"With this book, Prof. Dr. Vantsevich brings a tremendous contribution to the field of Automotive Transmission and Driveline Engineering, including his innovative methods for optimum driveline synthesis, as well as his experience with the development of various hardware solutions, from the basic limited slip differentials to the most sophisticated mechatronic systems."

—Dr.-Ing. Mircea Gradu

Director, Transmission and Driveline Engineering

Head, Virtual Analysis Tools

Chrysler Group LLC

Now that vehicles with four and more driving wheels are firmly ensconced in the consumer market, they must provide energy/fuel-saving benefits and improved operational quality including terrain mobility, traction and velocity properties, turnability, and stability of motion. A first-of-its-kind resource, Driveline Systems of Ground Vehicles: Theory and Design presents a comprehensive and analytical treatment of driveline research, design, and tests based on energy efficiency, vehicle dynamics, and operational properties requirements.

This volume addresses fundamental engineering problems including how to investigate the effect of different driveline systems on the properties of vehicles and how to determined the optimal characteristics of the driveline system and its power-dividing units (PDUs) and design it for a specific vehicle to ensure high level of vehicle dynamics, energy efficiency, and performance. The authors develop an analytical apparatus for math modeling of driveline systems that can be compiled from different types of PDUs. They also introduce methodologies for the synthesis of optimal characteristics of PDUs for different types of vehicles.

Structured to be useful to engineers of all levels of experience, university professors and graduate students, the book is based on the R&D projects conducted by the authors. It explores intriguing engineering dilemmas such as how to achieve higher energy and fuel efficiency by driving either all the wheels or not all the wheels, solve oversteering issues by managing wheel power distribution, and many other technical problems.