Ever heard of a black box in an airplane?
It records all the flight data, so if there’s an accident, investigators can find out what went wrong.
Now, scientists in China, led by Prof. Kong Deyi from the Hefei Institutes of Physical Science, have created a similar device but for cars, and it’s specifically designed to monitor the brake pedal actions.
This new tool, called the Automobile Brake Pedal Recorder, is like a diary for your car’s brake pedal, and it’s here to make electric cars safer.
In electric vehicles, figuring out how the driver used the brake is usually done by measuring how far the brake pedal moves.
But what if the brake pedal gets stuck, and the driver’s push isn’t recorded? This is where the Brake Pedal Recorder comes in.
Just like a plane’s black box, this device captures real-time data about how the driver uses the brake pedal.
It’s smart enough to record important details like when the brake was used, how hard it was pressed, and how often. All this information is saved on a memory card.
Why is this handy? Well, if there’s an accident, experts can use this information to recreate exactly how the driver used the brakes.
This can help to figure out if the crash happened because the driver didn’t brake correctly, or if there was a problem with the car’s brake system.
The Brake Pedal Recorder is designed to keep data for several years. What’s even cooler is that even if the car loses power, the device keeps all the information safe and sound.
Plus, advanced encryption ensures the data can’t be messed with, which makes it reliable evidence for things like insurance claims.
One of the best parts of this invention is that it’s affordable and easy to use. It can be installed right on the brake pedal without changing how the car drives or how it feels when the driver uses the brakes. It’s a simple but powerful way to make electric cars safer and solve disputes over braking incidents.
This cool device could lead to big improvements in electric car safety. So, next time you hit the brakes, remember that a little black box might be making sure you stay safe on the road!
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