Unique air shutter improves fuel efficiency

General Motors has revealed a new innovation behind the front grill of its Chevrolet Cruze Eco model where an automatic air shutter system allows the car to change shape and cut through the air more smoothly.
February 1, 2012 Read time: 1 min

948 General Motors has revealed a new innovation behind the front grill of its 1960 Chevrolet Cruze Eco model where an automatic air shutter system allows the car to change shape and cut through the air more smoothly.

The air shutter system uses sensors to feel and sense wind and temperature conditions. The sensors are married to electric motors that open and close the shutters automatically. With the shutters closed at high speeds, wind drag is reduced. At lower speeds, the shutters open to maximise engine-cooling air flow. Chevrolet says the air shutter system contributes nearly half a mile per gallon in combined city and highway driving.

The cooling systems for all GM vehicles are designed for the worst-case scenario, which is pulling a trailer up a grade in Death Valley. The shutter allows them to significantly improve fuel economy, while still providing the cooling needed in that extreme case.

For more information on companies in this article

Related Content

  • Copenhagen to showcase ITS in action at ITSWC 2018
    December 18, 2017
    As delegates head for the 2017 ITS World Congress in Montreal, we talk to Copenhagen mayor Morten Kabell about why his city is the ideal location for next year’s event. It may have been a long time coming but the ITS World Congress will be in Copenhagen in 2018 and there can be few more fitting places to host the event. By any number of metrics - interconnected transport, cycle commuting, safer streets, reduced pollution, sustainable energy and quality of life - the Danish capital has implemented what m
    Read More
  • Developments in software visualisation packages
    February 3, 2012
    Adrian Greeman looks at developments in software visualisation packages. The capacity to make visualisations has been growing in importance over the last decade, and is now a well-accepted part of consultations and client presentations. But making high-quality images of projects is still a major undertaking and larger consultancies employ specialist departments to do so. Costs are coming down but it can still take a while, and some high-capacity hardware, to produce realistic renderings from drawings and 3D
    Read More
  • The future? It's remote, says Valerann
    January 4, 2024
    More responsive traffic management is of enormous value – and Valerann thinks its SaaS system, remotely deployed in Latin America, is able to identify incidents much more quickly, finds Andrew Stone
    Read More
  • Lidar: recipes for success
    March 28, 2022
    Lidar is being deployed all over the world - and you can even read a cookbook on the subject...
    Read More

Highlighted Content