable Driving Experience throughout the Life of the Vehicle.