307 Technology

This page last updated 12 April 2003. Below I have discussed some of the technologies present in the Peugeot 307.

Multiplexing
The 307 utilises the latest Multiplex technology, developed in conjunction with PSA partner Citroen, Bosch and Renault. PSA first trialled this system back in 1994 on the Citroen XM. With all the features now available in modern cars, the amount of wiring required has become enormous. Electrical connections have gone up from around 200 to over 1000 in a modern car, resulting in a spaghetti like mess around the car. Instead of so many wires, a multiplexed system of 4 BUSes (containing 4 wires each) is used. These BUSes provide electric power to the various components around the car, as well as sending individual digitally encoded messages for each component. The car has 18 microprocessors. The system is comprised of two networks, the faster 250kbps CAN (controller area network) and the slower VAN (vehicle area network), which are bridged by the BSI/ISB (built in systems interface/intelligent service box). BSI stands for Botier de Servitude Intelligent. CAN was developed by Bosch, and controls the mechanical systems of the car, such as braking, ESP, engine management, the automatic gearbox, etc. VAN was developed by PSA and Renault, and is comprised of three subnetworks - the safety BUS, body BUS and comfort BUS - the elements of which are shown in the diagram below.

The network can actually become congested, however, the system gives safety commands priority over comfort commands. Understandably, in a car with a drive by wire throttle, you wouldn't want the car to hesistate, waiting for some capacity in the network, when overtaking a large track on the other side of the road! The benefits of this system are that more advanced systems can be added. For manufacturers that limit their computer systems to their own authorised dealer networks, car owners cannot service their cars at local garages, except for simple physical tasks. For authorised dealers, diagnosing problems becomes much faster, as a Peugeot technician with a Diag2000 computer can search through 6500 odd devices quickly - most problems can be diagnosed within 30 minutes. According to Peugeot, 90% of malfunctions are resolved within a day. Cars can be updated with software to cure various problems quickly. The system is still relatively new, and understandably is not yet perfect. However it is a good concept, and will improve in the future. For example, GPS and WAP technologies will be implemented in the near future with voice activated telematics systems also on the menu. In Europe, a navigation system is already available.

Clever Multiplexed features

Intelligent Service Indicator - maintenance intervals are determined by the car's use, not just merely on a time or mileage basis. Automatic Lights & Wipers Follow Me Home Lighting - lights illuminate for 45 seconds after the ignition is switched off (for automatic light equipped cars). Automatic Boot Locking - when you drive over 10 km/h, the boot will lock to prevent robbers from stealing things from your boot at traffic lights for instance.

Emergency Braking Indicators - during emergency braking (deceleration at 8 m/s or greater), the indicators will turn on. Automatic Window and Sunroof Closing - if you forget to close these openings, the remote can close them for you after you lock the doors. Equipment Security - Major 307 equipment is useless if stolen as it will only work in its original car. Multiplexing will also record all breakin attempts. More information can be found at the Peugeot Avenue website on Multiplex technology here

Automatic Transmission

Automatic gearboxes are finding favour all around the world, with about 44% of cars worldwide using them. In Europe, according to Renault, this figure is 8% but expected to grow. In the US, 90% of cars are already so equipped and in Japan almost 80% of cars have an automatic transmission. Automatic 307s are equipped with the latest version of the AL 4 gearbox, which is also used in many other Peugeot models, including the N5 306, 206, 406 and 807. The AL4 was developed in conjunction with PSA partner Citroen, Siemens and Renault (DP0). PSA and Renault shared the development costs of 2.75 billion French francs (about 410 million USD) in 1997. It weighs 70kg, and can handle up to 330Nm of torque (210Nm on earlier versions). Hydraulic torque converter lock up is available on 2nd, 3rd and 4th gears. Transmission oil is cooled by a heat exchanger. The Gearbox ECU uses 40 channels, which sends and receives information from the engine ECU via the CAN network. Peugeot claims the fuel consumption increase with this gearbox over the manual equivalent is small - in the 307 1.6, there is only a 0.2l increase for every 100km driven on the city cycle (AS2877). In normal mode, the transmission is auto-adaptive, that is, it tries to shift according to your driving pattern. It considers the vehicle load, road gradient and surface, the speed of accelerator actuation and other factors such as gearbox oil temperature and engine temperature. The computer creates an identikit portrait of the driver

within a minute, considering the speed of the car, the number of times and the speed at which the driver presses the accelerator (and its position). From this the computer categorieses the driver as being in an economical, sporting or medium category. These categories correspond with a set of gearshift rules which favour either economy, performance or a compromise between the two, which is determined from an average of values over the past few minutes. This can be temporarily changed if the accelerator is pressed rapidly - the ECU will select the next sportier program (ie. from ECO to MEDIUM or MEDIUM to SPORT) - upon release, the transmission resumes the earlier mode. Normal Mode Pattern Selection - Table Vehicle Driving Conditions Driving Conditions ECO Pattern MEDIUM Pattern SPORT Pattern Downhill DESCENT Pattern DESCENT Pattern SPORT Pattern Level Ground ECO Pattern MEDIUM Pattern SPORT Pattern Average Ascent BRAKING Pattern 1 BRAKING Pattern 1 SPORT Pattern Steep Ascent BRAKING Pattern 2 BRAKING Pattern 2 BRAKING Pattern 2

There are 6 'laws' from which the transmission can choose in auto-adaptive (normal) mode. ECO Pattern and BRAKING Pattern 1 are the most common modes used. Two additional modes can also be manually selected. Sports mode automatically limits the transmission to the two most dynamic/sporty/aggressive modes. In sports mode, the cars holds onto gears longer, will not shift into 4th gear until high speeds (ie. +100km/h) and shifts down eagerly to provide engine braking (both under brakes, and when slowing down without brakes). It is also slightly less eager to lock up the torque converter. Sports mode is very effective for sporty driving, more so than most other automatic transmissions, as the torque converter is locked up, and hence engine braking is also provided - which is noticeable under braking. The aggressiveness of downshifting under braking depends on factors such as the gradient and the amount of braking applied by the driver. In Snow mode the car starts off in second gear, so as to reduce the likelyhood of wheelspin. The transmission will have fewer gearchanges, will not kickdown unless below 15 km/h, and will force downshifts on application of braking. This is the only mode not selected by the auto-adaptive system. In addition to the aforementioned automatic modes, the AL 4 in the 307 is also equipped with a Porsche Tiptronic system (manual mode).

The driver can manually change gears (without clutch), by pushing the gearstick forward to upshift, and to downshift by pulling back on the shift lever. The system will not allow any potentially hazardous shifts to take place - it will not allow a downshift if it will overrev the engine. Conversely, it will also upshift when engine revs are too high. In addition, when too high a gear is selected (eg. 4th gear at low speeds), the engine will either unlock the torque converter or downshift to prevent the engine from stalling. In total, the AL4 has 10 modes. In the interests of safety, theoretically the transmission will not upshift if the accelerator pedal is suddenly released. Peugeot claims it is sealed for life, requiring no fluid changes. However, the transmission has an oil wear counter, allowing 6000 hours of operating at oil temperatures below 95C (32,958 units of wear). Using Diag2000, a technician can determine whether the fluid requires changing. When the transmission is cold (<15C), the torque converter lock up plate is too hot or has a fault, the torque converter will remained unlocked to warm up the fluid to 15C. Upon reaching this, the gearbox heating pattern begins which helps to heat the engine and catalytic converter, reducing exhaust emissions (it certainly seems effective as the engine warms up very quickly, which means fast cabin heating). There is also a overheating protection pattern, which has maximum priority over other modes to cool down the transmission fluid - it begins operation at 120C, and ceases at 110C. The AL 4 can be quite a clever unit. I have found that it provides excellent fuel consumption, fuel consumption not much greater than the manual version. However, the acceleration in the automatic feels much more sluggish than the manual 1.6 and at times the logic is questionable.

Braking
Australian specification 307s are equipped with ABS (anti lock brakes), EBFD (electronic brake force distribution) and BAS (brake assist system) as standard. Under emergency braking, the system will also activate the hazard warning lights, which are reset either manually by the driver, or when the car accelerates after stopping. ABS. During emergency braking, often when the driver applies maximum braking effort, the wheels of the car will lock up. As a result, all steering effort is lost (the car will just go straight in the direction of the skid), and braking distance is increased (as the wheel is no longer gripping the road effectively). ABS eliminates this problem by applying the brakes repeatedly at something like 30 times a second - eliminating wheel lock. As a result, the car still has steering authority, and can stop faster under most conditions. The only conditions for which ABS is less effective, are stopping on loose surfaces. On gravel, ABS increases stopping distance, as it is desirable

for the wheels to lock, so that they can bite through the gravel. The Bosch 5.3 ABS 4 channel/sensor system used in the 307 is much more sophisticated and refined than earlier ABS systems - modulation through the brake pedal during emergency braking is light. The amount of modulations per second of braking is increased. Some earlier Peugeots used a Teves system. EBFD. The Bosch EBFD was first introduced in the 406 back in 1998. Under normal circumstances, 60% of braking in a modern car is directed to the front brakes. EBFD, through the ABS system's sensors and electronic valves, allows braking to be adjusted between the front and rear wheels (ie. to account for weight transfer during braking), and between the left and right rear wheel. This results in more effective braking, applying braking effort to the wheels with the greatest grip. How does this actually help you? During braking, the car's weight is transferred forward, so greater braking effort towards the front is provided. When braking whilst cornering, a similar thing happens weight is transferred from the inner wheel to the outer wheel, and braking effort is directed to reflect this. So it optimises braking between the front and the rear, and from left to right. BAS/EBA. Electronic Brake Assist was launched on the 607. Brake Assist System applies maximum braking effort during an emergency braking situation to reduce stopping distance. Aside from faster stopping, the effort required by the driver to brake the car is further reduced. At 100km/h, stopping distance can be reduced by anything from 20% to 60%. During slow braking, braking power is magnified by a factor of 6. Under emergency braking, EBA amplifies braking power by a factor of 23. For more information, see EBA at the Peugeot Avenue website here When you consider these features, and the size of the 307's disc brakes (front 283mm, rear 247mm), it is no surprise that the 307 is one of the fastest stopping cars out there on the marketplace. According to a test in NZ Autocar (JAN02), it was the fastest stopping out of the VW Golf, Honda Civic and Toyota Corolla, stopping from 100 km/h in 36.15m.

Steering
The 307 has a variable electro-hydraulic power steering system. The hydraulic assistance is varied according to the speed of the car, and the rate at which the steering wheel is turned. For instance, in an emergency manouvre, maximum assistance is provided.

As electric power steering does not run directly off the engine, power loss is reduced, and fuel consumption is improved. The steering column is adjustable by 40mm in both height and reach. In a frontal impact, it can retract by 50mm, and this mechanism also prevents the brake pedal from moving rearwards, preventing leg injuries.

Suspension
At the front, the 307 has pseudo MacPherson struts and lower wishbone members. The two rubber bushes on the wishbones aid steering (front) and noise suspression (rear). The anti roll bar is indirectly linked to the front wheels. At the rear, the 307 uses a semi-independent torsion beam axle with coil springs replacing the torsion bar trailing arm system of the 306. Basically it is a U shaped beam with two trailing arms attached at the ends, with the hollow anti-roll bar positioned inside the U beam attaching direct to the trailing arms. A little advertised fact about this system is that it retains the passive rear wheel steering system used in recent Peugeots - but of a newer design. Centrifugal forces act on the metalastic controlled rubber bushes causing the rear suspension cross member to move, turning the rear wheels. The steering angle is dependent on the level of force exerted. The 307's suspension is quite compact, reflected in the roomy, well shaped, intrusion free boot. The very common torsion beam suspension is light, compact and cheap to make.

Acoustic Comfort
In many parts of the 307's structure, explandable foam is used to reduce noise, as well as fusible plates (IFF). Mastic piping contributes to lower noise by improving the car's airtightness. There is considerable insulation between the engine compartment and cabin to create a quiet cabin atmosphere.

Body
The 307's structure meets all requirements of EuroNCAP safety testing, and European repairability requirements for impacts below 15 km/h. It utilises various materials, including much HLE - High Elastic Limit steel especially in structurally significant support areas and joined sheets. Various engine components such as the battery, brake assist amplifier (mastervac) and air filter are located in the engine bay to assist with the absorbtion of crash energy. Shock absorbers are mounted on shafts incorporated into the front crumple zone to further absorb crash energies, which can absorb 6000J of energy. The shafts can handle 9 tonnes. To reduce weight, the bonnet is made from aluminium, the front fenders are made from a composite and the bumpers (Noryl), lights and grille are made from plastic.

Glass
The 307 is equipped with athermic glass on the front and rear windshields. A thin layer of metallic oxides is within the glass, reflecting solar rays, and hence reducing the level of heat energy within the car. Light transmission is not particularly affected however, from certain angles, you can see the thin layer of metal within the glass. The windshield sweeps back at 75. This feature is especially useful in the 307, which has one of the largest windshields of any passenger car - 1.46m2. By reducing the heat energy transferred into the cabin, less airconditioning is required, saving fuel and improving comfort.

Airbags
The 307 is equipped with 6 airbags, a driver's airbag, passenger airbag, two side airbags located in the side of the front seats, and two curtain airbags on both sides of the car. The system is intelligent, tailoring the airbag activation according to the nature of the impact. For instance, one or two airbag gas generators can be activated, depending on the nature of the impact. Most cars only have one generator, unlike the 307's dual system.

Front airbags protect the torso and head during a frontal impact, whereas the curtain airbag and side airbags protect the head and torso respectively in a side impact.

SCS - Spinal Care Technology

In addition to the side airbags located in the sides of the front backrests, the 307's seats are equipped with SCS technology. In the event of a rear impact, the upper part of the seat and headrest bend

forward 50 mm to cushion the body, reducing the potential for spinal damage or whiplash. An anti collapse system prevents the headrest from retracting. The system is activated by pressure on the backrest. Seat belts have a force limiting feature to reduce bruising in the event of an accident. In left hand drive (LHD) markets, an active footrest for the driver is standard, reducing injuries to legs and feet. However RHD markets do not have this feature, and have no footrest at all.

Source: Peugeot Avenue website, PAA, PCCV Torque, other associated Peugeot publications and various websites. I would like to especially thank Peugeot Automobiles Australia for supplying me with extra information. All images on this page are Copyright Automobiles Peugeot.