Shape shifting spoilers ??
 

I read a small mention of car makers predicting that future super-cars will have shape shifting aerodynamics. It is predicted that to create a more ideal teardrop shape, the rear of the car will extend outwards at speed.

There are a lot of creative geniuses here, and I was wondering if any of you have thought of doing something like this on the cheap.

Imagine a large flat extension which is able to extend and retract on rails much like those on the underside of a drawer. As the car slows to a stop, the pieces would retract inward leaving the car the stock length.

You might even could use R/C servos to activate the movement.

A nice benefit of a system like this is that it allows you to park easily.

A drawback would be um .... highway tailgaters :p

I wonder if the vacuum produced at the rear of the vehicle could be used in any way to regulate the length ?


Any thoughts ?

A number of cars already have spoilers that deploy and retract (or have multiple positions) based on speed. See most recent Beetles, many Audi TTs, and most Porsches from the last 5-10 years. A few cars have aero devices that change position depending on other things that the driver is doing; for instance the Bugatti Veyron's rear spoiler will go into very high drag mode when the driver steps on the brakes at high speed.

It's only a matter of time before similar things start coming to less-expensive cars.

-soD

I'd rather see them focus on reducing basic drag first, before they start adding the complex stuff like dynamic shape-changing.

It's time to really break that 0.25 Cd barrier.

It does not surprise me that the top racing team, Scuderia Ferrari, is always looking for tip-of-the-spear technologies for winning advantages. F-1 has strictly banned ANY dynamic aero aids but Ferrari has not handcuffed their road going models. The shape-shifting ideas have already been implemented on the Ferrari 458 Italia. Look closely on the front intakes. There are 'aeroelastic' wings that adjust by altering attack angles, for less drag at higher speeds. Just a start.

Aftermarket 'active' split rear spoilers available, Aeromotions, for differential downforce (maybe rotational/roll torque?) on rear left/right corners. Now marry that with 'active' front corner canards, grill block, suspension lowering, etc...

Even the Mitsubishi 3000 GT had ' active aerodynamics ' . This sort of thing has been around for decades. What i am refering to are not spoilers, but extensions to the body.

As the car increases speed, a decklid extension moves out and actually increases the length of the car.

Hi All,

Variable aero-dynamics we need for mileage initially are grill air-flow control and cross wind .

You are probably all familiar with grill air-flow control. Let more air in if the engine gets too warm.

The other issue is that in cross-winds a good Cd car can quickly become effectively a .35 Cd car.

I think this would be a good area of research. Something like spoilers sticking out from the down wind rear of the car might be one idea...

Intrigued by this inspirational image for the 'shape shifting' parts...doodling...
http://cdn-www.airliners.net/aviatio.../6/1005672.jpg

That shape shifts? :confused:

Slat retraction failure isn't all that inspirational.
It results in more fuel being burned, at less than optimal cruise speed and lower than optimal altitude.
IF the flight is continued at all.
Usually it's RTB, burning even more fuel and seriously messing up everyone's agenda.

It happens on vehicles that are far more often checked out than the regular car.

SHape shifting acan be done using hte the air flow to fil structural pockets and thus move an element or surface, think about a kite surfing sail.