The course is an introduction to the wide knowledge dealing about the vehicle, its specifications, performances, market diffusion, social-economical implications and finally its evolution linked to the technological developments.
The course deals the knowledge of the vehicle system, of its components, and of the driving criteria necessary for the proper design of a vehicle and for a proper installation of the components.
The course will provide students with the basic notions and general information, which will prove useful during the following courses. In the subsequent years and according to the selected study plan, many items will be more deeply investigated.

The expected learning outcome is the knowledge about the following items:
• the motor vehicle diffusion
• the main economic aspects related to the automotive industry
• the main regulations about the environmental and the safety aspects
• the main components of a vehicle (body, chassis, engines and transmissions), their evolution along the years and their operations.

Basic notions of mathematic, physics and chemistry are required. These notions are normally provided within the high-school programs.

After brief historical notes about the birth and the development up to today of the car industry, the subsequent chapters exposes a summary of aspects relating to the car diffusion in the world, the socio-economic impacts and issues related to safety and environment. Subsequently, the different lectures illustrate the operation and the features of the main components (body, chassis, engines and transmissions) of the vehicles. At the end, further lectures deal with the materials and the technologies used for the vehicle manufacturing. Innovative solutions are also described with specific reference to the alternative power-train development.
More in detail, the programme of the course is organized in the following topics:
1 Overview of manufacturers and motor vehicle diffusion
2 Environmental and safety
3 Vehicle body history
4 Vehicle body
5 Chassis history
6 Chassis
7 Engine history
8 Engine
9 Drive train
10 Alternative drive system
11 Materials and technologies for manufacturing

After brief historical notes about the birth and the development up to today of the car industry, the subsequent chapters exposes a summary of aspects relating to the car diffusion in the world, the socio-economic impacts and issues related to safety and environment. Subsequently, the different lectures illustrate the operation and the features of the main components (body, chassis, engines and transmissions) of the vehicles. At the end, further lectures deal with the materials and the technologies used for the vehicle manufacturing. Innovative solutions are also described with specific reference to the alternative power-train development.
More in detail, the programme of the course is organized in the following topics:
1 Overview of manufacturers and motor vehicle diffusion
2 Environmental and safety
3 Vehicle body history
4 Vehicle body
5 Chassis history
6 Chassis
7 Engine history
8 Engine
9 Drive train
10 Alternative drive system
11 Materials and technologies for manufacturing

The course is organized in frontal lectures. A visit to the National Automobile Museum of Turin (MAUTO) is planned at the end of the course.

The course is organized in frontal lectures. A visit to the National Automobile Museum of Turin (MAUTO) is planned at the end of the course.

The reference book of the course is "The Motor Car – Past, Present and Future" written by G. Genta, L. Morello, F. Cavallino, F. Filtri and edited by Springer.
The material used during the lectures (mainly the presentations) are supplied to the students, through the Politecnico website. When it is not possible, the topics discussed during the lecturers can be found on the reference book.

The reference book of the course is "The Motor Car – Past, Present and Future" written by G. Genta, L. Morello, F. Cavallino, F. Filtri and edited by Springer.
The material used during the lectures (mainly the presentations) are supplied to the students, through the Politecnico website. When it is not possible, the topics discussed during the lecturers can be found on the reference book.

The examination is a written test composed of 5 (five) open questions. The score of each question is 6 (six) points. The final score of the test is the sum of the scores of each question. Consequently, the maximum score of the exam is 30 (thirty). The minimum score to pass the exam is 18 (eighteen). The questions of the test cover all the topics of the course. The duration of the test is 2 (two) hours. No materials like books, class notes, handouts, forms, can be used during the examination.

The examination is a written test composed of 5 (five) open questions. The score of each question is 6 (six) points. The final score of the test is the sum of the scores of each question. Consequently, the maximum score of the exam is 30 (thirty). The minimum score to pass the exam is 18 (eighteen). The questions of the test cover all the topics of the course. The duration of the test is 2 (two) hours. No materials like books, class notes, handouts, forms, can be used during the examination.