ABSTRACT
We de‘ne ground vehicles as those designed for off-highway use, although some can also travel on public roads. A typical passenger car that is intentionally driven off road is not a ground vehicle. A ground vehicle must have special equipment or features that enable it to ride over natural, unimproved terrain. Examples of such features are
• Four-wheel or all-wheel drive system • Reinforced tyres with special treads • Power unit, typically based on a diesel engine, with an effective
cooling system, dust ‘lters, and high positioning of air intake and exhaust equipment
• Suspension that ensures stability on slopes and axle twisting capability for crossing obstacles and rough terrain
• Additional equipment such as a winch and pulling rope • Water-resistant sealing
Historically, before roads were paved smoothly, all vehicles functioned as ground vehicles. Problems with poor traction, especially after rains, signi‘cantly slowed ground transportation. Vehicles could carry only limited numbers of passengers or amounts of freight, mainly due to wheel ”otation. Railroads revolutionized ground transportation, but trains were always less mobile than cars.
