A REVIEW OF LOW-COST ACCELEROMETERS FOR VEHICLE DYNAMICS

In the last few years, vehicle manufacturers have been recognising the advantages, in terms of passenger comfort and driveability, that can be achieved using electronically controlled vehicle suspension systems. A critical component in all of these, other than the manually adjusted ride control systems, is the accelerometer, a number of which are used for measuring vehicle motion in all directions. These accelerometers are required to have a high sensitivity and accuracy and yet be sufficiently robust to operate in the relatively harsh environment of a vehicle. Further to this, the unit cost of the accelerometers must be very low. This paper reviews the main technologies and sensor designs, which have the potential to meet the required suspension systems and other vehicle dynamics performance specifications within the cost constraints. © 1990.