The Fully Active Electro-Mechanic Suspension System developed by Southfield-based mobility technology supplier Marelli has received the Commendable honor at the 2023 Digital Engineering Awards in Frisco, Texas.
Marelli’s technology was recognized in the Engineering Product of the Year category, at the awards program earlier this month.
“We are honored to receive the Commendable designation at the 2023 Digital Engineering Awards for our state-of-the-art suspension technology,” says Antonio Ferrara, president of the Ride Dynamics Division at Marelli. “It’s a testament to our commitment to innovation aimed at improving driving comfort and safety.”
Marelli’s new Fully Active Electro-Mechanic Suspension System is a breakthrough in automotive technology, according to the company, enhancing vehicle safety, performance, and comfort, while ensuring high efficiency.
The electronically controlled system autonomously decides the best behavior of each vehicle’s suspension, neutralizing vibration, and vehicle body movements. The system processes information in milliseconds and determines, through its smart algorithm, the actions required under different driving conditions.
The physical hardware consists of four electromechanical actuators, each composed of a brushless motor and a high ratio reduction gear, that connects to the suspension arm, with the ability to actively move the suspension. The motors are controlled by dedicated inverters which receive the stroke target from a central unit hosting the vehicle dynamics software.
A central electronic control unit controls each actuator, thanks to electronic hardware and specialized software. The software monitors a variety of signals — such as accelerations, suspension stroke, steer angle, main propulsion unit parameters, brake pedal, and torque demand — and predicts the actions that each actuator must apply to the suspension arm to set the appropriate reaction force.
The drive unit integrated into the actuator receives a force demand from the central ECU and calculates the parameters (target current) to drive the actuators’ electric motor, using an embedded algorithm. The system is powered by a 48V electrical circuit integrated into the vehicle’s electrical network and guarantees the correct energy flow.
The system is oil-free and delivers up to 80 percent energy efficiency, compared to passive or semi-active systems, and is therefore able to harvest energy, in line with a sustainable approach. It also occupies less volume than other available technologies, providing greater freedom in vehicle interior design.
“This technology can decrease motion sickness arising from activities such as reading or working on a laptop, which will become more prevalent with the advent of autonomous driving,” says Piero Monchiero, innovation director at the Ride Dynamics Division of Marelli.
