Lighter, cheaper, fully active—can Domin's suspension outperform McLaren's and Ferrari's setups?

It's tough to beat the power of a hydraulic suspension, as TikTok reelz of chrome-bedecked lowriders bouncing up and over onto their roofs can attest.

- Frank Markus Technical Director

But hydraulic technology hasn't progressed much since the 1950s. It still relies mostly on a central pressure source feeding a network of steel tubes that remain vulnerable to pinching, crimping, corrosion, and leaks. British firm Domin Limited reckons it has a better approach.

What if hydraulic pressure was generated and managed right where it was needed, using tiny, high-precision electric pumps, valves, and accumulators? (Kind of the opposite of what's happening to onboard computing, where cars are transitioning away from dozens or hundreds of tiny computers to a centralized computer model.) Electrons are lighter than oil molecules, as are the “pipes” they run in. So why not connect suspension corners electrically and electronically, while isolating the oil to precisely where it's needed?

Domin already supplies electrohydraulic actuators for theme park animatronics, marine diesel engines, plus timber processing, injection molding, and die-casting equipment. Now it's looking to break into aviation and automobiles. In a Boeing 777, Domin claims switching to its actuators could eliminate 1.2 miles of hydraulic pipes, saving 2,200 pounds of weight and halving the actuation energy expended. In car suspensions, the promise is a low-energy, active/adaptive, height-adjustable suspension that's light and affordable.

How It Works