Autotronics

Definition

The objective of this seminar report is to study the automobile application of autotronics and find its range of utilization and also to study how it will improve the performance of the vehicle. This report briefly describes a few automobile applications of autotronics mainly in following domains:

 Braking system
 Steering system
 Suspension system
 Transmission system
 Engine (fuel intake)

Autotronics is the blend of Automobile + Electronics. The advanced development of vehicles in the last few years was based mainly on electrical and electronic componentsand modules. There is no end in sight to this development. All main functional areas are strongly influenced by the field of electronics or even made possible by it: e.g. anti-lock brake systems, low emission and reduced fuel consumption through electronic motor management systems, anti-theft and electronic diagnosis systems.Analysts estimate that more than 80 percent of all automotive innovation now stems from electronics. For long-haul serial communication between various automotive subsystems such as anti-lock brakes, airbag deployment, engine Control, and GPS navigation, the CAN, LIN, and MOST protocols are the most popular serial buses implemented in today’s vehicles.

By definition, automotive Electronic systems are embedded mixed-signal systems because they feature multiple analog sensors and analog motor controls under digital control. For years, traditional oscilloscopes have been the primary tool-of choice among automotive electronic system design engineers.

Need:

To understand the phenomenal growth of the automotive electronics in Asia Pacific, we first need to understand the evolution of this industry on a global front. To improve efficiency of system communication and to reduce cost, all of today’s automotive designs employ a variety of serial bus communication protocols. The I 2C and SPI protocols are most often used for chip-to-chip communication within electronic control units (ECUs). For long-haul serial communication between various automotive subsystems such as anti-lock brakes, airbag deployment, engine Control, and GPS navigation, the CAN, LIN, and MOST protocols are the most popular serial buses implemented in today’s vehicles.

By definition, automotive Electronic systems are embedded mixed-signal systems because they feature multiple analog sensors and analog motor controls under digital control. For years, traditional oscilloscopes have been the primary tool-of choice among automotive electronic system design engineers to measure the quality of both analog and digital signals. But traditional analog and digital oscilloscopes have many limitations, including lack of complex serial triggering and limited input channels of acquisition. However, a new class of measurement tools called mixed signal oscilloscopes.

Braking System:

The demands made on braking systems are increasing steadily. Therefore, the development and introduction of an electronic braking system (EBS) is a logical step. EBS increases traffic safety through reduced stopping distance and improved brake stability. The full diagnosis and surveillance functions as well as the display of brake Lining wear offer an effective fleet logistics. By actuating the brake pedal the driver defines the deceleration request. The EBS ECU transmits this input electronically To all braking system components. The braking system's shorter response timesprovide a more comfortable and finelytunedbraking feeling, independent of thevehicle’s load situation. EBS provides the basis for the integration of further safety systems like e.g. WABCO ESC (Electronic Stability Control). ESC is a system which independently intervenes in critical driving situations and adjusts engine and brake control. Within physical limits, ESC protects vehicles from rollover, skidding, spinning and jack-knifing.

The EBS contains the following renowned functions:

Endurance brake integration

The braking system has an integrated brake management function which always regulates the endurance brake when the brake pedal is activated based on an optimum delay of the vehicle. Optimum service brake wear is attained through the distribution of endurance and service brake. This function is an important part of delay control. The integration of endurance brake can be deactivated via the switch.

Anti-lock braking system (ABS):

The control logic determines from the wheel rotation speed whether one or more wheels can be blocked and decides whether to decrease, maintain, or increase the braking pressure on it.

Traction control system (TCS)

Just like in the ABS function, while the vehicle is in motion, the electronic control system determines whether the wheels are in the stable area of the μ slip curve. In case of wheel-spin, the engine output and/or driving axle wheel braking is adjusted by the axle modulator via the CAN bus and engine control system. An activated traction control system is displayed on the functions display.

Brake lining wear control

When the brake is applied partially, the braking pressure distribution is adjusted, not withstanding the available wear signals, i.e. the detected wear difference. The pressure on the wheel brakes with more lining wear is reduced slightly, whereas the pressure on the wheel brakes with less lining wear is increased adequately, so that there is no change in the overall braking rate required by the driver.

Advantages of EBS

EBS reduces service costs considerably. -The electronic braking system has a lot of functions. The aim is to maximize braking safety at reduced costs, for instance by optimizing wheel brake lining wear. - Setting pressure, according to wear criteria, to the front and rear axle results in uniform lining wear. Overall wear is minimized by making the load on all wheel brakes uniform. Moreover, servicing and lining replacement are done at the same time. This reduces down-time costs.

Depending on the vehicle utilization profile and other factors, this also means considerable savings for the vehicle user. In terms of wheel brake service costs alone, a firsthand owner will save more money with an electronically braked bus than with a vehicle with a conventional braking system.

Automatic Traction Control (ATC) is integrated in EBS. EBS creates axlewise brake wear harmonization by performing slight braking pressure transfers from the axle with a higher degree of wear to the one with less wear. This promotes more even brake wear and increases vehicle operational time. In addition, non-wearing Brake control (retarder and engine brake) is integrated in the service brake application via the EBS brake management, ensuring a low overall brake wear . It is only used in case of malfunction in the electric section of the system. During trailer operation, automatic truck-trailer compatibility is provided. Truck-trailer compatibility control ensures that each vehicle unit brakes according to its individual weight. This results in an optimal coupling force between towing vehicle and trailer.

What is the difference between ABS & Traction Control?

• ABS

Manage the grip of the tires for braking maneuver

• Traction Control

Manage the grip of the tires for accelerating maneuver.

Conclusions:

A modern car may have up to 100 electronic control units and a commercial vehicle up to 40. With brilliant minds working in the auto industry, there are limitless possibilities to what the manufacturers will include in their products in the coming years. If we look to the technology and electronics that are being used in the military vehicles, we can often predict the services that will be in civilian vehicles in the near future. This tends to be a trend in the automobile industry and will likely continue as people always want and expect more from their cars.