Active Suspension Ban

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Lore & Background

The theoretical foundation for active suspension is known as Skyhook theory. This concept envisions a vehicle suspended from an imaginary hook in the sky, maintaining a constant altitude unaffected by weight transfer or road irregularities. While an actual skyhook is impractical, real systems achieve this stability through actuator operations based on acceleration sensor data. The dynamic elements remain simple linear springs and dampers, yet they contact the ground differently than in normal suspensions to mimic the zero vertical acceleration line of the Skyhook model. In practice, Williams Grand Prix Engineering brought this theory to the pinnacle of motorsport in 1992. Designer-aerodynamicist Frank Dernie devised an active suspension system for their Formula 1 cars that proved so successful it created a massive performance gap between them and competitors. The Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile (FIA) ultimately decided to ban the technology to level the playing field, ending Williams' dominance and marking a turning point where electronic control was deemed too advantageous for fair competition.

In Their Own Story

In 1985, Colin Chapman developed the original concept of computer-managed hydraulic suspension to improve cornering in racing cars. Lotus fitted this prototype electro-hydraulic active suspension to a 1985 Excel, building many demonstration cars for other manufacturers, though never offering it for public sale. The system relied on sensors monitoring body movement and ride level, feeding data to a computer that operated hydraulic servos mounted beside each wheel almost instantly. By 1990, Nissan adapted this technology for production with the Full-Active Suspension on the Q45 and President models, using a setup that recovered motion energy to balance the car continuously. The following year, Toyota introduced an active system on the luxury coupe Soarer, utilizing hydraulic struts and four-wheel steering to eliminate body roll through real-time compensation. Despite these innovations, cost remained a barrier; less than 900 units of the Soarer variant were sold over its five-year run due to its high price compared to other models.

Reader's Guide

Active suspension systems are divided into two primary classes: true active suspensions and adaptive (or semi-active) suspensions. Adaptive systems only vary shock absorber firmness to match changing road or dynamic conditions, whereas true active suspensions use actuators to raise and lower the chassis independently at each wheel. Hydraulic actuation was the first method introduced, pioneered by Paul Magès at Citroën in 1954 with hydropneumatic suspension. This system used a high-pressure radial piston pump and encased nitrogen to offer six times the compressibility of steel springs, though it struggled with roll stiffness control. Later developments included electronic actuation of hydraulic suspensions, such as Mercedes-Benz's Active Body Control introduced in 1999, which made up to 3,000 adjustments per second. Modern iterations include electromagnetic recuperative systems using linear motors for fast response and power regeneration, and the Audi active electromechanical suspension from 2017. This system uses front camera data to predictively adjust travel before hitting bumps, directing motors to push or pull the suspension for flatter cornering dynamics.

Did You Know?

• The first example of hydraulically actuated suspension appeared in 1954, developed by Paul Magès at Citroën.
• In a theoretical Skyhook scenario where the damping coefficient reaches an infinite value, the vehicle would be completely fixed to the imaginary line and not shake.
• Nissan's Full-Active Suspension system was capable of recovering motion energy to continuously balance the car.
• The Audi active electromechanical suspension introduced in 2017 uses a front camera to detect bumps and transmit travel adjustments before the vehicle reaches them.
• Williams Grand Prix Engineering's active suspension was so dominant that the FIA banned it specifically to decrease the gap between their team and competitors.