Weather condinition influence on car equipment

[dragvorl]

I couldn't find an exact answer to my question.Do manufacturers modify cars according to extreme weather conditions? For example, is the radiator system identical on cars made for Australian, Dubai, German or Norwegian markets? I guess the manufacturers don't really want to have large numbers of different parts on stock, they want the minimal number of different parts. So maybe they overdimension the cooling system and then later they modify it by software or other means to meet the requirements of certain markets?

 

[MintJulep]

There is no shortage of regional design factors that automobile manufactures need to deal with.

Left and right drive. different radio frequency. Regulations differences for emissions, crash standards, lighting, window glass.

Weather is just one more item on the list.

 

[MikeHalloran]

European, and especially British, manufacturers, used to design their products to function properly and durably in their local market only, and didn't worry about the temperature extremes and long highways of the USA.

The survivors don't do that anymore.



It is in theory possible to adapt cars for local markets by software changes, but the ability to do that is relatively recent, and all auto manufacturers are having enough trouble getting their 'baseline' software right that they can't afford to be screwing around with variants, e.g. supporting and supplying different ECUs for the same car in different places.

Note also that many/most ECUs these days will adaptively tune themselves to the needs of a particular engine, so the factory doesn't have to send someone out to do it, and that behavior probably provides sufficient localization without anyone having to document or support formal variants, and automatically deals with adjustments when the product changes locations.







Mike Halloran
Pembroke Pines, FL, USA

 

[BrianPetersen]

It's not unusual for vehicles sold in equatorial climates to be marketed without plug-in engine block / coolant heaters, rear window defrosters, heated mirrors, heated windscreen washers, and heated seats.

It's getting less common, but still not unheard of, for vehicles to be available in northern climates without air conditioning.

But the basics are normally designed to "function" everywhere, because you never know if someone living in Florida takes a vacation to Alaska or vice versa, or even moves to a place with a different climate and takes the car with them.

 

[dragvorl]

And what about the cooling system/radiators? Do they deliver cars to the Arabian markets with larger radiators for instance?

 

[MikeHalloran]

If they put special radiators in cars sold in Arabia, then they should expect warranty claims on vehicles purchased in, say, Miami, and shipped there, or cars purchased in neighboring areas and driven there. So the default radiator should be acceptable in today's global market.

If radiator capacity is of great concern to you, you can order many cars with a 'trailer towing' package, which usually includes a larger radiator.
... or you can have an aftermarket radiator custom made with as much overcapacity as you desire.


Mike Halloran
Pembroke Pines, FL, USA

 

[BrianPetersen]

Nowadays, the radiator is part of "the basics" that are expected to function everywhere.

 

[SomptingGuy]

I was always a bit jealous when the calibration boys went on hot trips. No so much the cold ones.

- Steve

 

[GregLocock]

American manufacturers still design their products to function properly and durably in their local market only, and don't worry about the temperature extremes and long highways of Australia.

2 out of three of them went bankrupt.

We call them Local market requirements, for example wheels and tires that will perform absolutely fine in most markets will fail consistently in Australia. The reason is that we drive fast on unsealed roads, and the potholes are quite impressive. I have seen European spec wheels fail 4 times in 8000 km on roads where I have never had a failure on LMR wheels. Similarly US spec tires just don't have enough plies in them, and get pinch flats.

Localisation is universal in the automotive market. Fuel quality, climate, regulations,






Cheers

Greg Locock


New here? Try reading these, they might help FAQ731-376

http://eng-tips.com/market.cfm?

 

[FeX32]

While the concern of Saudi's is the radiator, my concern (in Canada) is with the cold starts .
Most new cars don't really need a block heater (so they say). I'm not to sure if I agree though.


"Simplicity is the ultimate sophistication." L. da Vinci
- Gian