Automotive & motorsport W


ith more than 30 million cars on our roads, safety continues to be an area of focus for further innovation and development in the


automotive industry. As a result, modern vehicles find themselves host to a variety of sensors, monitoring the car and alerting its occupants when anything is amiss. So how do these technologies work, and what makes them so important?


KEEPING TYRES ON TRACK Tyre pressure monitoring systems, or TPMS, have been a legal requirement in passenger vehicles sold in the EU since 2014. These monitor the air pressure inside the tyre in order to detect if the pressure falls below safe levels. TPMS is a valuable safety tool to reduce the risk of tyre blowouts, but it also helps improve fuel efficiency and tyre lifespan, both of which can be affected by under-inflated tyres.


There are two types of TPMS sensor - indirect and direct. Indirect sensors estimate the tyre pressure based on information from the vehicle’s anti-lock braking system. Under- inflated tyres will result in the wheels moving at different speeds, which is something that the indirect sensor is able to detect. But because it cannot accurately determine an absolute pressure value, it can be slow to register


Nils Bohlin, an engineer at Volvo, introduced the three-point seatbelt back in 1959. His invention, combined with UK legislation to make seatbelt wearing mandatory, is estimated to have saved thousands of lives. The seatbelt is just one example of a safety aid, but as our vehicles get more and more complex, what other technologies are being used? Here, Richard Mount, director of sales at ASIC design and supply company Swindon Silicon Systems explains the role of ASICs within vehicle safety.


24 February 2024 Instrumentation Monthly


Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7  |  Page 8  |  Page 9  |  Page 10  |  Page 11  |  Page 12  |  Page 13  |  Page 14  |  Page 15  |  Page 16  |  Page 17  |  Page 18  |  Page 19  |  Page 20  |  Page 21  |  Page 22  |  Page 23  |  Page 24  |  Page 25  |  Page 26  |  Page 27  |  Page 28  |  Page 29  |  Page 30  |  Page 31  |  Page 32  |  Page 33  |  Page 34  |  Page 35  |  Page 36  |  Page 37  |  Page 38  |  Page 39  |  Page 40  |  Page 41  |  Page 42  |  Page 43  |  Page 44  |  Page 45  |  Page 46  |  Page 47  |  Page 48  |  Page 49  |  Page 50  |  Page 51  |  Page 52  |  Page 53  |  Page 54  |  Page 55  |  Page 56  |  Page 57  |  Page 58  |  Page 59  |  Page 60  |  Page 61  |  Page 62  |  Page 63  |  Page 64  |  Page 65  |  Page 66  |  Page 67  |  Page 68  |  Page 69  |  Page 70  |  Page 71  |  Page 72  |  Page 73  |  Page 74  |  Page 75  |  Page 76  |  Page 77  |  Page 78  |  Page 79  |  Page 80