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| Super All Wheel Control | |
|---|---|
| Name | Super All Wheel Control |
| Manufacturer | Mitsubishi Motors |
| Introduced | 2001 |
| Type | Automotive four-wheel drive control system |
| Predecessor | Active Yaw Control |
| Related | All-Wheel Drive, Four-Wheel Steering |
Super All Wheel Control
Super All Wheel Control is an advanced four-wheel control system combining torque vectoring, braking, steering, and suspension management in passenger cars and sports utility vehicles. Developed to improve handling, stability, and traction across varied surfaces, the system integrates electronic control units, sensors, and actuators for real-time vehicle dynamics adjustments. Employed in multiple Mitsubishi models and variants, Super All Wheel Control influenced systems by competitors and featured in rallying and circuit competition.
Super All Wheel Control integrates drivetrain, braking, steering, and suspension subsystems to manage yaw, traction, and lateral stability through coordinated electronic intervention. The architecture relies on inputs from wheel speed sensors, steering angle sensors, yaw rate sensors, and accelerometers to modulate differential locks, clutch packs, hydraulic brakes, and steering actuators across each wheel. As a platform-level technology it intersects with vehicle dynamics control efforts from OEMs and influenced regulatory testing by bodies such as the European New Car Assessment Programme, National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, and Japanese Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism.
Initiated by Mitsubishi Motors engineering after lessons from competition programs including the World Rally Championship and collaboration with suppliers like Aisin Seiki, development progressed through the late 1990s into the 2000s. The program synthesized concepts from earlier systems such as Active Yaw Control and technologies explored at research institutions like the University of Tokyo and firms including Bosch and Continental AG. Debut applications in production models followed feedback loops from motorsport teams and homologation processes involving entities like Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile and national motorsport authorities.
Core components include an electronic central control unit, active center differential with multi-plate clutch, wheel-selective braking actuators, active steering mechanisms, and adaptive suspension modules. The control strategy employs sensor fusion combining signals from the steering angle sensor, yaw rate sensor, lateral acceleration sensor, and wheel speed sensors to compute desired torque split and braking torques for each wheel. Actuation is achieved via electro-hydraulic devices and electromechanical actuators supplied by automotive suppliers such as Denso, ZF Friedrichshafen, and Magna International. Software algorithms implement feedforward and feedback control loops, model predictive control techniques, and fail-safe routines compliant with standards from International Organization for Standardization and automotive safety integrity level guidance from ISO 26262.
Super All Wheel Control was integrated into Mitsubishi production models including the Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution, Mitsubishi Outlander, and select variants of the Mitsubishi Pajero family. Calibration strategies varied across chassis configurations, with tuning programs tailored for compact sedans, crossover SUVs, and rally-spec homologation specials. Platform sharing and joint ventures led to technology transfer and derivatives appearing in vehicles from partners and badge-engineered models involving corporations like PSA Peugeot Citroën and regional distributors in markets such as Australia, United Kingdom, and Japan.
In testing, the system demonstrated improvements in lap times, lane-change stability, and recovery from oversteer and understeer conditions compared with conventional all-wheel drive layouts. Independent evaluations by automotive magazines, technical institutes, and crash testing organizations such as Euro NCAP and Insurance Institute for Highway Safety highlighted gains in active stability and emergency maneuvering. The coordinated torque-vectoring and braking interventions reduced skid incidents on low-friction surfaces and were cited in fleet procurement decisions by agencies and firms operating in cold climates like Canada and Scandinavia.
Critics pointed to increased system complexity, higher production costs, and maintenance challenges tied to specialized components and software calibration. Repair and diagnostic burdens affected independent workshops and insurers, prompting discussions involving trade associations such as the Society of Automotive Engineers and consumer groups in regions including Europe and North America. Limitations include dependency on sensor fidelity, potential electronic failure modes considered by standards bodies like ISO, and performance ceilings when confronted with extreme off-road conditions compared with mechanical transfer cases used in heavy-duty four-wheel drive vehicles.
Super All Wheel Control and its conceptual predecessors were instrumental in rally and circuit applications, contributing to championship campaigns in the World Rally Championship and national series across Japan and United Kingdom. Teams and manufacturers collaborating with Mitsubishi applied system refinements in homologation specials, with oversight from organizations like the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile and national federations to meet technical regulations. Engineers from motorsport outfits and suppliers such as Ralliart, Prodrive, and Tommi Mäkinen Racing adapted torque-vectoring strategies, influencing contemporary competition systems deployed by rivals including Subaru Tecnica International and Toyota Gazoo Racing.
Category:Four-wheel drive layout