Suspension Characteristics Can Be Freely Altered

The "eROT" system, unveiled today, is a type of active suspension that employs an electromechanical rotary damper in place of traditional hydraulic dampers. The movement of the tire, which reacts to road imperfections, is transmitted through a lever arm connected to the wheel carrier to gears within the eROT. This force drives a generator, producing electricity, and its resistance acts as the cushioning mechanism.

In actual road tests conducted in Germany, the system was able to regenerate 3 watts on smooth surfaces like highways, 613 watts on rough roads, and an average of 100-150 watts.

The suspension's operating characteristics can be altered via software. This allows for individual setting of input and output characteristics, which is difficult with hydraulic dampers. For example, by making the rebound stroke firmer while keeping the compression stroke softer, it is possible to easily achieve a sporty yet comfortable ride.

Furthermore, the components are smaller and installed horizontally, which means they do not intrude on luggage space, allowing for maximum utilization of interior volume.

As eROT is a forward-looking technology, it is optimized for the 48-volt power system required for high-performance electric models. Audi plans to introduce next-generation models with this 48-volt system in 2017, with expectations of a fuel economy improvement of up to 0.7 liters per 100 km when equipped with high-performance mild-hybrid technology.