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Originally Posted by Otto
Got pics of the Volvo or Probe IV airdam? I'm not familiar, so will Google for those. Thanks.
For around town driveability and speed bump/curb issues, I've wondered about inflatable or ramair actuated devices, including splitter or air dam, side skirts, etc.. That way, no deployment until highway speed. A simple electromagnetic deployment would work, if you do not forget to retract.
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Otto,I think I've got images of both,but it may be Saturday before I can get Al to post them.I'm months behind on images.
On the deployment issue,seems like any cruise-control logic/sensor technology would dovetail right in.
A 'speed' preset enables or disables a solenoid,air ram,hydraulic ram,servo motor cable winch,ad infinitum,to lower and raise the unit.
Also,electronic ranging,as on any digital camera system could be hijacked to provide a 'forward-looking' hazard avoidance provision,should you drive up onto road debris,road-kill,etc.,especially after dark,when the event-horizon is really brief before 'contact.'
Something else to consider,and I think we kicked this one around before,is that whatever you construct,make it really low mass so if it has to 'move in a hurry' it won't get bogged down with inertial forces.This is where carbon composite would shine.Model airplane technology would give the low mass,but stone-toss from a car ahead could spell doom for the light skin.
An inflated structure might have to have vacuum available for quick-collapsing.