Chassis dynamometer
“A testing facility equipped with rollers that measures the force and power delivered by a vehicle's wheels directly without removing the engine from the chassis.”
Synonyms by Register & Formality
Antonyms & Opposites
Nuance Analysis & Word Contrasts
Use 'chassis dynamometer' in technical, engineering, or legal documentation for utmost precision. In everyday automotive enthusiast contexts, it is almost universally shortened to 'dyno' or referred to as a 'rolling road' in British English. Unlike an engine dynamometer—which measures output directly from the crankshaft by removing the engine from the vehicle—a chassis dynamometer measures power at the drive wheels, accounting for drivetrain losses.
chassis dynamometer vs engine dynamometer
A chassis dynamometer measures power at the wheels through the vehicle's transmission system, whereas an engine dynamometer measures raw power directly at the engine's crankshaft in an isolated test cell.
chassis dynamometer vs rolling road
'Chassis dynamometer' is the technical and global term for the equipment, while 'rolling road' is the predominantly British colloquial equivalent describing the physical layout of the testing rig.