Dave Bruder

"For starters, SUVs and pickups are much more stable in four-wheel drive mode because you have power going to all four wheels," explains Dave Bruder, chief engineer for BorgWarner's TorqTransfer Systems Div. "On a two-wheel drive system, your only option to improve brake stability control is to take power away from the engine.But you may need that engine power to get out of a panic situation later on in the [accident] event."

Bruder adds that 4WD improves overall vehicle traction and control under acceleration.So the next logical move is to ensure that ESC can step into the 4WD equation and function smoothly.That's where the concept of "4WD with a brain" comes in, he says.

"Our Torque-On-Demand system goes a step further and uses electronic controls so that 4WD works in tandem with an ESC system," he explains.
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According to Bruder, the system can decide how much power all of the wheels really need based on wheel speed, throttle position and steering wheel angle.

"Then you have what I call the convenience factor for drivers," he explains.In an electronically controlled 4WD system, shifting between 2WD and 4WD takes place automatically; the driver does not have to make manual shifts and puts the vehicle in the optimal drive configuration for the conditions."

Having 4WD that adjusts to driving conditions is critical for safety, he adds."From my own experience, in a pickup in wet conditions you can get the back end coming around before you even have time to decide whether you need to be in 2WD or 4WD," Bruder says.

Dave Bruder, Chief Engineer, Systems Engineering, BorgWarner TorqTransfer Systems, will present "All-wheel Drive Control Architecture for Rapid Application Deployment" at 12:45 p.m. on Thursday, May 11.