- A -

Articulated Vehicle

Large trucks or buses with two or more wheeled units, so designed for ease of cornering.

Articulating Upper Coupler

A bolster plate kingpin arrangement that is not rigidly attached to the trailer but provides articulation and/or oscillation about an axis parallel to the rear axle of the trailer.

Articulation

1. The action of a chain joint in flexing from the straight to an angle and back to the straight as the joint passes around a sprocket or other path. 2. Vertical movement of the front driving or rear axle, relative to the frame of the vehicle to which they are attached.

Artificial Intelligence

The ability of a computer to respond systematically to information fed to it by reacting in a human manner to such things as reasoning and the ability to learn.

ARV

Air relief valve.

As

Arsenic An element with the atomic number of 33.

ASA

An acronym for the Automotive Service Association.

Asbestos

A fiber mineral that is heat resistant and nonburning. Once used in brake linings, gaskets, and clutch facings, it is no longer used due to health hazards.

Asbestos Information Association (aia)

An association to provide industry-wide information on asbestos and health, and on industry efforts to eliminate existing hazards.

Asbestosis

A progressive and disabling lung disease caused by inhaling asbestos fibers over a long period of time.

ASC

1. Acronym for Air suction control 2. Acronym for Air Suspension Control Module (Ford)

ASCII

Abbreviation for American Standard Code for Information Interchange. It is a 7-Bit code that is widely used to represent informational data for processing and communications

ASCM

1. An accronym for Air Suspension Control Module (GM)

ASCS

Air suction control solenoid.

ASD

Auto Sutdown a Chrysler relay or a Euporean acronym for an Automatic Locking Differential.

ASDM

Air-bag system diagnostic module.

ASE

An acronym and registered trademark of the National Institute for Automotive Service Excellence.

ASIA

An acronym for the Automotive Service Industry Association.

ASM Testing

Acceleration Simulation Mode testing of a vehicles emissions. This test procedure measures HC and NOx emissions in parts per million, and carbon monoxide and carbon dioxide in percentages on a dyno.

ASME

An acronym for the American Society of Mechanical Engineers.