Even if our cars are not sports cars, we can change the performance and appearance of the vehicle by making modifications to its external design, engine block, and other system components. In recent years, we have seen the increasing popularity of a new method that does not require any physical changes to the car. So, what is Chip Tuning? Does it benefit or harm the car?
What is Chip Tuning and how is it applied?
Almost all the cars sold today have a brain that manages the entire system. Some may have a basic brain that is just enough for the car, while others may have an advanced system that can entertain passengers with an entertainment system.
However, their common feature is that they store and manage information related to the vehicle. For example, all Honda Civics coming out of the production line in the factory have the same software settings regarding when to shift gears, fuel-saving modes, and so on.
With the software modification called Chip Tuning, it is possible to change these settings. In some cases, not only software but also an additional chip can be installed to act as a supplementary brain for the car. This way, you can make the car more powerful or make it consume less fuel compared to its factory settings.
Generally speaking, this process seems quite reasonable. By simply connecting a computer to the car’s brain without changing even a single bolt in the engine block, you can add software and instantly increase the horsepower.
However, this situation may not always be beneficial. The people who develop the car don’t limit a motor that could deliver 400 horsepower to only 200. Therefore, after making adjustments, you might be happy to say that you increased the horsepower by 80 without changing a single bolt, but the engine of the car could end up being damaged.
However, there are companies in the market that have been doing this job for many years and know the most ideal settings based on their experiments on tens of thousands of cars. Some even offer warranties under different agreements. Therefore, after custom adjustments made specifically for your car, you can increase a 150 horsepower engine to 170 with software and also make it consume less fuel.
What do you think about this? Don’t forget to share your opinions with us in the comments!
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