Final answer:
Using an outside-inside-outside path through curves allows for maintaining a smoother trajectory, reducing tyre wear, and achieving higher speeds by increasing the curve's effective radius. In banked curves, this technique also supports the slope in countering centrifugal forces, enhancing vehicle stability.
Step-by-step explanation:
An outside-inside-outside path in traveling through curves is a technique often used in racing, which can also be applied to everyday driving for optimal control and efficiency. By starting on the outside of the curve, cutting to the inside during the apex, and then exiting on the outside, one maintains a smoother trajectory and can achieve higher speeds while using less steering input. This technique minimizes the sharpness of the curve, effectively increasing the radius, which allows for higher velocity. Furthermore, this method reduces unnecessary tyre wear and mechanical stress on the vehicle.
In the context of a banked curve, as seen in race tracks and highways, this design works in concert with the path technique. The slope of the bank helps to counteract the centrifugal force exerted on the vehicle, allowing even higher speeds through the curve without relying solely on tyre friction. The center of mass of the vehicle plays a crucial role in negotiating these curves effectively, as a lower center of mass helps maintain stability. Overall, the outside-inside-outside path minimizes cornering forces and maximizes vehicle control and speed through a turn.