GM has filed a patent application describing a system designed to improve torque response in a turbocharged engine. The application was assigned patent number US 2025/0052207 A1 with the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) and was published on February 13th, 2025. The GM patent application was originally submitted on August 11th, 2023, and lists several U.S.-based engineers as the inventors, including David Alexander Schmitt, Wesley Rieves Haney, John Garrity Singleton, and Robert Monchamp.
The patent application describes a computer-controlled system designed to reduce turbo lag and improve throttle response. For those who may be unaware, turbochargers rely on exhaust gases to spin a turbine, compressing intake air to increase engine power. However, there can sometimes be a delay, also known as turbo lag, between when the driver presses the throttle and when the turbocharger spins up to generate sufficient boost to create peak power. The system described in this patent application aims to address that issue by proactively adjusting turbo parameters based on the current driving conditions.
The system works by first monitoring the throttle position to determine when the driver has lifted, indicating an overrun condition. It then collects various vehicle performance metrics, such as acceleration, engine speed, air intake rate, and fuel injection data. Using this information, the system calculates a “vehicle dynamic score,” which represents the car’s current driving state. If the score indicates the vehicle is in a dynamic mode, such as during aggressive driving or high-demand situations, the system determines an optimal turbo boost profile in anticipation of the driver’s next throttle input.
Instead of waiting for the driver to press the accelerator again, as is the case in a traditional turbo system, the system described in the patent proactively adjusts the turbocharger’s settings to maintain readiness. By fine-tuning parameters like wastegate actuation and fuel delivery, it ensures that boost is available when needed, significantly reducing lag. This not only improves overall engine performance, but also enhances the driving experience by delivering smoother and more responsive acceleration.
What sets this system apart from existing turbo technologies is its predictive approach. Whereas conventional turbocharged engines react only after the driver demands power, this system anticipates power needs in advance by continuously analyzing real-time driving data. Additionally, its use of a dynamic scoring method allows it to adapt to different driving conditions rather than relying on fixed parameters.
Comments
GM still patenting gasoline engine technologies says a lot about how it perceives the next ten years of vehicles. This is not a bad thing. I’m glad to see GM diversifying its approach rather than betting on an EV-only future.
I think this is a great idea, but I wonder why they don’t just set it to always be on or have it stay activated while in sport mode? It kind of blurs the line between a supercharger and a turbocharger.
On the blur:
Unfortunately, this only reduces the lag fractionally. Like Tom says below, an electric boost motor would be more beneficial, -as other companies already use.
Other than the price associated with such a system. It would require a higher voltage architecture, and a n Additional electric motor. Here’s a though, no replacement for displacement. Dump that turbo. Instant throttle response. Turbos also create immense inefficiency (hence a waste gate) as they build nearly 2X the back pressure, which will either be dumped through the waste gate, or push against the pistons negatively. How about this, for gas engines, large displacement V8’s. For diesels, lookup Banks lockjaw, where simply dumping the turbo in favor of a Whipple brought the power from 395HP up to 700+.
Do you SERIOUSLY think these turbos have a waste gate? I agree there’s nothing like a large V8 but turbos do not create “immense inefficiency”, there’s also nothing like the torque of a turbocharged engine. Also worth noting that a decently modern and efficient turbo does not nearly hit 2X back pressure. Waste gate turbo’s are cool for a number of factors but what we’re talking about here is VGT. VGT generally can boost up faster than a standard turbo with a waste gate. VGT is also better at boosting well at low rpm’s while not maxing out as the rpm’s top out. Looks to me like a good idea if it is possible to properly incorporate it into real driving. And there’s also other ways to reduce turbo lag…
There’s also nothing like the fuel consumption of a turbo engine under load. You’d think that the turbo engine would be more frugal than a V8 while towing given 1/2 the surface area inside the engine under load, but an Ecoboost guzzles gas while towing vs an LS or even an vortec V8. Do some research on turbo efficiency. The turbo machinery isn’t super efficient as a rule, and the results show. Turbo engines like the Turbomax and Ecoboost only keep up with the economy numbers of the V8’s empty, and are atrocious while towing/under load/off road packages. Even Ford went with a big block for their new Godzilla engine instead of slapping turbos on a coyote. Standard max efficiency of a turbo machinery efficiency map runs about .8 isentropic efficiency, then you got 2 spools, one turbine, one compressor, so maximum isentropic efficiency for the whole system is .8 X .8=.64. now factor in real life heat losses, bearing losses and your rarely be at that maximum isentropic efficiency, your looking at 20-25 psi back pressure to develop 10-12 PSI. Now a Whipple progressive screw is .92-.94 isentropic efficiency. Hence the LT4 with a massive blower only consumes 8HP at redline shoving all that air down it’s throat, 1/4hp on bypass. The’ve done work to optimize turbo layouts, like in the new hurricane engines, the turbos are bolted to the head so the runners are short and they get the initial exhaust pressure out before the piston starts recompressing the exhaust, and the 2.7 Turbomax has a dual scroll turbo to keep back pressure from other cylinders feeding back which helps keep down the back pressure on the cylinders, but the turbodeisels do not, and have one large vgt turbo and a massive manifold that has the cylinders constantly fighting each other. Today the gas HD’s almost match the diesels in both empty and towing fuel economy even though the should be nowhere close to each other.
The effectively instant response of an electric motor along with the ability to modulate speed/torque suggests that electronic supercharging (ES) would be an effective solution to turbo-lag and power drag from a conventional supercharger. In moderate driving conditions, the ES would be in a stand-by mode, when in ‘sport’ mode the ES would be active in a ‘base load’ boosted configuration. One spin-off use would be to use a system like this to operate an engine on regular fuel and quickly optimize for use with compressed Natural Gas.
Over-engineering to fix a problem which shouldn’t exist (i.e tiny engines doing too much).
Considering the fits both GM and Ford have had getting their recent transmissions dialed in, I can’t wait for the learning curve it’ll take to get this figured out.
Right…. and that “problem” only exists for one reason: EPA regulations (CAFE). Perhaps now we have a chance to dial back those regulations (which were developed by climate-change bureaucrats instead of Congress), and get back to real naturally-aspirated V6’s and V8’s with no need for turbos OR 9- and 10-speed automatic transmissions (which are overly complex and repair nightmares). And should be less expensive as well.
So, it’s smarter VGT.
OK now build a turbo 4.8