| ACC | Adaptive Cruise Control | adaptive automatic system for controlling the car’s speed |
|---|---|---|
| ABS | Anti-lock Braking System | braking system that prevents wheel locking |
| AC | Alternative Current | AC power |
| AFS | Active Front Steering | electronic steering control system (Cadillac) |
| ATF | Automatic Transmission Fluid | Automatic transmission oil (gearbox) |
| AMS | Alternator Management System | alternator charging control system used by Hyundai-Kia |
| ASC | Active Stability Control | electronic car stability control system (Mitsubishi) |
| AT PZEV | Advanced Technology Partial Zero Emission Vehicle | pollution level regulated by CARB |
| AWD | All Wheel Drive | electronically controlled all-wheel-drive |
| B100 | Biodiesel 100% | 100% biodiesel fuel |
| B20 | Biodiesel 20% | diesel fuel containing 20% biodiesel |
| BARO | Barometric Sensor | atmospheric air pressure sensor |
| BAS | Brake Assist System | braking force assist system |
| BCM | Body Control Module | the electronic control module of the passenger compartment |
| BMS | Battery Management System | battery monitoring and control system |
| BMW | Bayerische Motoren Werke AG | The German Bavarian car factory |
| CAI | Controlled Auto Ignition | motor with controlled self-ignition |
| CAN | Controller Area Network | communication protocol developed by Bosch |
| CARB | California Air Resource Board | an organization whose activity is also aimed at regulating the levels of pollutant emissions of cars for the state of California in the USA |
| CC | Continious Current | DC |
| CCS | Combined Combustion System | diesel engine with combined combustion system |
| CIDI | Compression Ignition Direct Injection | ignition and direct injection ignition engine |
| CKPS | Crankshaft Position Sensor | |
| CMPS | Camshaft Position Sensor | |
| CNG | Compressed Natural Gas | |
| CPU | Central Processing Unit | |
| CR | Common Rail | common rail fuel injection system |
| CRS | Common Rail System | common rail injection system |
| CRT | Continuously Regenerating Trap | particle filter system with oxidation catalyst |
| CSO | Cylinder Shut-Off | the cylinder deactivation system from VW |
| CVT | Continuously Variable Transmission | gearbox with continuous variation |
| CVVT | Continuous Variable Valve Timing | system of variable phase distribution |
| DCT | Double Clutch Transmission | Transmission (gearbox) with double clutch |
| DCU | Dosing Control Unit | the electronic control module of the injection system by AdBlue (Bosch) |
| DDS | Deflation Detection System | indirect tire pressure monitoring system (Continental) |
| DDWS | Dunlop Deflation Warning System | indirect tire pressure monitoring system (Dunlop) |
| DOC | Diesel Oxydation Catalyst | oxidation catalyst for diesel engines |
| DOHC | Double OverHead Camshaft | distribution with two inlet valves per cylinder, with camshafts in the cylinder head |
| DLC | Diamond Like Carbon | carbon with crystal-like crystal structure |
| DMF | Dual Mass Flywheel | double flywheel used in cars |
| DSC | Dynamic Stablity Control | car stability control system |
| DSTC | Dynamic Stability and Traction Control | electronic car stability control system (Volvo) |
| DTC | Diagnostic Trouble Code | error code used for car diagnostics |
| DVD | Digital video disc | optical storage medium |
| EBD | Electronic Brakeforce Distribution | electronic braking force distribution system |
| ECT | Engine Coolant Temperature Sensor | engine temperature sensor |
| ECO | economical | driving mode of a car for the purpose of reducing fuel / energy consumption |
| ECU | Electronic Control Unit | electronic control unit (computer) |
| ECM | Engine Control Module | engine control module (injection computer) |
| EDC | Electronic Diesel Control | electronic injection systems produced by Bosch |
| EPA | Environmental Protection Agency | US Environmental Protection Agency |
| EPROM | Erasable Programmable Read Only Memory | programmable and cancellable ROM memory |
| EEPROM | Electrically Erasable Programmable Read Only Memory | programmable and electrically cancelable ROM memory |
| EFI | Electronic Fuel Injection | electronically controlled fuel injection system (indirect injection) |
| EGR | Exhaust Gas Recirculation | exhaust gas recirculation system |
| EMCD | Electro-Magnetic Control Device | electromagnetic control coupling unit (used in the Dacia Duster all-wheel drive system) |
| EMS | Engine Management System | engine management system |
| EN | European Norm | European norm |
| EOBD | European On Board Diagnosis | European version of OBD |
| EPA | Environmental Protection Agency | US agency whose activity object is environmental protection |
| EPS | Electric Power Steering | power steering |
| SEA | Energy Smart Management | intelligent electricity management system (Renault) |
| ESP | Electronic Stability Program | electronic car stability control system |
| EV | Electric Vehicle | electric powered vehicle |
| EVAP | Evaporative Emission Control System | gasoline vapor capture and recirculation system |
| EVSC | Electronic Vehicle Stability Control | electronic car stability control system (Isuzu) |
| FGT | Fixed Geometry Turbine | turbine with fixed geometry |
| FSI | Fuel Stratified Injection | direct fuel injection system with stratified mixture |
| GCI | Gasoline Compression Ignition | gasoline engine with compression ignition |
| GDI | Gasoline Direct Injection | gasoline direct injection system (Mitsubishi) |
| GPCU | Glow Plug Control Unit | pre-heating spark plug control unit (incandescent) |
| GPS | Global Positioning System | global positioning system |
| HCCI | Homogeneous Charge Compression Ignition | engine with homogeneous mixture and compression ignition |
| HCSI | Homogeneous Charge Spark Ignition | engine with homogeneous mixture and spark ignition |
| HEV | Hybrid Electrical Vehicle | hybrid car (combustion + electric) |
| HIS | Hydraulic Impulse Storage | hydraulic impulse battery used in ZF automatic transmissions |
| HP | Horse Power | horsepower, unit of measure of power |
| IAC | Idle Air Control | air control valve allowed at idle speed |
| IAT | Intake Air Temperature Sensor | intake air temperature sensor |
| ICT | Information and Communication Technology System | database system that communicates with the car for the provision of information (Nissan) |
| IMV | Inlet Metering Valve | Delphi high pressure injection pressure relief valve |
| IVD | Interactive Vehicle Dynamics | electronic car stability control system (Ford) |
| ISC | Idle Speed Control Valve | idle speed control valve |
| ISG | Idle Stop & Go | Stop & Start system used by Hyundai-Kia |
| ISO | International Organization for Standardization | the international organization for standardization |
| KAM | Keep Aive Memory | non-volatile memory (data is stored at power off) |
| KWP | Key Word Protocol | communication protocol used to diagnose cars or reprogram computers on cars |
| LED | Light Emitting Diode | luminescent diode (emits light when it is powered by an electrical voltage) |
| LEV | Low Emission Vehicle | low emission vehicle |
| Li-Ion | Lithium-ion Battery | battery with negative carbon electrode, positive metal oxide electrolyte, electrolyte being a lithium salt |
| LIN | Local Interconnect Network | communication protocol |
| LNT | Lean NOx Trap | catalyst for the treatment of nitrogen oxides (NOx) emissions |
| LONGFT | Long-term Fuel Trim | long-term correction of the amount of fuel injected |
| LPG | Liquefied Petroleum Gas | liquefied petroleum gas alternative fuel |
| LSD | Limited Slip Differential | differential with limited "slip" |
| LSU | Lambda Universal Sensor | planar oxygen sensor (Bosch) |
| MAF | Mass Air Flow Sensor | the name of the intake air mass sensor |
| MAP | Manifold Absolute Pressure | the name of the intake air pressure sensor |
| mIL | Malfunction Indicator Lamp | icon that appears on a car’s dashboard that signal a fault of the components that have direct or indirect impact on the polluting emissions |
| MON | Motor Research Number | "Engine" method of calculating the octane number of a gasoline |
| MOST | Media Oriented Systems Transport | communication protocol |
| MPI | Multi-Point Injection | multi-point injection (one injector per cylinder) |
| MSP | Maserati Stability Program | electronic car stability control system (Maserati) |
| NAFTA | North American Free Trade Agreement | trade liberalization agreement between the US, Canada and Mexico |
| NEDC | New European Driving Cycle | the European car approval cycle |
| NHSTA | National Highway Traffic Safety Administration | US Agency for Road Traffic Safety |
| Ni-HM | Nickel – Metal Hydride Battery | battery with negative metal hydride electrode and positive cadmium electrode |
| NVG | New Venture Gear | car transmission manufacturing company |
| NTC | Negative Temperature Coefficient | thermistor with negative temperature coefficient |
| OBD | On Board Diagnosis | the set of regulations defining the diagnosis of cars |
| PACE | Premier Automotive Suppliers’ Contribution to Excellence award | award given by autonews.com to auto parts manufacturers |
| PCM | Powertrain Control Module | the motor-drive group control module (computer that controls the combustion engine and the automatic gearbox) |
| PCS | Precision Control System | electronic car stability control system (Oldsmobile) |
| PCV | Positive Crankcase Ventilation | crankcase gas recirculation system to an internal combustion engine |
| PDU | Power Distribution Unit | control unit and distribution of electrical power |
| PEM | Power Electronics Module | module for controlling an electric car |
| PFI | Port Fuel Injection | fuel injection system at valve gate (indirect injection) |
| PHEV | Plug-in Hybrid Electrical Vehicle | hybrid car (combustion + electric) to which the batteries can be charged also from an electricity power supply |
| PSD | Power Split Device | planetary gear mechanism used by Toyota prius |
| PSM | Porsche Stability Management | electronic car stability control system (Porsche) |
| PTU | Power Transfer Unit | power transfer unit (used in some all-wheel-drive system) |
| PWM | Pulse Width Modulation | technique of controlling an analog electronic equipment by using a voltage of constant amplitude, the waveform being rectangular and variable frequency |
| R2S | Regulated 2-Stage turbocharging | two-stage turbocharger (BorgWarner) |
| RAM | Random Access Memory | random access memory |
| R AWTV | Rimac – All Wheel Torque Vectoring | torque control system on each wheel (Rimac Automobili) |
| RON | Research Octane Number | "Research" method of calculating the octane number of a gasoline |
| RSC | Roll Stability Control | electronic car stability control system (Ford) |
| SAC | Self Adjusting Clutch | clutch with clutch disc wear compensation mechanism |
| SAE | Society of Automotive Engineers | the company of automobile engineers |
| SCCI | Stratified Charge Compression Ignition | engine with stratified mixture and ignition by compression |
| SCR | Selective Catalytic Reduction | method of treating urea exhaust gases (NOx) |
| SCR T | Selective Catalytic Reduction Technology | |
| SHRTFT | Short-term Fuel Trim | short-term correction of the amount of fuel injected |
| SIDI | Spark Ignition Direct Injection | spark ignition and direct injection engine |
| SSR | Self Supporting Runflat | tire that can be run in case of pressure loss |
| SULEV | Super Ultra Low Emission Vehicle | pollution level regulated by CARB |
| SUV | Sport Utility Vehicle | utility sports car |
| TCO | Total Cost of Ownership | total cost of ownership (includes the cost of purchasing, using and maintaining a product) |
| TCCS | Torque Converter Clutch Solenoid | clutch control valve for locking the gearbox of an automatic gearbox |
| TCS | Traction Control System | electronic traction control system |
| TCU | Telematic Control Unit | telematic control unit, remote information transmission (Nissan Leaf) |
| TCU | Transmission Control Unit | the electronic transmission control unit (gearbox) |
| THS | Toyota Hybrid System | Toyota’s hybrid propulsion system |
| TI-VCT | Twin Independent – VariableCamshaft Timing | Ford’s dual (intake-exhaust) distribution system |
| TPMS | Tire Pressure Monitoring System | tire pressure monitoring system |
| TREAD | Transportation Recall Enhancement, Accountability and Documentation | document for regulating transportation cars in the USA |
| TSI | Turbocharged Stratified Injection | direct-injection supercharged gasoline engines from VW |
| TSP | Trailer Stability Program | electronic car stability control system (Opel) |
| TWC | Three-Way Catalyst | three-way catalyst, it treats CO, HC and NOx |
| TWI | Tread Wear Indicator | tread wear indicator |
| UEGO | Universal Exhaust Gas Oxygen | planar lambda probe |
| UIS | Unit Injector System | injection system with injector pump |
| ULEV | Ultra Low Emission Vehicle | pollution level regulated by CARB |
| VCM | Vehicle Control Modules | vehicle control computer (Nissan Leaf) |
| VDC | Vehicle Dynamic Control | electronic car stability control system (Fiat) |
| VDIM | Vehicle Dynamics Integrated Management | electronic car stability control system (Lexus) |
| VDS | Vehicle Descriptor Section | car description decision (used in VIN) |
| VGT | Variable Geometry Turbine | turbine with variable geometry |
| VIN | Vehicle Identification Number | the unique identification code of a vehicle |
| VIS | Vehicle Identifier Section | car identification section (used in VIN) |
| VPW | Variable Pulse Width Modulation | rectangular electrical signal with variable period (frequency modulation) |
| VSA | Vehicle Stability Assist | electronic car stability control system (Acura) |
| VTEC | Variable Valve Timing and Lift Electronic Control | Honda’s variable distribution system |
| VVA | Variable Valve Actuation | variable actuation of the lifting height of the valves |
| VVT-i | Variable Valve Timing with intelligence | Variable distribution system used by Toyota |
| WMI | World Manufacturer Identifier | the international indentification number of the car manufacturer (used in the VIN) |
| WRC | World Rally Championship | the world rally championship |
| ZEV | Zero Emission Vehicle | a car with zero pollutant emissions |
| ZF | ZahnradFabrik | German component company for the automotive industry |
