Vehicle Skid Control (VSC) - Seminar Paper

 INTRODUCTION                                          

      Vehicle skid can be defined as the loss of traction between a vehicle’s tyres and the road surface due to the forces acting on the vehicle. Most skids are caused by driver error, although only about 15% of accidents are the direct result of a vehicle skidding. Skids occurring in other accidents are usually the result of last minute action, by the driver, when faced with a crisis ahead rather than actually causing an accident. Skids can occur both in the dry and wet as well as icy conditions, however, the chances of losing control and having an accident increases by 50% in the wet. The most common type of skid we will be confronted with is when the rear end of the car slides out, causing an oversteer or when the front of the car plows toward the outside of a turn without following the curve of the turn causing an understeer. Usually, oversteer occurs as a result of going into a corner too fast or incorrectly hitting a slick area, causing the rear wheels to oversteer. A third skid called the four wheel skid can also occur, where all the four wheels lock up and the vehicle slides in the direction where the forward momentum is carrying it, with no directional control.

            To counter these skids and to prevent accidents from happening, Vehicle Skid Control (VSC) is incorporated in the vehicle. Vehicle Skid Control (VSC) takes the safety aspects of the driver and the vehicle to the next level. It comes under the category of “Passive Technology”, which helps you to avoid a crash. Vehicle Skid Control (VSC) senses the onset of traction loss and helps the driver stay on track. This is achieved via the system's ability to reduce engine power and to control the brake actuator. VSC helps the driver maintain vehicle traction under demanding conditions by detecting and helping to correct the wheel spin. VSC uses a variety of sensor input to determine if the car is losing traction, then applies the brakes to individual wheels to help correct for discrepancies. The system will also back off the throttle to reduce power. VSC integrates traction control to limit rear wheelspin on slippery surfaces. The VSC system electronically monitors speed and direction, and compares the vehicle's direction of travel with the driver's steering, acceleration and braking input. VSC can help the driver compensate for loss of lateral traction, which can cause skids and loss of vehicle control.

 Skid Control

     Stability control systems or skid control systems with names like StabiliTrak, Dynamic Stability Control, Stability Management, and Vehicle Skid Control are the latest advancement in vehicle safety. Regardless of the different names, they all perform the same task – to sense the onset of traction loss and keep the driver on track. These systems are designed to deliver transparent intervention the moment the situation becomes unstable. A vehicle skid control system actually detects when a driver has lost some degree of control. It then automatically stabilizes the vehicle to help the driver regain control. Vehicle Skid Control (VSC) takes the safety aspects of the driver and the vehicle to a completely new level. These skid control systems are often integrated with the engine management system to cut power in even more tricky situations. This scenario is a complex system of sensors and microprocessors that continually monitor the vehicle for any signs of instability. Once detected (usually in the form of a slide or skid), the system automatically applies selective braking to specific wheels thereby stabilizing the vehicle. This split-second intervention often happens so quickly that it is over before drivers even realize they were in danger of losing control. By gently stabilizing the car at the critical moment, control is returned to the driver with minimal fuss and alarm. Luxury cars, such as the Mercedes Benzes, BMW, Lexus, etc. now sold in India, have stability systems installed that are designed to remove oversteer or understeer.

Components

      The Vehicle Skid Control (VSC) is made possible by the combination of different electronic and mechanical components. Some of the components are those used in Anti-lock Braking System (ABS), and an electronically controlled engine throttle, as well as a dedicated computer and sensors, providing information to the VSC system. These include:

                     

·          Yaw rate sensor.

·          G-sensor.

·          Steering angle sensor.

·          Electronic throttle control.

·          Slip indicator.

·          Computer.

·           

Yaw rate sensors detect changes in the car's rotation in a left or right direction. It keeps track of the direction in which the car is moving relative to which way the driver is

 turning the steering wheel. When the sensors detect understeer or oversteer, a computer takes over and applies brakes or controls power to one or both the drive wheels, so that the car comes under control.   

The system is programmed to respond to a wide variety of scenarios and is so selective that it can apply only the brake on one specific wheel if that's what is needed to regain control. The G-sensor or gravity sensor determines if the car is accelerating or decelerating, cornering and braking forces simultaneously while the car is on the move and accordingly controls the throttle. Steering angle sensor evaluates the direction and rate of change in steering wheel movement. Electronic throttle control reduces the throttle for 1/7^th of a second, to control the wheel spin, when the front or rear wheels lose traction. Slip indicator alerts the driver that the tyres are about to exceed the grip limit. The central processing computer monitors the steering movement together with either taking over and applying brakes or controlling the power to one or both the drive wheels.

 Working

      The heart of all these systems is a central processor that takes information from a number of sensors, and then determines whether the car is in a stable or unstable state. By combining the datas from ABS sensors (for wheel speed), steering angle sensors, yaw sensors (measuring the amount a car fishtails, or rotates around its vertical center axis), and lateral force sensors (measuring the amount of sideways g-force generated by the car), the central processing unit can actually detect when a vehicle is behaving in a way contrary to how the driver intends. VSC also includes a slip indicator with a warning sound and light to alert the driver that the tyres are about to exceed the grip limit.

 If the processor does detect instability such as a slide produced by a sudden swerve, it automatically applies light brake pressure to a select wheel (or wheels) to maintain or restore control. Here, the VSC computer uses engine throttle control and individual wheel braking to help counteract skidding and spinning.The high-speed computer constantly compares the driver's intentions, as indicated by steering wheel, throttle and braking activity, with the car's actual motions measured by the various sensors. If they do not correlate, the VSC computer selectively applies individual wheel brakes and/or momentarily reduces engine power as necessary to help the driver regain the intended direction of travel.  For example, if the car were tending to continue straight rather than responding to the driver's right turn of the steering wheel, VSC would typically reduce engine power and would apply the right front brake momentarily to help the car follow the intended path. Once proper vehicle attitude is restored, VSC returns to a standby state. When VSC is active, a warning beep tone and instrument panel warning light indicate that the system is functioning. In many cases, VSC reacts well before the driver is aware of a loss of lateral traction. A VSC shutoff button deactivates VSC and electronic traction control for use. At all other times,VSC remains on and functioning. VSC differs from Anti-lock Braking System (ABS) technology. ABS prevents vehicle wheels from locking, decreases the distance required to stop and improves a driver's

control during emergency braking on wet and slippery roads whereas VSC is intended to help a driver maintain the intended direction of travel, even when the brakes are not applied. However, VSC and ABS compliment and work in close coordination with each other in stability control system, providing enhanced driver control in a broad range of situations.VSC can help provide a measure of control in real-world situations faced by even the most careful and experienced drivers. VSC senses the onset of traction loss and helps the driver stay on track. This is achieved via the system's ability to reduce engine power and to control the brake actuator.

Advantages AND DISADVANTAGES

Advantages

1)            Monitors each wheel independently maximizing the performance of the car.

2)            Increases comfort, both physical and psychological.

3)            Improves safety aspects of the car and the driver.

4)            Helps save money long term.

5)            Enhances the ability to dodge a renegade object in its pathways.

Disadvantages

1)            High initial costs.

2)            Overdependence.

3)            Not perfect.

4)            Repairing cost may be high.

Conclusion

       Driving has become more and more dangerous with the ever increasing population of man and vehicles. It is estimated that 25% of all accidents are caused by driver distractions. Automotive technology is being developed everyday to make our lives on the roads much safer. Vehicle Skid Control is one such instance. Safety is the principal benefit of this technology.

                  But no matter how advanced the safety aid, we should never forget that the ultimate fate of a vehicle and its occupants remains in the hands of the driver. No safety system should ever be expected to protect unconditionally. So while the latest generation of stability control systems offer drivers increased protection for both themselves and the vehicle, they can never overcome poor judgment or the laws of physics.

                 When we drive, it not only affects our safety but the safety of everyone around us whether driving or not. With increasing development in the field of automobiles, it is only imperative that we go for vehicles that have these technologies installed in them. Vehicle Skid Control would not, in anyway, eliminate all road accidents; however it would lower the percentage of crashes thereby lowering the number of fatalities