Ways Sensor Technology is Transforming the Car's Design

The envisioned autonomous driving experience will ultimately be defined by the sensors of the next generation, which are now being developed.

FREMONT, CA: Sensors are now an integral component of any modern automotive design, providing a variety of functions. They play a crucial role in assisting automakers in bringing safer, more fuel-efficient, and more pleasant models to market. Over time, sensors will also enable higher levels of vehicle automation to the benefit of the industry.

Intelligent Observation

In addition, cognitive observability is required for an automobile to function autonomously to complete controllability and data processing. To achieve the goal of complete observability, cars must process a vast array of parametric data, such as velocity, current, pressure, temperature, positioning, proximity detection, gesture recognition, etc. Ultrasonic sensors and time-of-flight (ToF) cameras are now beginning to be incorporated in automobiles for proximity detection and gesture recognition, which have made significant advancements in recent years.

Ultrasonic Sensors

As vehicle automation advances, we are not only witnessing the application of new technology to the automotive industry for the first time but also the adaptation of existing automotive technologies to the unique requirements that autonomous driving will impose. Ultrasonic sensors are commonly installed in vehicle bumpers for parking assistance systems. Such sensors are now only expected to function at speeds below 10 km/h and cannot measure small distances with 100 percent precision. In an autonomous vehicle, however, these sensors might be used with radar, cameras, and other sensing technologies to measure distance.

Gesture Recognition

While ultrasonic sensor technology is utilized to study the exterior environment, ToF cameras focus on the vehicle's interior. As the shift to autonomous driving will be gradual, drivers must be able to switch from automated mode to manual mode in certain circumstances.

Currently, via their Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS), cars are only partially autonomous; nonetheless, human intervention may be necessary at anytime.