RESEARCH OF THE OPERATIONAL DEPENDABILITY OF THE LADA KALINA VEHICLE SYSTEMS AFFECTING TRAFFIC SAFETY
Authors: Denisov I. V. , Smirnov A. A. 
Published: April 2021

The growing number of cars in the Russian Federation means that a large number of vehicles with different performance indicators get involved in the transportation process. One of those indicators is dependability that is a key characteristic of quality. A vehicle’s operation is the primary test of its dependability, of which the indicators depend on the used design solutions and the manufacturing process. Defects occurring at various stages of vehicle manufacture significantly affect the dependability indicators. It must be noted that a vehicle is a source of increased hazard. A failure of a vehicle in operation due to a manufacturing defect or nonobservance of operation conditions may cause an accident. Therefore it is extremely important to have at one’s disposal information on the implemented systems reliability indicators that affect active safety. In this context, the research of automotive vehicles dependability in operation is a relevant scientific task, solving which will enable managing the technical condition of vehicles and ensure traffic safety.

The aim of this research was to evaluate the operational dependability of the systems that directly affect the road safety of Lada Kalina with subsequent use of the obtained information in the development of automated systems for management of automotive vehicle technical condition in operation.

The methods of research are based on the theoretical foundations of vehicle maintenance, the probability theory and mathematical statistics, experimental design theory. Standard methods of processing of statistical information on the operational dependability of vehicles were used. The data was obtained from official OAO AvtoVAZ dealerships in the Vladimir Oblast. As the result of research of the operational dependability of the systems that directly affect the road safety of Lada Kalina a list of defective components in the steering, braking, chassis, lighting and signalling systems was identified. Times to failure of parts, units and assemblies that limit the vehicle dependability, as well as the primary numerical characteristics of random distribution were determined. The defects identified at early stages of operation indicate design and manufacturing flaws of Lada Kalina.

Conclusions: In this paper the authors present the findings regarding the defects of the Lada Kalina systems that directly affect traffic safety. This information was obtained by means of analyzing vehicle failures within the warranty period that were recorded based on the owners’ applications to the OAO AvtoVAZ dealerships an maintenance facilities in the Vladimir Oblast. Maintenance facilities, when performing diagnostic operations as part of routine maintenance, should take into consideration the list of the least dependable vehicle components given in this paper and directly affecting the traffic safety. The manufacturing factory should take note of the indicated defects and develop a plan of their elimination, as well as timely inform the consumers of the identified warranty-specific defects and recall the products.