How Does Car Start/Stop Technology Work?
Starting a car eats up more fuel than letting it idle for an hour. While cold starts tend to suck down a fair amount of gas when you first turn the ignition key, it’s the exact opposite when the engine is at optimal running temperature. This is why so many new car manufacturers are incorporating start/stop technology into their automobiles. The Society of Automotive Engineers ran a study that found that modern stop/start systems actually help increase fuel economy by over eight percent when running in heavy traffic. Over time, this can add up to a tremendous amount of fuel—and money—savings. Read on to learn more about how to stop/start technology works and one critical component of that system that uses more power than you may realize. Start/Stop Technology While each car manufacturer has its own proprietary system, they all work very similarly. When you apply the brakes, and your car comes to a complete stop, the ECU cuts both fuel and spark, thereby instantly shuttin...