GM Files To Patent Control System For Active Aerodynamic Devices

GM has filed a patent application for a system of active aerodynamic devices designed to maximize vehicle energy efficiency.

The GM patent filing has been assigned application number US 11,485,429 B2 with the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) and was published on November 1^st, 2022. The patent was originally filed on February 3^rd, 2020, and lists several Michigan-based engineers as the inventors, including Chih-Hung Yen, Taeyoung Han, Alok Warey, Kuo-Huey Chen, Bahram Khalighi, and Shailendra Kaushik.

As the patent asserts, aerodynamic drag is one of the largest energy loss factors for vehicles – all vehicles, in fact, including cars, trucks, boats, and airplanes. Aerodynamic drag is particularly impactful for hybrid and all-electric vehicles, with battery energy drain significantly altered by the vehicle’s ability to slip through air.

To address this, the active aerodynamic system outlined in this new patent self-adjusts to maximize aero efficiency on the fly, even in the event of variable environmental conditions. The system outlines a plurality of aerodynamic control devices, including an active grille shutter in the nose of the vehicle, shutters around the wheels, deployable side panels, an active bottom diffuser, an active rear spoiler, deployable vortex generators, and deployable top panels. The patent goes on to state that the system described is not intended to be an exhaustive list of potential aerodynamic devices.

However, the system does outline how these various devices can be tied together by a single comprehensive digital system that monitors their effect on the vehicle’s overall energy efficiency. An onboard fuel economy sensor measures how the aero devices affect the vehicle in terms of efficiency and will actively alter the aero device settings to maximize returns through a self-learning module, while also incorporating weather data, plus transferring and receiving data from a cloud network for more rapid learning.

As GM moves towards the widespread implementation of all-electric powertrains by 2035, active aero systems may help the automaker to maximize range-per-charge, complementing further advances in battery technology and drive motor technology.

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