TECHNICAL FOUNDATIONS OF ELECTRIC DRIVE, DIGITAL DOCUMENTATION AND SAFETY MODERNIZATION IN BRINGING RETRO AUTOMOBILES BACK TO LIFE

The article analyzes the process of bringing retro automobiles back to life in terms of restoration, electrification, digital documentation and safety modernization in automotive engineering. The purpose of the study is to substantiate the possibilities of improving energy efficiency, environmental indicators and traffic safety while preserving authenticity when returning historically valuable passenger cars to operation. The methodology used literature analysis, structural-diagnostic criteria, a computational energy model and a life-cycle approach. The results showed that in a retro automobile converted to electric drive, operating costs under urban conditions decrease significantly, direct exhaust gases are eliminated, and the reliability of the restoration process increases through digital passportization. However, battery placement, mass distribution, high-voltage protection and homologation requirements should be regarded as mandatory technical control.