Safety and comfort in automobiles are dependent on the components of the chassis system: the suspension, brakes and steering.
Suspension systems today utilise acceleration sensors, adaptive and semi-active damping devices that help reduce vehicle vibration and maintain roll angle. They sense hydraulic pressure, linear and lateral accelerations, road surface quality etc., while doing so. Braking systems are moving towards brake-by-wire technology: which eliminate brake fluids, and hydraulic circuits. The braking force is generated directly at each wheel by high performance electric motors. Similarly, new steering technology is incorporating “steer by wire” or “drive by wire” systems, that completely eliminate the mechanical and hydraulic systems between the steering wheel and steering. These electronic sensors tell the car what the driver is doing with the wheel, and provide the driver with feedback on what the car is doing. The sensors' outputs are used to control a motorized steering system. This eliminates the steering shaft, and reduces vibration inside the car.
By Gene Frantz, Texas Instruments Smart, programmable cameras with a high degree of analytical intelligence will be the workhorses that enable the next generation of applications for the security and automotive markets to name just a couple. The technology will be in place. Are we ready for it as human beings?