Soren Sugalski, 27
Every single year, millions of young people between the ages of sixteen and eighteen begin driving for the very first time. For many, driving is a gateway to adult-like freedom, granting individuals the access to more self-regulation and expanding their personal independence. However, driving is just as important for other ages, being the primary way that adults commute to work, stores, and other places. Much of society fundamentally could not function without cars, since a mere 20 minute drive to work could take 3-4 hours on foot. Even with public transportation like buses, subways, and railways, these alternate methods of travel could never match our dependency on cars. Despite this fact, nearly all drivers do not know how the vehicles that they operate actually work. Most people’s basic understanding of their car is just enough to fill up the gas, drive around, and take them to the mechanic if there is ever an issue. On the surface, cars may seem insanely complex, containing roughly 30,000 specific parts in every single vehicle. They also require specific timings to synthesize multiple distinct systems, which are regulated by a small computer called the engine control module. Surprisingly, these complex processes can be explained by relatively simple principles, especially within the engine of a car.
A typical car will likely use a four-stroke, internal combustion engine, which channels the force of exploding gasoline to create torque. Torque is generated within the engine block, and is a force which causes the wheels to rotate about an axis. Within the engine block, there are cylinders, pistons, oil galleries, a cooling system, the crankshaft, and the camshaft. These parts work in conjunction to turn the exploding force of burning petroleum into rotational motion, which spins the axles on the wheels. The process begins inside of the pistons, which are stored within cylinders and operate on the basis of four distinct strokes. The four strokes of an engine are intake, compression, power, and exhaust, and each stroke represents a full motion of the piston along the cylinder-up or down. The piston cycle begins with the intake phase, where an inlet valve opens and a pre-prepared mixture of air and petroleum is injected through one side of the cylinder, while the piston descends to make room for the fuel. In the compression stroke, the inlet valve closes and the piston extends upward to compress the fuel, building up temperature and pressure. Then, in the power stroke, the spark plug ignites the fuel and it explodes, pushing the piston downward and spinning the crankshaft. The crankshaft is connected to the pistons from below and uses connecting rods to translate the up-and-down force of the pistons into rotational motion. Finally, the piston reaches the bottom of its motion and the exhaust valve opens, before the piston ascends to its original position. This process expels the remaining gaseous waste at the top of the cylinder, completing the exhaust stroke. Now, the cycle will repeat again, starting with the intake stroke and the piston at the top of the cylinder.
While this process is at the core of an engine’s motion, a variety of other parts and systems are needed to keep the engine running smoothly. The cylinders are located between the camshaft and the crankshaft, with the camshaft above and the crankshaft below. The camshaft’s rotation times the openings of the intake valve and exhaust valve during strokes, which are responsible for injecting fuel and removing waste from the cylinders. The crankshaft also contains counterweights which balance the rise and fall of the pistons, keeping its rotation smooth and efficient. The oil galleries and cooling system are especially important for keeping the engine running smoothly, by lubricating parts and preventing it from overheating. The cylinders of a piston are specifically designed to hold oil efficiently, while not impeding the motion of the pistons. This is done through a cross hatching pattern of minute groves inside of its wall, which are just deep enough to hold oil, but not so large as to catch the piston. Oil is also pumped over to the bearings which hold the crankshaft, allowing it to move and spin smoothly. Finally, the crankshaft also powers the accessories in your car, through a band attached to itself and the alternator. The alternator converts the turning of the band into electricity, powering the battery, windows, windshield wipers, dashboard, and any other cosmetic parts.
While a four-stroke engine, four cylinder engine is the most common type you’ll likely see on the road, modern car designs can be very different and complex. Some other common engine types are the V6 and V8 engines, which contain 6 or 8 cylinders instead of 4 and are arranged in a v-shape instead of vertically. Less common than these is the V10 engine, which creates lots of power at the expense of high fuel consumption. Modern cars also differ in the placement of the engine, which can be placed in the front, middle, or back of the car. Most cars use front-wheel drive, meaning that the front two wheels propel the car, while the back two rotate freely. This makes front engine placement the most optimal position for a front-wheel drive car, since it improves traction by placing the most weight over the wheels. However, racing cars commonly use rear wheel drive, and place the engine at the rear-middle of the car. Placing the engine near the middle allows for fastest acceleration and best weight distribution in racing, but removes the possibility of having a back seat, making it impractical for normal commuting. As technology advances, there are countless minor improvements that are made to car design every single year. These changes may be cosmetic or functional, with each change creating an ever more complex and efficient design. However, it is possible that the era of gas-powered cars may be coming to an end, as new hybrid and all-electric vehicles continue to soar in popularity. It is more than likely that twenty years from now, hybrid and electric cars may become the most common way to drive, at which point we may not even be the ones driving them. While there is no way to know how driving will be shaped by future technologies, it will be interesting to see if and how driving will remain a key part of our lives.