Maserati Grecale: Let’s talk technology

The Giorgio platform has seen an extended wheelbase: what did you want to achieve with this modification?
one of the goals Maserati Grecal It was to have roominess and easy access to the top of the class, even for the back seats: we managed to get 99 C (The car can comfortably accommodate 99% of people) for the interior space. This large interior is combined with a medium size and therefore is an important result, also because the rear rear wheel arch allows you to enter easily even if the rear seats are far from the front seats. The elongated step It also improves comfort and stability on the road (pitch, for example, decreases) and also arranges the battery in the future electric version Folgore. The suspension design remained the same, although it was adapted to air suspensionbut the calibration was changed during the order Guidancewith the same reduction ratio, it is more comfort oriented even if you stay anyway Sports and communication. The Folgore version will have a 400-volt system with two motors, one at the front and one at the rear axle with a 105 kWh battery.

> Engineer Federico de Medio, Maserati is “responsible for vehicle validation”.

Grecale is equipped with a hybrid fast data network (CAN-FD and Ethernet) while stability and traction controls are proprietary and non-standard: is there a connection between these things?
In fact, there is a close relationship between this modern data network and the high performance of our control systems, grouped together in Vehicle Dynamic Control Module – VDCM – who controls car dynamics In each direction. Atlantis High platform (mouths are sewn on this machine, but the previous Atlantis had 50 billion operations / s, 6 GB of RAM and up to 64 GB of flash memory) and this fast data network exceeds the upload and data limits – the rate of traditional networks. In fact, VDCM requires more computing power But given the sophisticated options fully unfold in electric versions. Already today VDCM It works differently It is a traditional stability control because it not only acts on the brakes, with gas intervention, but is so fast that it can prevent critical situations, for example by acting directly on the engine, gearbox and AWD control parameters, reducing the From the traditional systems ‘step ‘behaviour’. Such behavior complicated This is made possible by the fact that VDCM manages not only the coordination of the brakes but also the engine, transmission and suspension.

Can you deepen the discussion about the work of the VDCM?
The control logic of the system is very sophisticated and requires a lot of work for them Development. there Maserati GrecalFor example, it estimates the grip of the asphalt even using the outside temperature and if it detects it’s too low, it automatically adjusts the delivery to reduce wheel slip. Single wheel slip is also taken into account to determine if there is water, snow or ice on the road surface. So the car is able to Self calibration For these conditions, even the ability to take advantage of the sportiest driving modes on the most demanding surfaces such as snow or ice, maximizing driving pleasure and adjusting the intervention thresholds for the different systems according to the actual surface conditions. I can say that our system has redundant resources and computing capabilities that allow you to manage technological developments that will include other “blocks”, starting with the part related to electricity that we will see in the Folgore versions.

How are the different driving modes determined?
The most extreme mode is Corsa which, with V6 from derivation Neptune, ensures maximum driving pleasure in all dynamic maneuvers, such as for track use or for drifting on so-called steering pads (ring tracks used to assess lateral stability). This mode allows a lot of freedom, as the interference thresholds for the vehicle dynamics controls are very high, ensuring Maximum freedom for the pilot and informing him via the ESC OFF signal in the panel that the intrusions would be very moderate; There is also a more sporty configuration, in which the driver can completely deactivate the controls by pressing the ESC OFF button. We have already established in the first briefings the subtle semantics of the various driving modeWith such comfort that it should make snowmobile driving easier even for inexperienced drivers.

We’ve seen that the VDCM is transverse, from the brakes to the suspension systems: is it a step toward centralized management of the entire vehicle via an operating system?
Today, the VDCM controls the braking system, engine, transmission, 48-volt hybrid system, all-wheel drive, and active suspension. So it is a advanced addon Which also interferes with the infotainment system to display various information such as the vehicle’s inclination, torque to the wheels, and the height of the air suspension. We can say that it represents the first step towards a more advanced integration that is likely to guide developments in the automotive sector in the coming years. Our current platform is ready to use Several other news Which we will launch at a rapid pace over the next few years.

How does regenerative braking integrate with conventional braking?
Integration is important because Brake pedal feeling It should always be the same no matter what type of braking is involved. Even in the presence of a 48V system with a not very large battery, regeneration is carried out as much as possible to reduce consumption and emissions. If we add the fact that the system is a branch wire (the pressure of the hydraulic fluid is assigned to an electric pump that “interprets” the desires of the driver based on how he operates the pedal), then we understand how Development was difficult Because the system must be completely “transparent” to the driver. It was not possible to perceive transitions, uncertainties or irregularities, and this was possible thanks to the previously seen central control between the different “spheres”. The more powerful and more compact devices used are an evolution compared to those used by Alfa Romeo Giulia and Stelvio.

What areas will Over the Air Updates be applied to?
Definitely the infotainment part, for example with the installation Alexa and his skills. Firmware update can also extend to vehicle characteristics: the system can accommodate, for example, others driving mode But it is necessary to deal with the regulatory constraints that develop. Remember that Grecale has its own audio controls, which can be activated with the phrase “Hey Maserati” and whose interactions have clock feedback on the dashboard. In addition to the Alexa mentioned above, which communicates with home automation, we also have Apple CarPlay and Android Auto wireless.

After the updates, is it true that the key point now is the software?
The customers Maserati turns to continue to be interested in the cars’ mechanical characteristics, but there is no arguing that much is being played out today on the cars’ software and connectivity. L ‘The importance of digital It also becomes clear when considering the development of the car: the suspension setting of the Grecale was determined in the simulation (the innovation lab in Modena is very developed, here to learn more) and we’re off the right track, for example, only to make the final choice between the three shock absorber configurations selected via simulation. Previously, you hit the track with dozens of different options and it took a long time to assemble, test, disassemble and try the following options. there realistic simulation The Innovation Lab in Modena allows you to significantly shorten the development time with practical certainty that the car will behave on the road as expected.

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