Consumers today are continuously demanding more from automobiles in every vehicle class - more power or torque response combined with technical ingenuity. However, the limited crude oil reserves and the ecological impact of vehicle engines are subjects of great interest, as well as being strictly regulated by law. The challenge of the internal combustion engine in moving toward high performance and low consumption/low pollution becomes greater because of a promising competitor in propulsion - the fuel cell operated motor. In this context of challenges and competition, the present development of internal combustion engines shows much more intensity than in the past. Direct Injection Systems: The Next Decade in Engine Technology explores new potentials that have been recognized and successfully applied, including fuel direct injection, fully variable valve control, downsizing, operation within hybrid scenarios, and use of alternative fuels.
Chapters covered include: Future Engines; Potential of Direct Injection; Direct Injection Concepts; Direct Injection Systems for Spark-Ignition Engines; Direct Injection Systems for Compression-Ignition Engines; Direct Injection Engines in Passenger Cars; Chances, Challenges, and Convergence.