Ford to fit lasers to its high-end cars by 2011

A new type of laser spark plug will make cars more fuel efficient and easier to start in cold conditions according to the scientists at Liverpool University and engineers at Ford who have developed a new ignition system for petrol-powered engines.

A spokesperson for breakdown company the Environmental Transport Association (ETA) said: “The idea of using lasers in this way is not entirely new but its application has the potential to make cars more reliable – after flat batteries, poorly performing spark plugs are a major cause of breakdowns in the winter months.”

Why lasers instead of spark plugs?

Modern engines use multiple spark plugs for each cylinder in order to ignite as much fuel as possible, but laser light can be split for far greater efficiency. Furthermore, some of the laser can be reflected back from inside the cylinder to provide information on the level of ignition, allowing the car to adjust the quantities of air and fuel automatically to optimise performance.

This makes possible an engine that could run efficiently on a number of different biofuels.

When will my car use lasers in this way?

Ford hopes to offer the technology in their top of the range cars within two years – it will trickle down to other types of vehicle after that.

Green breakdown cover

The ETA provides motorists and cyclists with carbon-neutral breakdown cover and insurance products.