A general description is given of the factors which affect car behaviour. As drivers appear able to control cars with a wide variety of characteristics, no one set of design criteria for the car layout, suspension and controls can be said to be correct and it is uncertain which are the optimum ranges of values. Car behaviour when all the wheels are rolling and when some are sliding is discussed. Braking and power effects are shown to be of great importance. Car behaviour can now be studied mathematically or simulated on a computer and manufacturers are just starting to use these methods, or results derived from them, rather than entirley relying on the traditional engineering approach of testing small departures from accepted designs. (Author/publisher)
Abstract