Ford Developing Laser Ignition System

[exfileme]

Ford and the University of Liverpool are owrking on a new laser ignition system for automobiles.

Ford Developing Laser Ignition System : Read more

 

[burnley14]

This was never what I imagined when I thought of driving a car with lasers in it . . .

It sounds cool, but also sounds like one of those science experiments that will inevitably fail.

 

[thejerk]

if this were viable, we'd already see a mercedes or a bmw using it.

 

[mavroxur]

This is why US auto makers continue to fail. Instead of looking toward the future and spending money on R&D of alternative energy sources, we're reinventing ways to burn dinosaur juice. Let's take that money and...I dont know....invest it in battery or fuel cell technology research. It's like a company inventing a new and improved way to deliver a better picture on CRT monitors or something....

 

[thejerk]

for the person who dinged me a point...

ABS
Navi
3-point seatbelts
HID headlights
ESP

they all debuted in the s-class benz

 

[Uncle Meat]

Although the laser will need to fire more than 50 times per second to produce 3000 RPM

On a four-stroke engine, the spark plug fires once every two rotations, not once every rotation.

 

[P_haze420]

no no no. You guys don't understand. Gov shut us, the people up. They want to keep oil prices high and low mileage cars so they can get more money. There's so many good inventions that we don't even know and it would been better for us.

Look at this, 100mpg 80s Mustang. He said that all it needs a one part to the car and it will bring 110 percent in mileage.

See it for yourself.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MsHoZPLPoq4

 

[cruiseoveride]

But honestly, how much power is used by the coil and amplifier that would result in better fuel economy if the lasers were used instead

 

[alextheblue]

Interesting, but I think HCCI has more promise. GM and others have working HCCI prototypes, and the gains in efficiency are far more promising. Better yet, couple a small HCCI motor to the Voltec powertrain.

 

[idahoflyer]

A multi-cylinder engine can have multiple ignition events per rotation depending on cylinder and crank orientation. If the laser is used to fire multiple cylinders (waste spark), the laser may need to fire once per rotation. This is not a concern. Solid state (semiconductor) lasers routinely are modulated at megahertz and even gigahertz frequencies. A few kilohertz is no problem.

I believe Volvo might have installed 3-point seatbelts before Mercedes. Volvo had them in 1959. I don't disagree that Mercedes has long been a driver of automotive innovation however.

 

[Ciuy]

wow, but kinda late, FUEL IS RUNNING OUT !!!

 

[thejerk]

[citation][nom]idahoflyer[/nom] Volvo had them in 1959. I don't disagree that Mercedes has long been a driver of automotive innovation however.[/citation]

we were both wrong, sorry... it was Saab in 1958. my b.

and the rest of you people who are dinging my posts because you don't like reading the truth are pig fuckers.

 

[idahoflyer]

The articles I've read about the Saab gt750 don't make it clear that they had 3-point belts. Have you found reference beyond, "they were first to have seat belts standard?"

 

[the_one111]

"owrking"?

 

[okibrian]

[citation][nom]thejerk[/nom]we were both wrong, sorry... it was Saab in 1958. my b.and the rest of you people who are dinging my posts because you don't like reading the truth are pig fuckers.[/citation]

I may not agree with your view on this topic, but I do like the pig fucker remark. I get a few dings from those people too.

 

[Guest]

ATTN: Dipsh.its at the Ford Motor Company...

The gasoline(or petrol, whatever your preference), will run out soon, companies with non-douchebag execs are working on electric cars(Ford is quite broke, r&d money is slim). Say what you will about the green-ness of the electricity that powers them, but gasolines days are definitely numbered. Ford refuses to make a vehicle for American markets that gets more than 30mpg, they'll create a big-a.ss hybrid SUV that gets 30mpg, but they are quite opposed to Americans getting a small, fuel-efficient vehicle(although Europeans can get a Fiesta). Own stock in oil companies much?

 

[FilthPig2004]

[citation][nom]Uncle Meat[/nom]On a four-stroke engine, the spark plug fires once every two rotations, not once every rotation.[/citation]

Yeah, but there's just one laser, and the beam is delivered by fiber optics to each cylinder. The laser is replacing the coil, not the spark plugs.

 

[Uncle Meat]

[citation][nom]FilthPig2004[/nom]Yeah, but there's just one laser, and the beam is delivered by fiber optics to each cylinder. The laser is replacing the coil, not the spark plugs.[/citation]

Unless it's a 2 cylinder engine, the math is still wrong.

 

[seatrotter]

It would be interesting to know how they plan on actually putting the laser on the cylinders. Dust/dirt/grease/whatever will eventually accumulate.

Anyone knows how long before a typical spark plug is rendered inefficient/useless due to said problem? I wonder how long before the laser encounters the same problem/situation.

You could say that the use of laser would potentially eliminate the problem since it'll hopefully completely burn the fuel. But I'm guessing there are other sources of the problem.

 

[lifelesspoet]

Is it so much to ask to have cars with friggin laser beams?