What is the Departure Angle of a Car?
2 Answers
Departure angle refers to the angle between the tangent line drawn from the rearmost protruding point of the car to the rear wheels and the road surface when the car is fully loaded and stationary. In other words, it is the maximum angle between the horizontal plane and the plane tangent to the outer edge of the rearmost wheel tire (under static load). Additional information is as follows: 1. Location of departure angle: It is located on any rigid component fixed to the vehicle behind the rearmost wheel and must not be below this plane. 2. Significance of departure angle: It indicates the car's ability to avoid collision when leaving obstacles (such as small hills, ditches, etc.). The larger the departure angle, the better the car's off-road capability.
After driving for so many years, I deeply understand the importance of departure angle for daily driving safety. It refers to the angle between the point where the rear wheel contacts the ground and the highest point on a vertical line (usually at the rear bumper), simply put, it's the angle that determines whether the rear of the vehicle will scrape when leaving an obstacle. In urban or suburban areas, we often encounter steep slopes, curbs, or uneven roads. If the departure angle is small, the rear of the vehicle is prone to scraping when going uphill, which can damage the bumper at best or get the wheels stuck and cause an accident at worst. I recommend that car owners prioritize vehicles with a large departure angle when choosing a car, such as SUVs or off-road vehicles, as they are safer on slopes. Additionally, this, together with the approach angle (forward angle), forms the passing index, which helps determine the vehicle's overall obstacle avoidance capability. During normal driving, I observe the height of road obstacles to adjust my speed, avoiding sudden encounters with a small departure angle that could cause problems. In short, paying attention to this small detail can reduce repair costs and risks, making travel smoother.
