More Automotive Electronics to Test

It's not so much the testing that will be the issue. Where will the radio spectrum come from? How will un-intended interactions be avoided? What will happen when a device malfunctions and say sends out false data? Who is going to supervise all these things? How will these cope when a battery goes flat. An alternator goes faulty? Relying on too many devices could just prove too much to cope with. The number of fault indicators could need too much space on the dashboard. Do we rely too much on technology to get us out of trouble?

Exactly!

We had a problem a few months back with some contaminated petrol.

There wasn't a REAL problem!

But the contamination screwed up the oxygen sensors in the exhaust so the engine management put the engines into automotive 'safe mode' and people had to spend big money on a new sensor!

Classic! Complicated to the point of uselessness!

One might anticipate the low power (short range) wireless interfaces (even off-vehicle) would be implementations of the IEEE 802.15.4 "Personal Area Network" (PAN) standard or perhaps the longer range, more powerful Zigbee protocol extension of PAN. These have various useful characteristics. Network implementation is ad hoc - called a "mesh" network. When a new node appears it is incorporated as a routine function of the ntework. No outside interaction required. Very powerful ability. Issues of latency are addressed and optimized. Stndby mode draws almost no current. PAN is narrow band but remarkably efficient. functionality is such that it allows registration of range between nodes - potentially useful in a mobile application. Range is maybe 100 feet. Intended that batteries will endure a period of years. Zigbee range is a mile or more. More bandwidth. More current load.

discussion: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/IEEE_802.15.4

Details: http://grouper.ieee.org/groups/802/15/pub/TG4.html

Certainly, there are other opportunities.

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Driver workload can be through automation and use of reasonably intelligent display, probably a flat panel, touch screen with heads up (on windshield) that provides only the information needed for the existing circumstance. Already used in top-end cars; long history in aircraft. first vestiges of true "auto-pilot" are showing up now as well.

the sensors, the network and control systems have been working their way into cars for decades.

Ever-increasing dependence on technology is not appealing, but seems inevitable.

r/

Sam H.

The first great automotive invention was the electric starter since then the only one of merit was the alternator. All the rest are not needed. Why do car manufacturers thing and buyers also that a car has to be loaded with tons of accessories. I will give in to the addition of the seat belt but no more.

The cars I drive are quiet use and Automatic and have great Stereos in them to listen to music.

I do not miss the loud and awkward cars that took all of my attention and I could not enjoy a great song with my wife.

Those are great automotive inventions if you ask me?