Smart and safe automotive electronics

 

We live in an age of information and technology that has made everything around us smarter. Electronic and digital components have made life easier in our homes, offices, and automobiles.

Some of life's conveniences, such as nose hair trimmers, are merely expensive gadgets. However, there are many intelligent tools that can bring convenience and safety to our daily tasks. 

The automotive electronics market dominates the vast world of "smart" technology. Indispensable features such as anti-lock braking systems and electronic stability control are perfect examples of smart and safe automotive electronics.

Recent advancements by industry experts have led to a significant surge in the quantity of electronic devices installed in automotive plants. Just to give you an idea of how quickly cars have evolved electronically, the Apollo 11 spacecraft traveled to the moon and back using a mere 150 kilobytes of onboard memory. It's remarkable to think that the typical CD player uses a whopping 500 kilobytes just to keep our favorite songs from skipping. Listening to uninterrupted music is just one example of how electronics have improved a car's performance to benefit drivers.

The technology that involves automobile communication systems is known as telematics. Originally, the term described the merging of telecommunications and informatics, or information technology. This industry has been gaining more and more attention from car manufacturers over the past years. In the mid-1990s, industry insiders predicted that telematics would become "the" go-to technology, increasing overall sales and, more importantly, transforming the automotive industry into a major player in mobile technology. In reality, these forecasts fell short of expectations. After considering more conservative measures, the industry reduced its initial projection of over $40 billion dollars to half.

However, this does not imply that we have abandoned or will abandon the development of this telematics technology. In fact, on average, automobile manufacturers spend $2000 on electronic systems for every vehicle that comes off the line—an incredible increase from the $110-per-car budget of the early 1970s. Everything from engine performance to entertainment systems, security features, and safety devices reflects this significant increase in spending. Every component of the vehicle works together to provide automobiles that perform better, are more comfortable, and ultimately are safer to drive.

Here are some of the most common smart and safe automotive electronics:

Controller Area Network 
More than one computer runs your car. There is actually a network of computers called the Controller Area Network (CAN). The CAN connects computers, similar to the LAN (local area network) commonly found in home and business computers. In your vehicle, the CAN essentially connects various computer systems and enables them to communicate with each other. These interconnected systems involve everything from critical systems like engine management, cruise control, and anti-lock brakes to less demanding applications like automatic window and seat controls.

Fuel Efficiency
Skyrocketing fuel prices have forced automotive manufacturers to realize the need for fuel-efficient vehicles and to meet that demand. Smart automotive electronics, like the electronic fuel injection system (EFI), facilitate more efficient fuel burning. Hybrid vehicles utilize advanced technology, incorporating electronic devices that enable the driver to seamlessly transition between gas and electric engines.

Safety Devices
There are generally two categories of devices designed to protect the safety of the driver and passengers: active and passive safety devices.

* Active safety devices: These are systems that constantly work to ensure the safety of drivers and passengers. Examples of active safety devices are dynamic steering response (DSR), traction control (TCS), and acceleration slip regulation (ASR). While the average driver may not notice these systems at work, they are constantly sensing road and driving conditions and adjusting the car's performance accordingly to create a safer ride. Researchers have demonstrated that Electronic Stability Control significantly enhances safety by minimizing single vehicle skids.

* Passive safety devices: Smart and safe automotive electronics control these features, despite their increased visibility and perceived simplicity. Thanks to developments in electronics and technology, airbag deployment has seen a tremendous amount of improvement over the years. Early airbags would deploy too early or too late, offering little or no benefit to the driver and passengers. More sophisticated systems have now designed devices in your car to adapt to situations that may result in a severe collision. We deploy airbag and seating adjustment systems to minimize impact and reduce the degree of injury to the people inside the vehicle.

Consider the progress in just a decade, and you'll concur that today's cars are significantly different from their predecessors. Modern automobiles offer more than simply a means of getting from point A to point B. Smart and safe automotive electronics make "getting there" as comfortable and as secure as possible.

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