I must say, TJ, you came up with a creative downside to the automatic trunk opener. I think this feature offers a very tiny plus to a vehicle. But it's a plus nonetheless.
I must say I like your "keep it simple" philosophy, VadimR, but we're going to lose that battle. Every time I attend an auto show, there's a handful of new sensor-based systems that I'd never seen before.
If you want the feature, why not put a kick plate on the back of the bumper or a switch next to the tow hitch? In both cases there is no need to verifying intent because you must be intentional to press the switch.
I personally think that we have way too many sensors and gadgets in cars. Lets keep it simple! The more complicated we make them, the more expensive cars become, the more likely they are to fail, and the more expensive they are to fix when they do fail.
This is a great use of sensing techology to make something hands free and more user friendly. I would like to know how long it is necessary to keep your foot under the bumper to have the tailgate completely rise. Hopefully, you would be able to trigger the movement then be able to back up to stay out of the way of the lifting hatch.
Ever been stopped just as you were going to load your car? A neighbor calls your name, and you turn to see why, or your spouse calls from the front door to add to your shopping list? I can see this door giving you a whack from accidental detection, the "intent" described in the article.
Still, I like the idea very much; the cost added to the power package will be my deciding factor.
Mr. Weaver's comment about an onboard network is bang-on as well, though I don't think it will go to fiber optic. Bussed sensors (Devicenet or the like) already exist; getting them down in cost should work for mass auto production.
Yes, this is a very clever idea. It will be interesting to see if it is useful enough to get picked up by the industry at large. Not sure this rises to the level of intermittent windshield wipers, but who knows?
I know DesignNews continues to cover automobile data networks, but it is innovations like this liftgate sensor that makes them all the more imperative. As automotive engineers continue to instrument each sub-system on the platform, a common, multiplexed information network will be imperative as we continue. Yards of low-gauge automotive signal and power wire will only serve to increase cost and complexity. Can an on-board, distributed fiber-optic network be far behind?
For 3D printing to make the jump from rapid prototyping to manufacturing, engineers will need to find easier ways to move products from their CAD screens to their printers.
Gigabit and PoE are two networking technologies moving ahead in tandem as industrial users power remote Ethernet devices such as IP security cameras at 1,000 Mbps over existing CAT5 cable.
New versions of BASF's Ecovio line are both compostable and designed for either injection molding or thermoforming. These combinations are becoming more common for the single-use bioplastics used in food service and food packaging applications, but are still not widely available.
From Dell / Intel® New Paradigms in Design Work Scott Hamilton, vertical market strategist for Dell Precision workstations, 5/2/2013 5
Early in my career, I worked as a draftsman and remember the days of drawing on vellum with numbered pencils and Mylar with plastic lead. This was a fun experience in the sense that I ...
I've been using workstations for more than 10 years and love finding ways to get more performance from my system. With demanding professional applications that require more power each ...
A lasting memory from my first job as an engineer in an auto assembly plant is standing on hard concrete at six in the morning, vending-machine coffee clutched in hand, listening to ...
For industrial control applications, or even a simple assembly line, that machine can go almost 24/7 without a break. But what happens when the task is a little more complex? That’s where the “smart” machine would come in. The smart machine is one that has some simple (or complex in some cases) processing capability to be able to adapt to changing conditions. Such machines are suited for a host of applications, including automotive, aerospace, defense, medical, computers and electronics, telecommunications, consumer goods, and so on. This radio show will show what’s possible with smart machines, and what tradeoffs need to be made to implement such a solution.
To save this item to your list of favorite Design News content so you can find it later in your Profile page, click the "Save It" button next to the item.
If you found this interesting or useful, please use the links to the services below to share it with other readers. You will need a free account with each service to share an item via that service.
Tweet This
1 
