Wheels Australia — August 2016

(Barry) #1

24 WheelsMag.com.au


inputs become smoother, there’s
less ‘sawing’ at the wheel and
progress is more serene.

MAZDA engineers in Japan and
the US have spent eight years
studying the human subconscious
in pursuit of enhancing the
relationship between a car and
its driver.
While that may sound more
like a weird automotive eHarmony
phrase, it’s actually an evolution
of Mazda’s much-hyped Jinba Ittai
philosophy (‘horse and rider as

one’), says Mazda North America
chassis engineer Dave Coleman.
G-Vectoring Control is the
result of that study, and it’ll b
production Mazdas within mo
This patented, purely softw
driven system automates the
techniques that expert driver
use to subtly transfer some
weight onto a car’s nose, ther
sweetening turn-in, tightenin

lines, improving steering
connection and enhancing the
“co-ordination of motion”.

Techno curve


ABOVE:CRUISE-CONTROLLED
EXERCISEINVOLVED
MANUALLYSWITCHINGGVC
ONANDOFFTOCOMPARE
THEDIFFERENCE
ABOVERIGHT:GVCWILL
DEBUTONFACELIFTED
MAZDA3

Mazda closely studied two aspects of
the human subconscious: Minimum
Jerk Theory and Equilibrioception.
Minimum Jerk Theory is the most
efficient way to move something
smoothly, without jolting, over
the shortest possible distance.
Equilibrioception involves the process
of balancing our heads upright, as if
we have an internal G sensor.
Mazda engineers benchmarked
the supreme linearity of Porsche’s
naturally aspirated 997-series 911
when studying f luidity of movement,
but they also filmed and collected
data from steering inputs and
cornering lines, both with and without
GVC operating.
To witness GVC’s effect on steering
input and cornering line, go to
WheelsMag.com.au/MazdaGVC

Mazda says this simple idea will increase driver


engagement and make cornering even sweeter


make a car really direct, really
intuitive, reall linear, it’s better fo
ever bod n the car
Mazda sa s that rst d a onal
roll moment as the driver a lies
teerin lock is the most crucial in
uccess ull un n dr ver and

onths.
re-

b


,
reduce the level of uesswork

u d n t around the stra ht
ahead pos t on, throu h the rst

alanced erk


AUGUST 2016


R


ln


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