Passenger Car 4WD-Systems for Light Trucks? 952647

Four-wheel-drive technology for passenger cars shows a remarkable variety of solutions, whereas in off-road-vehicles usually only systems are used which are well known since decades. With passenger cars, good traction is only one of several criteria, of which ease of operation is certainly a must. Effects on driving behavior and safety factors such as braking stability and ABS-compatibility become more and more significant. Since the average owner of an off-road-vehicle uses his car mainly in normal traffic situations, the question arises, why the modern 4WD-systems of passenger cars are not applied to off-road-vehicles or light trucks. This question will be discussed in the light of the typical torque distribution of these systems, the traction performance, and the driving behavior resulting from it.