Mechatronics in Vehicles

Case Study

Yogeesh Sharma
1282, 7 MAE – 2
A2305407096
The extent to which mechatronic systems have penetrated the modern motor vehicle is
often not realised. Some examples are:

Engine Management
A breakthrough in engine efficiency and reliability was achieved by the replacement of
traditional mechanical ignition timing and fuel delivery systems with software-based
engine management. An important side effect of processor-controlled engine
management is the ability to diagnose and log system faults which can then be
downloaded by garage mechanics to guide repair and maintenance. One example is the
routine performance of “reasonableness” checks on sensor output data.

More advanced systems can compensate for system errors to keep the vehicle
operational, often at reduced performance levels until proper repairs can be carried out.

Suspension
Although not yet standard in most vehicles, mechatronics has enabled the production of
active suspension systems that can optimise comfort and road holding by making subtle
real-time adjustments to suspension geometry in response to displacement sensors and
accelerometers. Some cars are now fitted with user-adjustable suspension settings so
that the driver can choose between „sport‟ or „comfort‟ settings as well as tyre pressure
monitors.

Brakes
Virtually all cars are now fitted with an Anti-lock Brake Systems (ABS). The system
constantly monitors the rotational velocity of each of the four wheels on a vehicle. They
are empowered to reduce the braking effort on an individual wheel if it is sensed that it
is about to lock and hence induce a skid. Closely related systems are „traction control‟
which prevents wheel spin and „stability control‟, which as the name suggests, can
intervene and override driver input if the overall stability of the vehicle is threatened.
Transmission
An increasing number of automatic and semi-automatic transmission systems use
highly complex processing to generate smooth gear changes whilst optimising both
performance and economy. In addition to giving the driver an element of choice over the
degree of „sportiness‟, some advanced systems claim to „learn‟ the driving style of the
user and provide the required responsiveness.

Air Bags
Air bags and other defensive mechanisms such as seat-belt tensioners are increasingly
recognised as essential for mitigating the effects of collisions. Air bag technology has
changed from being an extra item on expensive cars to a standard item on everyday
cars, and the number of such devices per car has increased significantly. Whereas a
single air-bag utilised a simple inertial sensor to trigger its actuation, multiple air-bag
systems use a dedicated controller to coordinate the most appropriate response in a
crash.

Security
The majority of cars are now fitted with an integrated access and security system that
includes remote central locking together with alarm and engine immobilisation in the
event of unauthorised entry. A common facility is „keyless entry‟ whereby Bluetooth
technology is used to identify an approaching owner. Increasingly, cars are also being
fitted with hidden GPS-based tracking devices to locate the vehicle in the event of theft.

Comfort, Communications and Entertainment

These are the areas where car users are most aware of the impact of mechatronic
systems. Climate control senses the internal temperature and adjusts heater, air
conditioning and fan levels to maintain desired pre-set conditions. The driver‟s seat
position is remembered and automatically adjusted to suit a new driver based on data
stored in the car keys. The volume of the radio increases to compensate for increased
road noise as the vehicle accelerates. Telephone calls can be voice activated and the
entertainment system detects incoming phone calls and mutes the music accordingly.
Driver Aids and Information
The driver is increasingly supported by many advice and guidance systems. Lights and
wipers contain sensors that switch them on and off to suit the weather and road
conditions. Warning and advice are provided on such matters as frost on the road,
coolant level and service interval. Parking sensors provide drivers with an audible
warning to prevent a collision during reversing. A trip computer gives information on fuel
consumption and average speed, and cruise-control monitors vehicle speed and sends
commands to the engine management system to maintain a desired speed under
varying road conditions. GPS navigation systems communicate with satellites and
provide the driver with detailed navigation instructions, congestion, and accident black-
spot warnings. When an air bag is deployed, an automated call can be placed to an
emergency processing centre and a conversation with the driver initiated so that
emergency vehicles can be despatched as appropriate.

The Mechatronic Solution to Engine

Management

The first component to be replaced by mechatronics was the troublesome

contact breaker points. From the 1970s onwards, these were replaced by a non-contact
sensor inside the distributor that consisted of a rotating toothed armature (one tooth for
each cylinder) that induces a signal from an electromagnetic transponder each time a
tooth passes in front of it. This signal was then sent to an electronic ignition control unit
that triggered the firing of the coil and hence the spark. This simple innovation produced
a stronger and more reliable spark and removed the need for the replacement and
maintenance of points. At this stage, the mechanical centrifugal and vacuum advance
systems remained. The real revolution came in the mid-1980s when advances in
electronic fuel injection and microprocessor technology enabled complete control over
both ignition and fuel delivery to be contained within a single Engine Control Unit (ECU).
This allows for a much clearer separation between sensing, processing and actuation in
accordance with mechatronic principles. Both the distributor and the carburettor have
now become redundant.

Sensors
Crankshaft and camshaft sensors generally consist of toothed wheel armatures passing
an electromagnetic Hall Effect sensor. By counting the pulses, the ECU can evaluate
firstly engine speed in rpm, and secondly, the actual current position of the pistons and
the stage in the four-stroke cycle. The armatures generally contain a missing tooth so
that the ECU can identify this and synchronise with a specific piston position. Because
the crankshaft rotates twice within each four-stroke cycle and it is important for the ECU
to know the current stage of the cycle, some indication is also required from the
camshaft as to which spark plug is about to fire.
A knock sensor is essentially a microphone fitted to part of the engine block to listen for
the distinctive sound of engine knocking, indicating that the spark is too far advanced.
The microphone is associated with a bandpass filter to identify the relevant knocking
frequencies and inform the ECU.

A Lamda or oxygen sensor is placed in the exhaust system to measure any unburnt
oxygen in the waste gasses. They are primarily used to control the air/fuel mix ratio as
richer fuel mixes tend to burn quicker, requiring less ignition advance. A lambda sensor
contains a ceramic layer which produces a current in the presence of excess oxygen.
This current can then be detected by the ECU. They only work effectively when hot, and
hence the ECU may be told to ignore the output when the exhaust system is cold. In
order to reduce the waiting time, some sensors are fitted with heaters and are known as
Heated Exhaust Gas Oxygen sensors or HEGOs.

A throttle position sensor is a simple rotary potentiometer usually connected to the end
of the butterfly valve in the air induction system. Knowing the degree to which the valve
is open gives the ECU a good indication of the driver‟s intensions. By looking at
direction of movement and rates of change of the valve, the ECU can determine if the
vehicle is accelerating, decelerating or cruising; all of which influence ignition timing and
fuel ratio.

The mass air flow sensor (MAF) is contained in the air induction system and provides
information on the mass of air entering the engine which is obviously key to determining
the appropriate amount of fuel to inject. The sensor consists of a heated wire element
that is maintained at constant temperature in the varying air flow. The current required
to maintain this temperature is directly proportional to the mass of air flowing. Earlier
sensors measured volume of flow, but as the density of air reduces with temperature,
additional temperature information was required to calculate the mass of air with
sufficient accuracy.

A water temperature sensor allows the ECU to detect a cold start and hence enrich the
fuel. The normal fuel mixture is then adopted when the temperature reaches a pre-set
value.

Actuators
Ignition coils still provide the high voltage for the spark plugs, but in the absence of a
distributor, modern systems often use individual coils for each plug or pair of plugs. The
triggering signal comes directly from the ECU. Fuel Injectors add a spray of fuel through
a nozzle to the incoming air flow in order to achieve the appropriate air/fuel mix ratio.
Current practice is to use one injector per cylinder, all of which are fed by a constant-
pressure fuel line. Variation in the amount of fuel added is determined by very precise
control over the time that the injector valve is opened on each induction cycle. The
opening of the valve is affected by a signal from the ECU that powers a solenoid within
the injector. Closure is by means of a return spring and the fuel line pressure.
Processing
The ECU generally takes the form of a module within the engine compartment. The
module contains:
• All the electronics for receiving and conditioning the signals from the sensors;
• A powerful processor for interpreting the signals and determining the outputs;
• Output circuits and amplifiers for driving the ignition coils and fuel injectors.
In addition, the ECU will contain a fault memory that can be read when the vehicle is
serviced.

Conclusion
Consideration was given to three automotive mechatronic systems. The first two,
electronic ignition and electronic fuel injection, are integrated within the engine
management system. They provide examples of how the superior performance of
mechatronics displaced traditional (and relatively unreliable) electrical and mechanical
systems. This is typical of the mechatronic process. It first supplants traditional
technologies and then offers vastly increased functionality because of the flexibility
afforded by software control.