Control Technology

Active Concern for Safety

Driver and passenger safety is a very important consideration in Mitsubishi Motors' thinking on improvement of the social environment. This calls for continuous re-examination of the requirements for what a passenger car should deliver. Since the 80s, Mitsubishi has developed a total safety philosophy: safety and performance were indivisible, each another name for the other. Besides passive safety systems designed to minimize injury in the event of a collision, Mitsubishi has developed many active safety technologies to help prevent accidents from occurring in the first place.

Among the various active safety technologies is the exciting field of all-wheel control. This field encompasses the integration of many technologies including, TCL (Traction Control), ABS (Anti-lock Braking System), 4WS (four-wheel steering), and electronically-controlled 4WD (four-wheel drive). Public acclaim has followed Mitsubishi over the years with the development of various advanced technologies and the refinement of others. All-wheel control combines these separate systems into a whole, and in so by doing, produce an integrated system that the total benefit is greater than the sum of its parts.

TCL

In 1990, Mitsubishi released the Diamante (Sigma) in Japan. Featured among the innovations geared for active safety was the new, world first, Traction ControL (TCL) system. TCL was developed to help the driver maintain the intended line through a corner. An onboard computer monitors several vehicle operating parameters through various sensors. When too much throttle has been used when taking a curve, engine output is automatically reduced to prevent the vehicle from overshooting. TCL also includes a standard wheel slip control function for better traction on slippery surfaces or during cornering. In addition to the TCL system's individual effect, it also works together with electronic controlled suspension and four-wheel steering to improve total handling and performance.

INVECS

In 1992, the seventh generation Galant was released in Japan. INVECS (Intelligent & Innovative Vehicle Electronic Control System), a new active safety technology, consisting of six different component systems which work together to enhance a driver's comfort and safety was featured. Through a variety of sensors, INVECS gathers information on road, vehicle and actual or possible driver actions. Using fuzzy control logic, INVECS immediately interprets the information and controls the appropriate component system to give the driver the desired control. These systems include 4WD, 4WS, TCL, 4-speed automatic transmission, active preview electric controlled suspension and automatic air conditioning.

AYC / ASC

The release of the 8th generation Galant model for the Japanese market in 1996 featured AYC (Active Yaw Control) and ASC (Active Stability Control) technologies. The AYC system transfers drive torque between the left and right drive wheels as required. The result is a dramatic improvement in cornering performance while safety enhanced and driving pleasure are improved. The ASC system generates turning force by employing braking force differentials in left and right wheels. The AYC and ASC all-wheel control system maximizes the adhesion limits of the vehicle's tires. Controlling each wheel interdependently, AYC and ASC achieve dramatic improvements in vehicular safety, performance-acceleration and speed, and stopping.