a continuously adjustable damping air suspension system with electrical control at each of the four wheels.
air cushions for the journey. Depending on the conditions of the road, individual air shock absorbers react in milliseconds to continually and automatically dampen each wheel. This lowers the total center of gravity and greatly improves directional stability. To accommodate the driver’s needs and the state of the road, the ride height can be changed.
In This Article...
Good or bad adaptive suspension?
Imagine a vehicle that continuously modifies its suspension to account for shifting road conditions and provide a consistently comfortable ride. Basically, adaptive suspension achieves this; it actively alters the suspension’s structure to lessen the impact of potholes, rough roads, and other driving obstructions.
This enables adaptive (or active) suspension to provide drivers with superior handling, feel, responsiveness, and safety, as we’ll examine further in this piece.
Sensors and microprocessors are used in adaptive (or active) suspension systems to continuously monitor the surface under the vehicle’s wheels. To ensure a comfortable driving experience, a computer reads the data that is given over by the sensors and modifies the shocks and springs.
Adaptive suspension may be well worth the cost for people who commute a long distance, frequently travel on rocky roads, or simply enjoy the feeling of a smooth drive.
Adaptive suspension is available on these vehicles as a standard or optional feature as of the time of writing.
The 5 Series, 6 Series, X6, as well as the majority of Alpina cars, all come with BMW’s adjustable suspension.
The Discovery Sport and Range Rover Sport both come equipped with Land Rover’s adaptive suspension.
There are three distinct adaptive suspension systems offered by Mercedes-Benz: The C-Class, E-Class, GLC-Class, and GLE-Class all provide Agility Control, while the S-Class, CLS-Class, and GLS-Class all offer AIRMATIC. Exclusive to the SL-Class is Active Body Control.
Cartelligent can assist you in getting a great bargain on the specific features you want, whether or not you want adaptive suspension on your new car. To get started, contact our team of car-buying professionals at 888-427-4270.
How dependable are adaptive dampers?
A 4 series has a lot of intricate components. Yes, it will ultimately fail as a damper, as most dampers do, but it should do so after about 100k miles. When passive dampers leak oil, the problem is typically discovered. That failure is not any more likely just because it is adaptive.
The damping will probably fail to its comfort level if there is an internal adaptive valve failure. Of course, this is possible, but these things have been around for a while.
My 435D has Adaptive, which works well on the bumpy roller coasters near me and hardens up nicely in Sport. a powerful combo. I also hope to hold on for another 7-8 years.
What distinguishes air suspension from adaptive suspension?
Adaptive suspension, as you might have imagined, can better adjust to a variety of driving and road situations. Adaptive suspensions are far more variable than standard suspensions, which feature preset dampers and predetermined damping rates. Some systems are more sophisticated, like the one in the DS 7 Crossback.
Which model of Audi has adjustable suspension?
With the 2021 S8, Audi gives the best of both worlds to individuals who aren’t sure whether they want a sports car or a luxury sedan. It has a powerful twin-turbo V8 engine, and its cutting-edge Predictive Adaptive Suspension technology ensures a comfortable ride.
The Audi Prologue concept served as the inspiration for the flagship luxury sedan of the German manufacturer’s fourth generation, which made its debut in 2019.
Both the European-spec Audi S8 and the American-spec Audi S8 receive a 4.0-liter twin-turbo V8 with 563 horsepower for the 2017 model year (420 kW; 571 PS). It is supported with a 48-volt mild hybrid electric powertrain that can recover energy by braking regeneratively.
The ground-breaking Predictive Adaptive Suspension (PAS), one of the many high-tech enhancements Audi offers, is standard on the S8. This fully functional, electromechanically driven system has the ability to alter the amount of pressure applied to each individual wheel, actively controlling the position of the vehicle in any given driving circumstance.
An integrated 48-volt electric motor is attached to each wheel, and an electronic chassis platform controls all four of the motors (ECP). Every five milliseconds, this is the brain of the PAS and sends electrical impulses to every electromechanical actuator connected to the electric motors.
Each motor’s torque is increased to 1,100 Nm (811 lb-ft) by a belt drive with a small gear arrangement, and it is then transferred to a steel rotating tube and then combined with a titanium roll bar that has been pre-tensioned. The length of this bar is around 400 mm (16 inches), its thickness is about 22 mm (0.9 inches), and despite its tremendous strength, it can be bent more than 20 degrees.
A lever and a coupling rod are used to move the resulting force from one end of the roll bar to the suspension. The transverse link of the rear axle and the pneumatic strut of the adaptive air suspension are then under pressure at the front axle.
As a result, the S8 may be raised or lowered from its default position by up to 85 mm (3.3 inches) in five tenths of a second. This technique substantially broadens the spectrum of ride characteristics, allowing for a flexible suspension that can be adjusted to the driving preferences of the driver.
The dynamic mode turns the big sedan into a quick sports car, making the car deserving of the S moniker. The car is expected to turn into the tightest bends solidly and responsively, with no evidence of oversteer, thanks to the greatly reduced body roll angles.
When the comfort setting is chosen, the suspension system entirely transforms and provides a comfortable ride on all types of pavement.
The ability to lower the S8 by as much as 50 mm (2.0 inches) with a single touch of the door handle is a pleasant feature that makes the most of this ground-breaking mechanism and makes getting into the car even easier and much more comfortable.
In comparison to the previous model year, when it underwent a thorough redesign, the 2021 Audi S8 does not provide many new features. The only significant modifications are the standard 21-inch wheels and heated armrests for the front-seat occupants. Prices for the Predictive Adaptive Suspension on the North American version start at $130,900.
What distinguishes active suspension from adaptive suspension?
One kind of automotive suspension for a vehicle is an active suspension. In contrast to passive suspension provided by huge springs, where the movement is totally dependent on the road surface, it uses an onboard mechanism to regulate the vertical movement of the vehicle’s wheels in relation to the chassis or vehicle body. Real active suspensions and adaptive or semi-active suspensions are the two categories into which active suspensions fall. Active suspensions employ some sort of actuator to raise and lower the chassis separately at each wheel, in contrast to semi-adaptive suspensions, which just adjust shock absorber firmness to match changing road or dynamic conditions.
By maintaining the tires perpendicular to the road in corners, these technologies enable automakers to achieve a greater degree of ride quality and automobile handling, allowing for improved traction and control. Sensors placed throughout the vehicle track body movement, and an onboard computer uses that information to manage the operation of the active and semi-active suspensions. Body roll and pitch fluctuation are almost eliminated by the system in a variety of driving circumstances, including as cornering, accelerating, and stopping.
Is adaptive suspension included with the M Sport Package?
M Sport is the bottom rung of the BMW M ladder. Instead than being a special vehicle variation like M Performance or M, “M Sport” is simply an accessory package that can be applied to practically any BMW. The M Sport package is available for even high-end vehicles like the 7-Series, 8-Series, and X7.
The M Sport package varies from vehicle to vehicle in terms of what is included. Carwow notes that, at the very least, it offers distinctive outward and interior elements. Some minor M emblems, darker exterior and interior trim, bigger wheels, a sportier-looking body package, and a unique steering wheel are among these changes. However, certain BMWs get much more.
For instance, according to Car and Driver and Road & Track, the M Sport option for the 3-Series includes M Sport suspension, faster steering, and variously colored brake calipers. In contrast, the X5 M Sport package replaces the sport suspension with an adaptable one. The M Sport package can therefore increase handling, if not exactly performance, despite the fact that it is primarily aesthetic.
Can you add an aftermarket adaptive suspension?
I am opposed. On these cars, Passive is quite acceptable, but Adaptive, which is like two cars in one, gives an obvious advantage. It’s pretty well dampened in Comfort so you can still go forward, while Sport adds stiffness at the expense of ride and NVH. They are 40k or so vehicles, so they won’t always compare well with 80k vehicles, but they do compare very favorably with other vehicles in their price range. Yes, you can pay to update the suspension, but even then Adaptive has advantages over Passive, thus it costs more to upgrade.
Which automobiles have adjustable suspension?
Millions of car purchasers now frequently choose adaptive or semi-active suspensions. Adaptive suspensions have electronic dampers that vary a vehicle’s ride and handling characteristics in response to driver desire and changes in the driving environment, in contrast to passive suspensions, which use passive shock absorbers and springs to control suspension movement.
Audi, BMW, Ford, Infiniti, Land Rover, Mercedes-Benz, Nissan, Renault, Seat, Skoda, Toyota, Volkswagen, and Volvo are just a few of the well-known automakers that offer cars with adaptable suspensions from the Monroe Intelligent Suspension product line. These factory-installed systems, like Audi’s Drive Select System, BMW’s Variable Damper Control and Adaptive M suspensions, Infiniti’s Digital Dynamic Suspension, Seat’s Dynamic Chassis Control, and Volvo’s Four-C (Continuously Controlled Chassis Concept), are frequently marketed under the suspension brand of the vehicle manufacturer, but they were created and produced with Monroe engineers’ assistance.
The design behind the ride
A Monroe Intelligent Suspension component known as CVSAe is what unites all of these versions (Continuously Variable Semi-Active). With the help of this system, drivers may instantly choose between a variety of driving modes, from refined and relaxing to sporty. A whole generation of car owners now enjoy driving differently thanks to CVSAe technology and other Monroe Intelligent Suspension products.
Now available for the aftermarket
Technology for adaptable suspension has clear advantages. But what happens when these sophisticated computerized suspensions require new dampers? Are owners required to go back to their dealerships for more involved and expensive repairs?
All excellent queries. The following response might surprise you:
For the replacement market, Monroe, the producer of Monroe Intelligent Suspension systems for the original equipment market, now provides a wide selection of premium adaptive shock absorbers. The Monroe Intelligent Suspension RideSense brand of shocks uses the same technology as the original equipment electronic shocks that come with dozens of well-known car models. (See the full list of automobiles that the Monroe Intelligent Suspension RideSense range is now compatible with.)
Plug-and-play repair
Monroe Intelligent Suspension RideSense electronic shocks offer seamless, “plug-and-play integration with the corresponding vehicle’s Electronic Control Unit and are offered through the same top parts and service providers that sell and install Monroe OESpectrum, Monroe Original, and Monroe Adventure passive shock absorbers (ECU). This ECU controls a number of sensor inputs to adjust the damping properties of the shocks to the preferences of the driver and altering road conditions. This procedure can be completed in as little as 10 milliseconds and offers excellent ride quality in all kinds of driving circumstances.
New Monroe Intelligent Suspension RideSense shocks have been installed, and drivers can rely on their adaptive suspensions to function almost as well as they did when their cars were brand-new. To ensure OE-style ride and handling characteristics, Monroe Intelligent Suspension RideSense electronic shocks should always be installed in pairs, as with any shock replacement.
Learn more about the RideSense electronic shocks from Monroe Intelligent Suspension or see if they are compatible with your car right away:
Is active suspension beneficial?
Active suspension provides greater handling, a more realistic sense of the road, responsiveness, and safety by adapting its characteristics to different driving situations.
Is there adaptive air suspension on the Q5?
In comparison to the steel suspension, the adaptive air suspension lowers the body overall by 22 mm (0.9 in). Every driving circumstance is set up by the system with the ideal body position.