"Suck, squeeze, bang, blow. These are the four cycles of the reciprocating, internal-combustion engine (ICE) Nikolaus Otto patented in the 19th century. The action of the intake valves that allow an engine to breathe and the exhaust valves that let it expel spent gases were, until very recently, defined by a shaft of eccentric lobes rotating twice as fast as the engine’s crankshaft.

 

Cams still spin twice as fast as the crank in the modern engine, but advances like camshaft phasing, or changing the relative opening and closing of valves in relation to the crank position, thus improving efficiency and performance, are commonplace. Honda’s VTEC actually changes the cam profile, increasing valve-event duration and lift at high rpm. BMW and Nissan have variable intake-valve lift systems that actually control the amount of intake air, as opposed to a physical throttle."

http://blog.caranddriver.com/koenigseggs-camshaft-less-engine-explained-watch-it-in-action-video/

Edited January 14, 201610 yr by ccap41

Pretty gosh dang impressive if you ask me! The one thing that scares me is knowing there are even MORE electronics under the hood.

That is very cool, but I wonder what the life would be on these electronic valves? Could you go hundreds of thousands of miles like you can on a traditional chain driven pushrod engine?

It also seems like there could be an insane amount of tune-ability with something like this. 

Very true, if the modules can withstand the extreme heat / torture of the engine, then the tun-ability would allow amazing things to happen.