Auto Engineering Focuses on Intellegent Systems

Even the Batmobile was not equipped with this: an airbag that receives sensory data from the car's on-board electronic system to inflate over the hood and windshield in the split seconds prior to a collision with a pedestrian.

The external airbag is one in a range of new and powerful intelligent systems that could soon find their way into many passenger cars, as automobile manufacturers together with technical researchers and government agencies focus their collective energy and resources on technologies that promote greater driving safety.

Beyond anti-lock brakes and traction control, engineers are developing and testing on-board technologies for collision avoidance as well as systems that stabilize vehicles in crash scenarios. Other research is focused on intelligent systems that monitor the driver's level of distraction while operating a vehicle.

These knowledge-based systems for cars are benefiting from advances in radars, sensors and semiconductors, explains a report in the March 2003 issue of Mechanical Engineering magazine.

The magazine, which is published monthly by ASME International (American Society of Mechanical Engineers), notes that some of the collision warning systems have already entered the consumer market. For instance, a system in the 2003 Jaguar advises a driver to brake in the approach of slow moving traffic.

The telematic technologies, such as those that advise a driver if his or her speed is too fast to negotiate a curve in the road, will require further research, says Mechanical Engineering.

For further information about Mechanical Engineering or to view the article, "Smart Cars," visit www.asme.org and click on "ME Magazine."

ASME International is a 120,000-member organization focused on technical, educational and research issues. ASME conducts one of the world's largest technical publishing operations, holds numerous technical conferences worldwide, and offers hundreds of professional development courses each year. ASME sets internationally recognized industrial and manufacturing codes and standards that enhance public welfare and safety.