Hill-Holder is a name for the mechanism invented by
StudebakerStudebaker Corporation, or simply Studebaker , was a United States wagon and automobile manufacturer based in South Bend, Indiana. Founded in 1852 and incorporated in 1868 under the name of the Studebaker Brothers Manufacturing Company, the company was originally a producer of wagons for farmers,...
that holds the
brakeA brake is a device for applying a force against the friction of the road, slowing or stopping the motion of a machine or vehicle, or alternatively a device to restrain it from starting to move again. The kinetic energy lost by the moving part is usually translated to heat by friction...
until the
clutchA clutch is a mechanism for transmitting rotation, which can be engaged and disengaged. Clutches are useful in devices that have two rotating shafts. In these devices, one shaft is typically driven by a motor or pulley, and the other shaft drives another device. In a drill, for instance, one shaft...
is at the friction point, making it easier to start up hills from a stop in
manual transmissionA manual transmission, or manual gearbox is a type of transmission used in motor vehicle applications...
automobiles. It was first introduced in 1936 as an option for the
Studebaker PresidentThe Studebaker President was the premier automobile model manufactured by the Studebaker Corporation of South Bend, Indiana during the 1926 to 1942 model years. The nameplate was reintroduced in 1955 and used until the end of the 1958 model when the name was retired.Prior to mid-1926,...
. Another name for the mechanism is a
hill hold control (HHC).
As a
trade nameA trademark or trade mark is a distinctive sign or indicator used by an individual, business organization, or other legal entity to identify that the products or services to consumers with which the trademark appears originate from a unique source, and to distinguish its products or services from...
, it was only available on older
Subaruis the automobile manufacturing division of Japanese transportation conglomerate Fuji Heavy Industries Group .Subaru is internationally known for their use of boxer engines in most of their vehicles. The company decided to use all wheel drive in most international markets as standard equipment in...
s, and is currently available on the
Subaru ForesterThe Subaru Forester, is a tall, all-wheel drive Compact Sports Utility Vehicle manufactured since 1997 by Subaru — and is marketed as a compact crossover...
and the
Subaru ImprezaThe Subaru Impreza is a compact car that was first introduced by Subaru in 1993."Impreza" is a coined word, deriving from an originally Italian word, impresa, meaning a feat or achievement. In Polish, "Impreza" means "party", "event" or "show"....
.
Hill-Holder is a name for the mechanism invented by
StudebakerStudebaker Corporation, or simply Studebaker , was a United States wagon and automobile manufacturer based in South Bend, Indiana. Founded in 1852 and incorporated in 1868 under the name of the Studebaker Brothers Manufacturing Company, the company was originally a producer of wagons for farmers,...
that holds the
brakeA brake is a device for applying a force against the friction of the road, slowing or stopping the motion of a machine or vehicle, or alternatively a device to restrain it from starting to move again. The kinetic energy lost by the moving part is usually translated to heat by friction...
until the
clutchA clutch is a mechanism for transmitting rotation, which can be engaged and disengaged. Clutches are useful in devices that have two rotating shafts. In these devices, one shaft is typically driven by a motor or pulley, and the other shaft drives another device. In a drill, for instance, one shaft...
is at the friction point, making it easier to start up hills from a stop in
manual transmissionA manual transmission, or manual gearbox is a type of transmission used in motor vehicle applications...
automobiles. It was first introduced in 1936 as an option for the
Studebaker PresidentThe Studebaker President was the premier automobile model manufactured by the Studebaker Corporation of South Bend, Indiana during the 1926 to 1942 model years. The nameplate was reintroduced in 1955 and used until the end of the 1958 model when the name was retired.Prior to mid-1926,...
. Another name for the mechanism is a
hill hold control (HHC).
Availability
As a
trade nameA trademark or trade mark is a distinctive sign or indicator used by an individual, business organization, or other legal entity to identify that the products or services to consumers with which the trademark appears originate from a unique source, and to distinguish its products or services from...
, it was only available on older
Subaruis the automobile manufacturing division of Japanese transportation conglomerate Fuji Heavy Industries Group .Subaru is internationally known for their use of boxer engines in most of their vehicles. The company decided to use all wheel drive in most international markets as standard equipment in...
s, and is currently available on the
Subaru ForesterThe Subaru Forester, is a tall, all-wheel drive Compact Sports Utility Vehicle manufactured since 1997 by Subaru — and is marketed as a compact crossover...
and the
Subaru ImprezaThe Subaru Impreza is a compact car that was first introduced by Subaru in 1993."Impreza" is a coined word, deriving from an originally Italian word, impresa, meaning a feat or achievement. In Polish, "Impreza" means "party", "event" or "show"....
. The 2009 Dodge Challenger SRT8 also comes equiped with hill-holder. Hill-holder works by holding the brake in position while the driver sets-up and activates the first gear to move the car forward from a complete stop, without fear of roll-back.
Similar systems are or were in use by
Alfa RomeoAlfa Romeo Automobiles S.p.A. is an Italian automaker founded on June 24, 1910 in Milan. Alfa Romeo has been a part of the Fiat Group since 1986, and since February 2007 a part of Fiat Group Automobiles S.p.A. The company was owned by Italian state holding company Istituto per la Ricostruzione...
,
FiatFiat S.p.A., an acronym for Fabbrica Italiana Automobili Torino , is an Italian automobile manufacturer, engine manufacturer, financial and industrial group based in Turin in the Piedmont region. Fiat was founded in 1899 by a group of investors including Giovanni Agnelli. Fiat has also...
(including the new
Fiat 500The Fiat 500 is a city car built by Italian automaker Fiat since 2007. The car is currently produced in Tychy, Poland by Fiat Auto Poland alongside the Nuova Panda and second-generation Ford Ka, released in 2008, all using the same platform...
),
BMW, is a German automobile, motorcycle and engine manufacturing company. Founded in 1916, it is known for its performance and luxury vehicles. It owns and produces the MINI brand, and is the parent company of Rolls-Royce Motor Cars.-Company history:...
,
LanciaLancia Automobiles S.p.A. is an Italian automobile manufacturer founded in 1906 by Vincenzo Lancia and which became part of the Fiat Group in 1969. The company has a long history of producing distinctive cars and also has a strong rally heritage. Modern Lancias are seen as presenting a more...
,
Mercedes-BenzMercedes-Benz is a German manufacturer of luxury automobiles, buses, coaches, and trucks. It is currently a division of the parent company, Daimler AG , after previously being owned by Daimler-Benz...
,
VolkswagenThe Volkswagen Aktiengesellschaft , also known as Volkswagen Group or as VW, is an automobile manufacturer and mobility organisation based in Wolfsburg, Lower Saxony, Germany and is the pioneer brand within the Volkswagen Group, which contains the car brands Audi AG, Bentley Motors Ltd.,...
,
SaabSaab Automobile AB, better known as Saab, is a Swedish car manufacturer currently owned by General Motors, pending sale to the Koenigsegg Group. It is the exclusive automobile royal warrant holder as appointed by H.M., the King of Sweden...
,
smartSmart, formerly Smart GmbH , an automotive brand of Daimler AG, is a manufacturer of microcars and superminis based in Böblingen, Germany, produced in Hambach ....
("
Hill Start AssistHill Start Assist is a variant of Hill-holder used by some semi-automatic, clutchless transmissions. The system prevents the car from rolling away when trying to pull away on an up or down gradient, simulating a "handbrake hill start" manual drivers will be familiar with...
"),
Subaruis the automobile manufacturing division of Japanese transportation conglomerate Fuji Heavy Industries Group .Subaru is internationally known for their use of boxer engines in most of their vehicles. The company decided to use all wheel drive in most international markets as standard equipment in...
,
CadillacCadillac is a luxury vehicle marque owned by General Motors Company. Cadillac vehicles are sold in over 50 countries and territories, but mainly in North America....
("NoRol") and
StutzThe Stutz Motor Company was a producer of luxury cars. Production began in 1911 and continued through 1935. The marque reappeared in 1968 under the aegis of Stutz Motor Car of America, Inc., and with a newly defined modern retro-look. Although the company is still active today, actual sales of...
("Noback").
Operation
In layman’s terms, the hill holder function works by using two sensors, in concert with the brake system on the vehicle. The first sensor measures the forward facing incline (nose higher than tail) of the vehicle, while the second is a disengaging mechanism.
When a driver stops their vehicle on an incline where the nose of the car is sufficiently higher than the rear of the car, the system is engaged when the driver's foot is depressing the brake pedal, and then the clutch pedal is fully depressed. Once set, the driver must keep the clutch pedal fully depressed, however, they may remove his or her foot from the brake pedal. To disengage the system and move the car forward, the driver selects first gear, feathers (applies) the gas pedal, and slowly releases the clutch pedal, which, at a point in its travel, releases the braking system allowing the car to proceed.
Usage
Hill-holder works best for those who are inexperienced with manual shift techniques, or in situations with heavy traffic in steep hilly conditions (ex. San Francisco, etc.).
However the same technique can be accomplished by a driver through the use of the manual parking brake lever, coordinated with the braking, clutching, shifting and acceleration.