22 Car Acronyms You Need To Know
A/C – Air-conditioning: Absorbs heat and blows refrigerated air into the cabin of the car, cooling it to below the ambient air temperature.
ACC – Active Cruise Control: Using a front-mounted RADAR, ACC detects slower vehicles ahead and will maintain a relative driving speed to ensure a safe following distance.
AWD – All-Wheel Drive: Popular terminology for permanent four-wheel drive systems. The vehicle can distribute power to all four wheels rather than just to the front or rear vehicle wheels only.
CRD – Common Rail Diesel: A single, highly pressurised fuel line supplies diesel to all cylinders allowing for finer control over fuel use. Vastly reduces diesel engine’s noise and improves fuel economy.
EBD – Electronic Brake Distribution: Electronically controls and distributes appropriate brake pressure to all brakes dependent on load and braking force, whereas ABS just stops wheels locking. Replaces traditional mechanical brake proportioning valve.
ECU – Electronic Control Unit: An ECU is an electronic “brain” which controls a system in a car, such as an engine management system, transmission or body electrics.
EFI – Electronic Fuel Injection: EFI systems replace carburettors as fitted to older vehicles. The electronically controlled fuel injectors deliver fuel more efficiently, improving the economy, emissions and drivability.
ESP -Electronic Stability Program: Dramatically helps in correcting vehicle instability during uncontrollable under or over-steer situations by measuring lateral acceleration at the car’s centre of gravity. Also Known as VSC, DSC, ESC
ETC – Electronic Traction Control. Two types; brake traction control brakes spinning wheels and diverts torque to other wheels to gain traction in slippery surfaces, and engine traction control cuts power when multiple wheels are spinning.
FSi – Fuel Stratified Injection: Also known as DI (Direct Injection) or GDI (Gasoline Direct Injection). Petrol is injected at high pressure directly into the car’s combustion chamber; the air-fuel mixture can run far leaner than conventional EFI systems so is more efficient.
FWD – Front-Wheel Drive: A car’s engine power is delivered through the front wheels. Is more common today than Rear Wheel Drive.
HDC – Hill Descent Control: A feature intended for off-road use. The vehicle’s ABS and throttle control systems to maintain a gradual, more controlled decent on steep or slippery off-road surfaces. Also known as DAC.
HSA – Hill Start Assist. Helps prevent the vehicle from rolling backwards when performing hill starts.
kW – Kilowatt: Unit of measurement of the power output of a vehicle’s engine.
LPG – Liquid Petroleum Gas: LPG is a popular alternative fuel to petrol or diesel. The cost per litre is less than petrol, but it is less fuel efficient.
PAS – Power Assisted Steering: A system designed to reduce the effort required to steer the vehicle, particularly at low parking speeds. Can be Hydraulic, Electric or a combination of both.
PDC – Park Distance Control: An audible warning device that alerts the driver when their car is getting close to other cars or objects when parking
RWD – Rear Wheel Drive: A car’s engine power is delivered through the rear wheels. Less common today than FWD.
SAT-NAV – Satellite Navigation System: Uses as GPS (Global Positioning System) as the location detection system. GPS technology interfaces with mapping software either built to provide spoken, turn by turn instructions to drivers.
SRS – Supplementary Restraint System: Designed to be used in conjunction with seatbelts, SRS refers to a vehicle’s airbag system. A car’s airbags are designed to reduce occupant injury in the event of a car crash and are deployed when the SRS sensors detect a predetermined level of impact force.
TDi – Turbo Diesel Injection: Most modern diesel engines are now fitted with turbochargers to maximise performance. All diesels are fuel-injected, so the “i” is redundant but manufacturers like it anyway.
VIN – Vehicle Identification Number: A Unique 17 digit number, for each car, that can identify the date of manufacture, manufacturing plant and standards, etc.