Car manufacturers are packing ever-more technology into the dashboard and under the bonnet of vehicles. Indeed, the global market for automotive electronics, which was worth $22.7bn two years ago, is expected to grow to $30.9bn by 2005. However, sensor manufacturers are under pressure to keep the cost of devices as low as possible, with each sensor costing on average just $7.
At a meeting of the Instrument Science and Technology Group of the Institute of Physics last November, physicists working in the automotive industry highlighted the challenges faced by the next generation of sensors.
According to Steve Prosser of TRW Automotive in Solihull, most sensors in modern cars monitor the speed of the wheels and the camshaft, as well as the position of the pedals. Other devices include oxygen sensors to check exhaust gases, accelerometers to detect any sudden sharp braking, and a range of pressure and temperature monitors.
Prosser explained that new sensor technologies will be needed, however, for collision-avoidance systems and so-called brake-by-wire and steer-by-wire systems in which the car is slowed and guided electronically, rather than manually. Moreover, alternative fuel sources, such as liquefied gases and hydrogen cells, will place further demands on existing sensor technology.
In the January issue of Physics World, Valerie Jamieson, Features Editor of the magazine, explains why the requirements for automotive sensors are so stringent.