ADVANCED CAR SENSORS
| Subject: | 💻 Technology |
| Type: | Informative Essay |
| Pages: | 4 |
| Word count: | 1162 |
| Topics: | 🚗 Electric Cars, Innovation, Transportation |
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Table of Contents
Introduction
The automotive industry has undergone an immense transformation in the recent dispensation. The advancement in technology in the twentieth century is a remarkable contribution to the engineering work. The car manufacturing is one of the beneficiaries of this digital technology. The complexity that is involved in the modern car manufacturing calls for technological input. Most of the modern cars have got many electronic units that are put in place to guarantee safety, convenience, and efficient performance. Sensors are required to ensure swift control of these systems. A sensor is a mechanical or electrical device whose primary purpose is responding to the physical surrounding or environment. The environment in question can be pressure, motion, light, moisture, heat or any other stimulus that is physical. This paper will put into perspective some of the advanced sensors used in modern cars.
Smart Car Sensors
Proximity Sensor
There are different varieties of sensors that enable cars to function. In the modern era; cars are fitted with advanced sensors to guarantee safety to the users. One of the advanced car sensors is proximity sensors. This sensor is electronic, and it helps in identifying objects that are close to the vehicle. It can sense the objects without physical contact. When a car is fitted with this sensor, it is possible to detect the surrounding environment for safety purposes. Proximity sensors release electromagnetic radiations into the nearby environment (Hornung, 2009). These radiations are meant to identify any object in the area covered. After the radiations have been released, the response of a return signal is very paramount in analysing the environment. If there is an object in the vicinity, then a signal is sent back to the sensor to alert the users of the car to take precaution. The object that is being detected is referred to as the sensor target.
Different proximity sensors can be used depending on the target object. If the target object is made of plastic, then the proximity sensor that is used is a photoelectric sensor. The use of photoelectric sensor implies that the radiations being released by the photoelectric sensor can be able to detect plastic objects. The other proximity sensor is referred to as inductive proximity sensor. This sensor is specifically meant to identify metallic objects in the nearby environment (Hornung, 2009). The radiations that are released into the air by the inductive sensor are always aimed at a metal target. Proximity sensors are durable because they do not have mechanical components. They do not require physical contact with the target objects. Depending on how one intends to use them, proximity sensors can be adjusted to any range.
Ultrasonic Sensor
The other advanced sensor used in cars is referred to as ultrasonic sensors. This sensor is meant to identify the distance between the car and the target object by the use of sound waves. The sensor uses ultrasonic waves to establish the range. The ultrasonic sensor releases waves into the air to detect how far the object is from the vehicle. After releasing the wave, the sensor receives a reflection from the target object. The distance between the sensor and the object is measured by the time taken from the emission of the wave and the reception from the target object (Parvis, 2001). This sensor is made up of one ultrasonic element that is responsible for both emissions of the waves and its reception. It means that the same part that releases the wave for detecting the distance is also intended for the reception of the feedback from the target object. The ultrasonic sensor is not affected by dust or mist, and it is capable of detecting transparent objects. The distance between the sensor and the object is calculated by multiplying the time taken with the speed of the wave.
Mass air Flow Sensor
It is an electronic component that is part of a vehicle’s injection system. The primary purpose of the mass air flow sensor is to measure the level of air going into the engine. It is strategically placed between the engine and the air filter of the vehicle. This sensor measures or determines the air that is allowed to enter into the engine. There are different types of mass air flow sensors, but the most advanced one is called hot wire air flow sensor. This advanced sensor comprises an electric wire which is hot. The other thing that makes up this sensor is a temperature sensor placed next to the hot wire (Turner, 2009). The primary purpose of the temperature sensor is to detect the air temperature around the wire. When the engine does not have much activity, then the air that is allowed inside is minimal, and this is proportionate to the electrical flow keeping the wire hot. As a consequence, the amount of air allowed in the engine is equivalent to the electrical flow that is meant to retain the hotness of the wire.
Crankshaft Position Sensor
The other modern or advanced sensor found in modern cars is referred to as crankshaft position sensor. This sensor is essential for the operations of the engine and fuel injection. The crankshaft position sensor is electric, and it checks the rotation speed and the exact location of the engine. This sensor helps the engine of the vehicle, especially during ignition (Turner, 2009). The absence of this sensor affects the engine of the vehicle.
This sensor is fitted in different locations depending on the type of the car. In some vehicles, the crankshaft position sensor is placed next to the harmonic balancer. Whereas in other cars the sensor is fitted in the engine cylinder. The position of the sensor does not matter, but the function of the sensor is what is of great importance to the car. The sensor is situated in a manner that the reluctor wheel rotates near the sensor. There is a voltage signal that is always produced the moment the rotation goes on.
The Future of Car Sensors
The future of car sensors is promising because the manufacturing companies are not just designing cars for only one purpose but several purposes. The way the technology of mobile phones has developed over the years, so is the technology of car sensors. Many modern vehicles are being designed with numerous sensors to make them function efficiently and safe (Meyer, 2010). In modern cars, the advanced sensors are not just being fitted for the sake of the movement of the vehicle, but also for the detection of the immediate environment. The more technology advances, the more sensors are increasing in cars.
Conclusion
Vehicles are meant for multipurpose functions in the society. The efficiency and safety of any vehicle depend on the sensors that are fitted in the car. There are many sensors in cars, and they tend to have various functions. As time goes by there will always be an advancement in vehicle sensor that will make cars more efficient. Several modern vehicles are being designed with sensors to make them function effectively and efficiently.
- Hornung, M., 2009. Micro machined ultrasound-based proximity sensors. New York: Springer
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- Meyer, G., 2010. Advanced microsystems for automotive applications. New York : Springer.
- Parvis, C., 2001. An ultrasonic sensor for distance measurement in automotive applications. IEEE Sensors Journal, 1 (2), pp. 143.
- Turner, J., 2009. Automotive sensors. New Jersey: Momentum press.
Offered for reference purposes only.