Archive for the ‘Cars’ tag
Upgrading Your Car
You won't want to buy a new Lambhorgini until it comes packaged with the DySCAS architecture.
No, I don’t mean buying a new BMW or Ferrari (although, for the environmentally inclined, I do suggest investing in a hybrid). Thanks to the EU-funded DySCAS Project and its researchers, “upgrading your car” might refer to upgrading the car’s software rather than its engine. Developed for over two and a half years, this new technology could revolutionize the automotive industry. The motivation of this project was to allow cars to keep up with the times. Because an owner generally uses a car for about ten years, the DySCAS Project will allow cars to update software through the internet and avoid becoming digitally obsolete. With technology advancing at such a rapid pace, even a car’s onboard software can be left in the dust without proper updates. Old media formats for the entertainment system and outdated maps for the navigation system are just two examples of this.
“Cars take many years to develop and most are designed to be on the road for perhaps a decade. In that time, technology can change a lot, but currently there is no efficient way to update the software in these vehicles”
In addition to keeping up to date files on hand, there are other plans to allow communication and syncing of different media devices, such as PDAs and cell phones, to the car’s system.
While the first step in this project is to update non-critical systems only, eventually, the plan is to release patches which might influence safety mechanisms such as automatic braking and engine timing. It wouldn’t be hard to envision changes to the braking system’s software in order to maximize fuel economy or backup safety protocols for the driver in case one set malfunctions. These are all parts of a plan to deploy a dynamically reconfiguration system which assesses real-time data and makes proper adjustments to the car itself. However, implementing these new features is still a far way off. For now, the researchers have created a static architecture called AUTOSAR, which will hopefully be the prototype for a more dynamic, upgradable architecture in the future.
For me, this new innovation demonstates another example on how technology can help save lives. Obviously, any technology influencing the performance of a car must be thoroughly tested (virtual test dummies anyone?), but iterative testing and releases of progressively safer software can curb automotive related deaths significantly. I adamantly believe the more we incorporate technology into our everyday lives, the more good will come from it.
Only for Dummies
Obsolete?
You see the car commercials. Short clips of dummies getting whiplash. Air bags expanding in slow motion. The message is always the same. “Our vehicles have been tested and proven to be safe.” But how do you really know that those plastic and steel doppelgangers are accurate representations of their organic counterparts?
Welcome to virtual crash-test dummies. A group of engineers at the University of Virginia’s Center for Biomechanics have joined together to create virtual test dummies modeled inch-for-inch after a human body to help simulate car accidents. While they might not be as flashy as crumpled cars and flying shards of glass, these virtual test dummies may represent a breakthrough in accident simulations. No detail of the human body is left unaccounted as this team of engineers is going to model many of the major organs in the body including the heart, lungs, and liver.
Richard Kent, one of the team leaders at the University of Virginia, had this to say:
“We are creating models, based on the actual anatomic details of the human body, that will respond to stress and strain and impact in the same way the actual human body does, so we can see precisely how injuries occur,” Kent said. “The ultimate result will be cars with far better safety systems, minimizing the severity of injuries and the frequency of fatalities.”
What I find most intriguing about this project is how it has the potential of revolutionizing safety. With this technology, researchers will be able to have a panoramic view of how a neck breaks or a bone is shattered. We can correct possible safety hazards within vehicles and bring safety regulations to an unprecedented high standard. Automotive developers will be able to run millions of simulations without spending millions of dollars in supplies. Accident investigators will be able to recreate an entire accident scene without needing to make too many guesses on how the crash transpired. And these are just a few of the implications on how test dummies will affect the automotive industry. Think of how NASA, Six Flags, or the military could use these virtual dummies in their work. Not to mention how this might pave the way to model all things virtually: bridges, buildings, elevators, etc. And all this with the ability to run millions of simulations with just the click of a button.