Expanding on the topic of “active safety,” Freescale recently announced advanced Xtrinsic sensors for use in Electronic Stability Control (ESC). ESC works by comparing vehicle responses to user control inputs. If the two are inconsistent, ESC applies the individual wheel brakes of the car to bring things back in line. ESC is standard in high end vehicles today, but the technology is moving into the mainstream market as well. The U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration will require the technology in most 2012 model vehicles. ESC has the potential to prevent nearly one-third of all fatal car accidents and 70 percent of fatal accidents of light trucks and vans. (For details, see this NHTSA technical report.)...Read more
Complete entry and Block Diagram
By Mike Stanle