Mazda Wins Innovation Award for Its Stop-Start System But Reason Why Isn't Clear
By Scott Doggett November 18, 2009
Mazda Motor Corp. was honored today with the 2009 Technology of the Year award from a non-profit coalition of Japan-based automotive critics and journalists for the automaker's i-stop idling stop-start system, which is a little perplexing.
A stop-start system automatically shuts down and restarts an automobile's internal combustion engine to reduce the amount of time the engine spends idling, thereby improving fuel economy. The technology isn't new. Daimler, Fiat, Toyota and other automakers have been putting it in some of its vehicles for a while.
So why exactly did the 2009 Automotive Researchers' and Journalists' Conference of Japan decide to recognize Madza's stop-start system now? It's a good question, one we've put to spokesmen for the conference and the automaker.
After waiting four hours for a response, we went ahead and posted this piece; we'll update if and when an explanation is offered.
In a statement issued to the media, Mazda wrote that its i-stop system is fitted to direct injection engines and uses combustion energy to restart the engine in just 0.35 seconds, about half the time necessary for most other competing systems. This might be why Mazda received the award, but it wasn't stated.
The i-stop system also suppresses noise and vibration as the engine shuts down and restarts, ensuring that drivers experience a natural driving feel with no sense of discomfort. Most other stop-start systems do that as well.
Mazda introduced i-stop on the all-new Mazda Axela (known overseas as the Mazda3), which launched in Japan in June 2009. The company says the new Axela with i-stop offers approximately 15 percent improved fuel economy compared to the previous model when tested under Japan's 10-15 test cycle.
The Automotive Researchers' and Journalists' Conference of Japan was established in 1990. It aims to contribute to the development of the automotive industry through various activities, including the recognition of outstanding vehicles and technologies.
LEAVE A COMMENT
My guess is that this is the first application in a non-hybrid vehicle. It's one thing to implement start-stop when you have the battery to power the vehicle in the first few seconds of acceleration. It's a completely different thing if the ICE needs to turn on in the amount of time it takes to go from the brake pedal to the accelerator.
lostandfound08, I thought Europe has had this technology for at least a couple years. In non-hybrids.
Mazda's system "uses combustion energy to restart the engine" - it does NOT use the starter!
ADD A COMMENT