Self-sufficiency seems to be the name of the game in the war unleashed around the chipan insignificant electronic element that is becoming a great source of contention between world powers due to the power represented by ‘artificial intelligence’, from which vehicles are increasingly drawing.
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In fact, The chip was blamed for the vehicle shortages suffered in the years after the pandemic, and it was even said that the brands were full of half-assembled models due to the shortage of that element. A phenomenon that, according to experts, increased due to the multiplication of demand for electronic devices and computers when companies confined their workers to working from home.
In the 1970s it began to be implemented in transistorized ignition that sent the spark signal to the coils and these to the spark plugs.
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old story
In the 1970s it began to be implemented in the transistorized ignition that sent the spark signal to the coils and these to the spark plugs, and whose subsequent evolution gave rise to the fully electronic ignition that we know today, which caused the definitive disappearance of two headaches: the distributor and the platinums.
Then, in the early 1980s, security mechanisms governed by more sophisticated computers appeared, which gave rise to the arrival of active security devices that are now the norm throughout the world, such as ABS brakes or stability and traction controls, and passive, such as airbags, which today have multiplied throughout the cabin.
Airbags.
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We no longer talk about mechanical or hydraulic steering, but electromechanicala condition that allows the system to be programmed to, for example, ‘harden’ the steering wheel as the vehicle accelerates or when driving modes are chosen that alter its behavior, in addition to that of the transmission, which is no longer mechanical, but ‘sequential’ (although, in a strict sense, every gearbox is sequential, since it goes from one gear to another in strict numerical sequence).
Even the description of the transmissions in the technical sheet is today accompanied by pompous commercial names, such as Skyactiv, Speedshift, Shift by wire or Stronic, all referring to their association with the vehicle’s electronics. This allows the driver actions that were unthinkable until recently, such as choosing between automatic or manual driving, the latter being operable from the helm in more and more models in all segments, or altering its operation according to the intended use. give to the vehicle.
The ‘ADAS’
– Tire pressure: It warns if a tire has low pressure and poses a danger to continuing to circulate, and thus prevents skidding or alterations in steering efficiency and stability.
– Unbuckled belt: It detects if the driver or passengers have not clicked on the seat belt safety mechanism and does not activate if it does not perceive an increase in weight in the co-pilot position.
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– Fatigue detector: uses the analysis of the driver’s behavior on issues such as the speed with which the steering wheel moves, the zigzag, the pressure of the hands on the steering wheel or the movement of the eyes, and recommends stopping and resting through a warning on the dashboard.
– Ascent control: It is activated when the vehicle starts driving on a steep climb, as is Autohold, which does the same by using a control on the center console. They are especially useful on steep streets. Spreading your right foot between the brake and the accelerator and using the handbrake to avoid rolling backwards is a thing of the past.
Advanced Driver Assistance Systems.
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– Lights: Currently, most vehicles do not turn off their light bulbs thanks to the DRL daytime running lights (Daylight Running Lights) units armed with low-power LED technology that, in the process, contribute to the exterior design. They are complemented by the front LED headlights, which are activated when the surrounding lighting decreases, adjust their position according to that of the bodywork and alter their intensity so as not to dazzle the vehicle approaching from the front. Say goodbye to halogen bulbs and ‘explorers’.
– Cross traffic alert: It warns by means of an alarm of the presence of objects while performing reversing maneuvers, and in the most sophisticated systems, it applies the brake decisively if it does not heed its warning.
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– Automatic parking: From the head turned 180 degrees and the eyes pointing to all sides, we moved to the 360-degree camera, made up of four lenses located around the frame to see what is happening in the environment without dislocating the body from the chair. It is complemented by a simulated aerial view and autonomous parking aids, which operate the accelerator, brake and even steering in the most advanced systems.
– Vehicle control: ABS brakes were followed by other control systems such as brake distribution, which chooses which tire requires the most attention; the stability control dedicated to avoiding skidding when crossing decisively and the traction control, which defines which tire requires more torque on uneven floors. Also, descent control to go down sand or mud ramps without having to apply the brake in order not to run the risk of ‘falling off’. The vehicle takes care of everything, but it’s actually the processors and chips.
– Adaptive cruise control: Not only does it reach a speed limit chosen so as not to exceed limits, but it accelerates and brakes as the vehicle in front does. In the most sophisticated ones, it ‘reads’ traffic signs to issue warnings to the driver and avoid accidents or fines.
MANUEL ORDUZ – EDITORIAL CHIEF OF MOTOR MAGAZINE
