Many years ago, Bose unveiled ‘Project Sound’, an active suspension system that you’ve probably seen on the internet at some point or another. If you haven’t, kindly refer to the video posted below and be amazed at how the system deals with body roll and smoothing out bumps.
The system developed by Bose uses electromagnetic struts that could instantly extend or retract any one wheel, allowing it keep the car’s body level over bumps and even jump over an obstacle. As impressive as it was, the heft and cost of the system meant it was never integrated as a mainstream solution for passenger cars.
However, in 2017, a Boston-based company called ClearMotion acquired the project from Bose along with the associated predictive road-sensing software, and is looking to put the technology into production.
The company was founded out of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) in 2009, and has raised over US$130 million in funding to date. It aims to create a fully active suspension system with a similar package size as a standard shock absorber.
As described by the company, the primary component in its system is the Activalve, a software-controlled, electro-hydraulic device consisting of magnets, a motor and digital controller. It constantly monitors road conditions ahead of the vehicle and can counteract any potential disturbance by exacting pressure on the damper within five milliseconds.
Designed to be mounted on the side of standard shock absorbers and aligned to twin- or tri-tube systems used in most cars, the company claims minimal modifications are needed for the body and chassis. It adds that a system of four Activalves creates what it calls the ‘Digital Chassis’, while machine learning continuously improves your car’s ride over time.
Applications for the system include standard passenger cars as well as autonomous vehicles, and ClearMotion is working with companies like Bridgestone and Qualcomm to see it come to fruition.
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Clever company using top brains. When you don’t have to waste money buying Birkin handbags, the money can be used for Universities and companies to do research and development to produce wonderful things like this
i don’t a see a problem for a person to buy a Birkin..the problem is the source of that money
that’s……awesome!
holycow, we really need this here
Imagine this fitted into P1 or P2 car.
Is there any needs to buy Japanese or Conti?
Cant imagine it..
P1 can stop talking about handling.
Really have to rub my eye, its look magical
Makes the Axia feels like a Lexus over bumps… Wait.. like a flying carpet! Hopefully they can commercialize this at a much lower cost to be fitted to bread n butter cars.
Then you’ll have to wait a very, very long time then before it gets to that level. Possibly much longer than autonomous vehicles becoming widely available.
wow…when I can get it? and How much?
Damn it, this is an old tech/video(2004) & nobody have managed to make it lighter/cheaper & accessible to the masses after more than 14 years. What a wasted GOOD suspension that could have saved many lives !!!
There is a distinct difference between Bose’s system and ClearMotion’s system. Bose’s mechanism used actual linear electromagnetic motors (imagine an extremely over-sized speaker voice coil). It makes for a very quick acting system, but for vehicle suspension duty the electromagnets have to be REALLY powerful (and hence large and heavy). Laws of physics make it difficult to scale this technology down in size and cost, unless room temperature superconductors is as cheap as copper.
ClearMotion uses conventional hydraulic suspension, with advanced electro-hydraulic pump/valve. Not as quick acting as Bose’s original system, but cheaper and smaller. What ClearMotion also use is Bose’s road prediction and sensing, which is the heart of the system.
Is there any difference from the stuff merc already puts in the s class then?
There is quite a difference. Bose’s magnetic suspension is literally an electric motor. The full suspension characteristics, like the damping, ride height, and stiffness are manipulated ‘almost’ fully (there is a torsion spring as well) with electromagnetic power.
What Mercedes use is magnetorheological fluid in its dampers. Basically hydraulic fluid with fine iron dust mixed in. The fluid’s viscosity can be manipulated with an electromagnet. The ride height control is done with hydraulics. On top of the strut there is a hydraulic cylinder. It works like fast-acting jacks to lower or raise the suspension.
So in terms of function, the Bose’s system is definitely better. It doesn’t have the stroke length limitation of Merc’s “hydraulic jack” solution, and there is no fluid drag and inertia so it’s much quicker and more dynamic. The reason that it’s not a popular solution has been mentioned above.
How much does this system cost, will it fit a 2018 honda hr-v and where can i purchase it?
The system is still in the developing stage, the intent is to make it universally suitable for any vehicle. http://www.clearmotion.com/