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The key to mastering driving: How to use "steering angle" and "lateral acceleration" to determine whether your car is "understeer" or "oversteer"?!
In the driving world, two terms are often mentioned, namely "understeer" and "oversteer". These terms are used to describe the dynamic response of a car during steering, particularly the sensitivity associated with changes in steering angle and lateral acceleration. This article will delve into how to identify the driving state of a car by understanding steering angle and lateral acceleration.
What are understeering and oversteering?
Understeer usually occurs when the driver needs to increase the steering angle to maintain the steering of the vehicle, while oversteer is the opposite. When the rear wheels of the vehicle lose grip, it will cause the rear of the vehicle to deviate from the steering path. . Both situations involve a complex relationship between the vehicle's steering angle and lateral acceleration.
Understeering means that the vehicle cannot follow the driver's instructions during the steering process, while oversteering means that the rear of the vehicle is out of control, which may result in varying degrees of rotation.
How to test understeer gradient?
The so-called understeer gradient refers to the rate at which the vehicle's steering angle changes under the influence of lateral acceleration under a specific steady-state operating state. To test for understeering gradients, several different testing methods can be used, such as:
- Constant Radius: Repeat the test at different speeds.
- Constant speed: Repeat the test at different steering angles.
- Constant steering: Repeat the test at different speeds.
Factors affecting understeering gradient
Many factors influence a vehicle's understeer gradient, including tire lateral stiffness, center of gravity distribution, and suspension geometry. These factors further affect their grip by affecting the positive pressure on each tire.
Weight distribution directly affects the grip of each tire, and the vehicle may display various understeer or oversteer behaviors under different operating conditions.
Extreme driving characteristics
Under extreme conditions, an understeering vehicle cannot further increase lateral acceleration, but it still maintains dynamic stability. Once an over-steering vehicle reaches the limit, it will become unstable and may cause the vehicle to lose control. At this time, the driver's skills are particularly important: through appropriate counter-turning of the steering wheel and throttle control, the driver can overcome the instability to a certain extent.
When performing a drift, the driver relies on reverse steering and precise control of the throttle to maintain vehicle operation.
Know your vehicle
To understand how your vehicle behaves under different driving conditions, your vehicle's suspension, tires and other components should be checked and adjusted regularly. At the same time, the driver's own driving style and selected driving mode will also affect the vehicle's dynamic characteristics.
Conclusion
During driving, the behavior of the vehicle is complex and changeable. Understanding the nature of understeer and oversteer can help the driver make more precise control decisions. Finally, have you mastered how to judge the characteristics of the vehicle you are driving through simple steering angle and lateral acceleration and improve your driving skills?
