Active Air Dam Notification System for Driver Awareness
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Solution Overview
Problem
Vehicles with active air dams lack effective notification systems to inform users when the air dam is being lowered or raised, making it difficult for drivers to adjust their driving behavior accordingly, especially when transitioning between different terrains or areas.
Innovation Solution
An active air dam notification method that transitions the air dam between raised and lowered positions and provides alerts to the user through audible, visual, or tactile means, such as flashing lights, vibrations, or seat adjustments, and uses predictive data from previous drives to proactively adjust the air dam position based on upcoming terrain or road conditions.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If an active air dam is installed to manage airflow, then vehicle aerodynamic performance is improved, but driver awareness of air dam transitions deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a notification system that provides feedback to the driver about air dam transition status. Sensors detect when the air dam is transitioning between positions, and this information is communicated to the driver through visual displays, audible alerts, or tactile feedback, ensuring the driver is aware of the aerodynamic changes occurring in real-time.
Solution Approach 2:
The notification system acts as an intermediary between the air dam mechanism and the driver. Rather than directly observing the air dam position, the driver receives processed information through the notification system, which translates mechanical transition data into comprehensible alerts and status indicators.
2Productivity
If the air dam transitions automatically based on terrain prediction, then vehicle performance is optimized, but the complexity of the control system increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary actions by predicting upcoming terrain conditions using GPS coordinates and historical drive data. Before the vehicle actually encounters rough terrain, the control system pre-commands the air dam to transition to the raised position, optimizing performance proactively rather than reactively.
Solution Approach 2:
The control system serves itself by using stored historical drive data and GPS information to automatically make decisions about air dam positioning. The system learns from previous drives through the second area and autonomously determines when terrain conditions warrant air dam transitions, reducing the need for complex real-time sensor processing.
Data Source
AI summary
An active air dam notification method includes, among other things, transitioning an air dam of a vehicle between a first position and a second position, and providing an alert to a user. The alert indicates that the air dam is transitioning. The air dam is vertically higher when the air dam is in the first position than when the air dam is in the second position.