General Motors (GM), Delphi working on cylinder deactivation system

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New Product Development

The first vehicles with the system could be on the road in 2020

General Motors (GM) and Delphi are planning to launch a new, faster advanced cylinder deactivation system within the next five years, according to an Automotive News report. The system would fire only the number of cylinders needed, and is called Dynamic Skip Fire (DSF). The report says the system would enable GM’s full-size sport utility vehicles (SUVs) to cruise on highways using only two of their engines' eight cylinders, leading to improved fuel economy. The first vehicles with the system could be on the road in 2020, according to the report. The new system continuously varies which cylinders it deactivates, compared with today’s systems, which shut down half of the cylinders on a V8 or V6 engine. Delphi’s Jeff Owens said the system also keeps the throttle body gasoline (petrol) flap almost fully open.

Significance: GM first discussed the system in January, describing it as the first infinitely variable cylinder deactivation system. Rather than being directly involved, GM’s subsidiary, GM Ventures LLC, has invested in Tula Technology, which developed the system. This new system is just one of the several technologies being applied to traditional internal combustion engines, in the never-ending race to improve fuel economy and reduce emissions.

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