Adaptive Cruise Control
Adaptive Cruise Control
in the middle of the lane. That's where the other sensor, called the cut-in sensor, comes in. It has two wide beams that "look" into adjacent lanes, up to a distance of 30 yards ahead. And because it ignores anything that isn't moving at least 30 percent as fast as the car in which it is mounted, highway signs and parked cars on the side of the road don't confuse it. Information from the sensors goes to the Vehicle Application Controller (VAC), the system's computing and communication center. The VAC reads the settings the driver has selected and figures out such things as how fast the car should go to maintain the proper distance from cars ahead and when the car should release the throttle or downshift to slow down. Then it communicates that information to devices that control the engine and the transmission. There are several inputs: System on/off: If on, denotes that the cruise-control system should maintain the car speed. Engine on/off: If on, denotes that the car engine is turned on; the cruise-control system is only active if the engine is on. Pulses from wheel: A pulse is sent for every revolution of the wheel. Accelerator: Indication of how far the accelerator has been pressed. Brake: On when the brake is pressed; the cruise-control system temporarily reverts to manual control if the brake is pressed. Increase/Decrease Speed: Increase or decrease the maintained speed; only applicable if the cruise-control system is on. Resume: Resume the last maintained speed; only applicable if the cruise-control system is on. Clock: Timing pulse every millisecond. There is one output from the system: Throttle: Digital value for the engineer throttle setting.
LIMITATIONS
One of the biggest challenges in designing ACC systems today are the costs associated with the robust system. Though current costs are substantial, they are slowly decreasing. Auto manufacturers stress that advanced cruise control does not drive the car for you, and it's not meant to be used in heavy traffic. But, for long trips, it's a convenience that allows you to focus more on your driving.
CONCLUSIONS
Despite the introduction of the system to the market place, these are still early days. The current system can measure up to 150m ahead of the car and reduce the car's speed if an obstruction appears. What it can't do, at the moment, is bring the car to a halt. Whatever happens, the ACC market looks set to explode. The projected figures make startling reading. In 2002 there are no more than 100,000 vehicles fitted with ACC, but that figure is set to reach eight million in four years' time, with Europe, South-East Asia and the US accounting for about a third each. Around 17% of all European-built cars are likely to have ACC fitted as standard by then. Expansion is bound to slow down thereafter, but by 2010 the global market will be 11.5 million units, representing an industry value of around $2.4 billion - and enormously more than that saved in repair bills, hospital bills and, indeed, funeral bills.
REFERENCES
1. University of Michigan (July 12, 2004). U-M physicist: Smart cruise control eliminates traffic jams. Press release. 2. L. C. Davis (2004). "Effect of adaptive cruise control systems on traffic flow". Physical Review Letters E 69 (6): 066110 (article ID; no page reference). 3. CY Liang, H Peng (1999). "Optimal Adaptive Cruise Control with Guaranteed String Stability". Vehicle System Dynamics 32 (4-5): 313-330. 4. P Venhovens, K Naab, B Adiprasito (2000). "Stop and Go Cruise Control". Proc. FISITA World Automotive Congress, Seoul, Korea. 5. L. C. Davis, Effect of adaptive cruise control systems on traffic flow Physics Department, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan 48109, USA The American Physical Society (Received 27 October 2003; revised 22 January 2004; published 4 June 2004)