| Term | Definition |
| AEC-Q100 | Qualification in automobiles. Altera is an active member of the AEC council, which governs this standard. |
| AUTOSAR | Automotive System Architecture consortium was established to define an open standard for automotive E/E architecture. It serves as a basic infrastructure for the management of functions within both future applications and standard software modules. |
| Active Noise control (ANC) | To eliminate air intake noise in the engine, a loudspeaker installed in the intake system is used to generate a sound wave of the same amplitude but opposite phase. (It cancels out the unpleasant sound.) |
| Adaptive Cruise control (ACC) | The ACC system scans the area ahead of a car for objects - mainly other cars - and applies the brakes automatically if a collision is likely to occur. |
| Advanced Airbags (SRS - Supplemental Restraint System) | Dual stage front airbags that deploy according to the occupant. Driver airbags deploys according to seat position. Passenger airbag deploys according to seat position and occupant weight and turns off if the system determines the passenger would be at risk. |
| Advanced Driver Information systems | A combination of infrastructure and in-vehicle displays that communicate information to the driver (both emergency and general information) |
| Advanced mobile phone system (ABS) | Keeps the tires from locking while braking. The car can still be handled without losing control. |
| Alloy Wheel | A lighter weight and more expensive wheel usually made of aluminum (or other) alloy instead of stamped steel. The lighter weight is an advantage on sports cars where the car maker tries to increase performance by minimizing the weight. Alloy wheels certainly look nicer and and that is why they are used on many cars such as Subaru's Legacy Outback and GT and Forester S models |
| Autoclave | A sealable high-pressure container used for polymerization and in tire production. |
| Automated clearance sensing (ACS) | Commercial vehicle operations (CVO) technology used to help large vehicles negotiate low or limited clearance objects such as bridges and viaducts. |
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