Automotive acronyms you need to know
To those of us who are effortlessly obsessed with the world of the motorcar, the tidal wave of acronyms it carries comes with relative ease. Even with ones we don’t know, it’s often easy to make inferences based on the car it’s on and similar acronyms, especially if you know what it refers to. PASM is a mystery until you understand it refers to a Porsche’s stability control system and remember they love to stick ‘active’ in everything. But for non-car people, well, it must be an absolute nightmare. And of course, there are plenty more important acronyms than that slew you’ll find in a Porsche’s handbook, which actual non-enthusiast motorists could do with knowing. In this index which we will actively grow, we’ll first cover the most common and most important ones, before adding some of the fun stuff later down the line. From ABS to WLTP, here we go…
ABS
Anti-lock braking system
Any car with ABS can have their brakes stamped on as hard as the driver can press the pedal and they won’t lock up, thereby shortening the stopping distance. A light saying ‘ABS’ on your dash will mean there could be a fault with this system.
BIK
Benefit In Kind
This is a bit of company car tax jargon, referring to a company car as a non-cash (not actual money) benefit that is still of monetary value. Which makes sense, because the point of a company car is you don’t have to buy it. All you need to know really is that generally speaking, hybrids and EVs are far cheaper (and sometimes free) when it comes to BIK tax.
CVT
Constantly Variable Transmission
A CVT is a gearbox without any gears. They’re in everything from the Honda Jazz to the Koenigsegg Regera. Yes we realise the gearboxes in those two cars are dramatically different side-by-side but the principle is the same.
DPF
Diesel Particulate Filter
This is a big one to remember for all of you modern diesel car owners out there. These are filters that, you guessed it, hoover up diesel particulates, and expel them at intervals as larger lumps, improving air quality. They’re a very expensive part that work best if you’re driving longer distances. If you spend a lot of time pootling around town at low revs, they can get blocked and need replacing. Watch out for a yellow light that signals a regeneration-inducing drive is needed.
DOHC
Dual Over Head Cams
This is a bit more of a fun one, given this is about making power. An extra cam means added character and performance from your engine, with the mild cam handling day-to-day and the more aggressive cam handling high loads. Think VTEC in a Honda, which is another kettle of fish. It might sound obvious, but the cams are over the cylinder head, as opposed to below it, in some single-cam applications.
ESC
Electronic stability control
ESC is basically PASM mentioned in the intro, minus the Porsche specific naming strategy. Get a literal wiggle on in your modern car and its electronic systems will manage throttle to assist in getting it back under control.
ECU
Electronic Control Unit
The ECU is a small device within a vehicle that controls a specific function. Modern cars have many of them, each working with the engine, chassis and various systems to make sure it functions correctly.
EV
Electric Vehicle
This is a pretty easy and self-explanatory one, though we’re inclined to say that unless you know, it is a little difficult to guess.
ICE
Internal Combustion Engine
This is what the EVs above are phasing out. Think of a petrol or diesel car, the lump of metal under the bonnet making the noise and producing the power is the ICE. These are engines that burn a fuel to create their power and as a by-product, gaseous emissions.
KW
Kilowatts
Kilowatts are a progressive unit of power, that Australia leads the world in using. It’s an alternative to BHP or PS which you might be more familiar with in the UK, but uses an entirely different metric, just to keep things interesting. Written ‘kW’ it is also widely in use around the world with reference to EVs, given that it is specifically a unit of electrical power. One kilowatt is 1,000 watts, or 1.3PS.
LEZ/ULEZ
Low Emission Zone/Ultra Low Emission Zone
This is one that motorists are going to do well to remember in the coming years, as urban areas especially utilise them to keep fossil fuel-powered cars away or charge them for the privilege of entry. London’s ULEZ means that from the end of August 2023, any diesel car older than 2015 and any petrol car older than 2005 (generally speaking) won’t be able to drive into the London area beyond the M25 (generally) without incurring a £12.50 fee.
MPG
Miles Per Gallon
Pretty self-explanatory, telling you how many miles of driving you’ll get by burning one gallon of fuel. The more the merrier with fuel prices as they are at the moment…
WLTP
Worldwide harmonised Light vehicle Test Procedure
This is probably the one on this list you need to know the least. It’s a new more accurate standard of measuring emissions and fuel consumption, that informs stated MPG and emissions figures from manufacturers. If you’re out buying a car, you may well be looking for one that’s more efficient and cheaper to run, in which case these numbers may be of interest. The WLTP system replaces the outdated and frankly, mostly optimistic, NEDC system.
As above, we have a whole load more of these acronyms that we’ll be adding to this list over time, from Ferrari’s GTO and Lamborghini’s ALA, to the rather less glamorous VAT and LWB. Let us know what motoring acronyms you think should be included and we’ll make sure they’re added.
Images courtesy of Getty Images.
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