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Safe and Smart Automotive Electronics

02.13.2009 · Posted in Home and Garden Articles

In this age of information and technology, everything around us is smarter. New digital and electronic components make our lives easier and safer at home, in the office and on the road. nnSome of life’s bells and whistles, like nose hair trimmers, are no more than budget-grabbing gizmos. However there are many intelligent tools that can bring convenience and safety to our daily tasks. nnOur enormous world of “smart” technology is ruled by new automotive electronics. Anti-lock brakes, electronic stability control and other indispensable features are excellent examples of smart and safe automotive electronics. nnRecent developments within the automotive industry have brought about a huge increase in the number of electronic devices installed at assembly plants. To give you an idea of how quickly cars have evolved electronically, the Apollo 11 space craft traveled to the moon and back using a mere 150 kilobytes of onboard memory. It’s remarkable to consider that the typical CD player uses a whopping 500 kilobytes, simply to keep our favorite songs from skipping. Enjoying uninterrupted music is a small fraction of how electronics have impacted a car’s performance in order to benefit drivers. nnTelematics is the term used for the technology that involves automobile communication systems. The term was originally used to describe the blending 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.nnIn reality, these optimistic forecasts panned out to be a little less than initially predicted. As more conservative measures came in to play, the initial industry projection of more than $40 billion dollars has been whittled nearly in half. nnNevertheless, that is by no means an indication that the development of this telematics technology has been or will be abandoned. 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. This huge increase in spending is reflected in everything from engine performance to entertainment systems, security features to safety devices. Every component of the vehicle works together to provide automobiles that perform better, are more comfortable, and ultimately safer to drive. nnHere are some of the most common safe and smart automotive electronics systems:nnCAN, or Controller Area Network nnMore than one computer runs your car. There is actually a network of computers called the Controller Area Network (CAN). Like a LAN (Local Area Network) that’s commonly used in home and business computers, the CAN links computers together. In your vehicle, the CAN basically links the many separate computer systems together and allows them communicate with each other. These interconnected systems involve everything from critical systems like engine management, cruise control and anti-lock brakes and cruise control, to less-demanding applications like automatic window and seat controls.nnGreater Fuel EfficiencynnFuel prices have skyrocketed and forced automotive manufacturers to appreciate the need for fuel-efficient vehicles and meet the growing demand. Wise manufacturers use automotive electronics to create more efficient burning of fuel. This is evident in common electronic fuel injection systems (EFIs). In hybrid vehicles, the technology goes one step further. Electronic devices allow the driver to automatically switch between gas and electric engines. nnSafety DevicesnnThere are two types of devices designed to protect the safety of the driver and passengers: active and passive devices.nn* Active: These devices never stop working to ensure the safety of the driver and passengers. DSR (dynamic steering response), TCS (traction control) and ASR (acceleration slip regulation) are all examples of active safety devices. You may not notice these systems in operation, but they’re always working to create a safer ride. Active devices can sense the road and driving conditions and adjust your car’s performance accordingly. Researchers have credited ESC (electronic stability control) with reducing single vehicle skids.nn* Passive: While more visible and seemingly simpler, passive devices are also controlled by smart and safe automotive electronics. Developments in electronics and technology have improved the deployment of airbags tremendously over the years. Airbags in early-model cars would deploy too soon or too late and provided little or no benefit to the driver and passengers. Now, cars have more advanced systems that can actually sense conditions that may lead to a high collision impact. Seating adjustment and airbag systems are automatically deployed to minimize the impact and decrease the degree of injury to driver and passengers. nnConsider the safety advancements over just a decade, and you’ll agree that today’s cars are miles above their predecessors. Modern automobiles offer so much more than a ride from “here” to “there”. Smart automotive electronics make every trip as comfortable, secure and safe as possible.

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