Electronics that Make Your Car Smarter and Safer
In the digital age of information and connectivity,
one probably should not be surprised when things around us are made “smarter”
by the addition of electronic and digital components.
Sometimes, the innovations seem unnecessary,
for example who needs nose hair trimmers?
On the other hand, making everyday tools “smarter”
makes daily tasks both easier and safer.
Of all the things made “smarter” by electronics,
'smart' automobiles stand out as the most beneficial.
Car electronics make
things such as anti-lock braking systems (ABS) and traction control possible.
The amount of electronic devices manufacturers have added in their cars has increased greatly over the last
25 years.
In 1969 the Apollo 11 space craft traveled to the moon and back using a mere 150 kilobytes of onboard memory.
nowadays, we need at least 500 kilobytes just to work our CD players!
But being able to play music is a minor detail of what electronics can do to improve a car’s performance
to the benefit of its owners.
Telematics, the term used to refer to technology that involves communication systems within cars,
has been gaining more and more attention from car manufacturers over the past years.
During the mid-1990s, industry insiders predicted that telematics would be the
pivotal technology that would increase sales in the motor industry and, more importantly,
transform the industry into a major player in mobile technology.
These forecasts, however, fell short of what was predicted.
From a projection of over $40 billion dollars,
the figure has been whittled down to half as more conservative measures were considered.
Nevertheless, the development of this technology has not been abandoned.
The average cost of electronic systems in each car went up from $110 back in the early 1970s to almost $2000 today.
Each motor now has electronic devices to handle everything from engine performance to entertainment systems;
from security features to safety devices.
All of these work together to bring the customer a better performing car,
that is both safer and more comfortable.
What follows are descriptions of some electronic systems that reside in your car and how they work.
Controller Area Network (CAN)
There is not just one computer in your car, but by a network of them.
You’re probably familiar with LAN or Local Area Network, where many computers are linked to each other.
In a modern car, there is the CAN that links the many systems in your car and allows them communicate with each other.
Such interconnected systems would involve everything from critical systems like engine management,
anti-lock brakes and cruise control
to less-demanding applications like seat and window controls.
Car Safety Devices
Devices designed to protect a car’s passengers are generally divided into two categories:
active and passive safety devices.
Active safety devices refer to systems that constantly work to ensure a car’s passengers’ safety.
Examples of these are traction control (TCS),
dynamic steering response (DSR),
and acceleration slip regulation (ASR).
These systems may not be noticed by the average driver,
but they work by sensing road and driving conditions and then adjusting
the car’s performance accordingly to make the ride safer.
Passive safety devices are the more visible features for car safety,
but even these are controlled by electronics.
For instance, airbag deployment has seen a tremendous amount of improvements over the years.
Before, deployment was either too late or too early, and could be hazardous to the driver and passengers.
Now, with more advanced systems,
devices in your car are programmed to recognize conditions that lead to a high collision impact.
Systems like the airbag and seating adjustments are deployed to minimize impact and injury to the people inside the vehicle.
Fuel efficiency
With today’s sky-high fuel prices,
motor manufacturers have realized that the market is ripe for fuel-efficient vehicles.
Electronics play a major role in executing tasks that ensure efficient burning of fuel
such as with the electronic fuel injection system (EFI).
Electronic devices also allow the switching between gas and electric engines in hybrid cars.
The car of today is a different animal from that of a decade ago.
It has become more than just a means to get from point A to B;
it’s making the “getting there” as safe and as comfortable as possible.
These improvements have been largely facilitated by using advanced electronics.
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