Vehicle DRS Status Display for Safe Drag Reduction Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Automated operation of a drag reduction system (DRS) in motor vehicles is inefficient due to insufficient identification of driving situations requiring higher contact pressure, leading to potential safety hazards and reduced driving performance, as existing systems struggle to accurately assess when to activate or deactivate the DRS.
Innovation Solution
A combination instrument with a graphical display that uses intuitive color coding to represent motor vehicle parameters, allowing drivers to visually assess the suitability of activating the DRS based on measurement data, with sub-objects displayed in neutral, standby, or warning colors to indicate safe activation, and enabling manual control to prevent accidental triggering.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If automated operation of DRS is implemented, then productivity is improved, but reliability deteriorates due to insufficient identification of driving situations requiring higher contact pressure
Solution Approach 1:
The system continuously monitors driving situations and provides feedback to the control unit, which adjusts DRS operation based on real-time conditions. The display device provides visual feedback to the driver about system status, enabling informed manual intervention when automated detection is insufficient.
Solution Approach 2:
The display device acts as an intermediary between the automated DRS system and the driver. It presents processed information about driving situations and DRS status, allowing the driver to make informed decisions about manual intervention without directly interacting with complex system parameters.
2Speed
If DRS is activated to reduce air resistance, then speed is improved, but stability deteriorates due to increased buoyancy and reduced wheel load
Solution Approach 1:
The DRS system dynamically adjusts air-guiding element positions based on real-time driving conditions. The system can quickly transition between different operational states (activated/deactivated) to optimize the balance between speed performance and stability requirements as driving situations change.
Solution Approach 2:
The system proactively identifies driving situations that will require higher contact pressure in the near future and prepares by deactivating DRS beforehand. This preliminary action prevents stability issues before they occur, allowing the system to maintain speed performance when conditions are favorable while preventing stability deterioration when conditions change.
3Measurement precision
If automated sensors are used to identify driving situations, then measurement precision is improved, but ease of operation deteriorates due to insufficient detection capability
Solution Approach 1:
The display device segments complex sensor data into distinct visual representations of driving situations and DRS status. By dividing information into manageable visual elements (icons, colors, text), the system maintains high measurement precision while improving ease of operation through intuitive presentation.
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses color changes in the display to intuitively represent different DRS statuses and driving situations. This visual encoding allows the driver to quickly comprehend complex sensor data without requiring detailed technical knowledge, bridging the gap between measurement precision and ease of operation.
Data Source
AI summary
A combination instrument (10) of a motor vehicle has a data input (16) for feeding measurement data related to vehicle parameters, including a status (22) of a drag reduction system (DRS). A display (12) is connected to the data input (16) via a computer unit (14) for graphically representing the measurement data. The display (12) is configured to represent an image (18) of the motor vehicle composed of multiple graphical sub-objects (20). The computer unit (14) is configured to have the display (12) represent sub-objects (20) relevant to the operation of the DRS in a neutral color, a standby color or a warning color depending on the status (22) of the DRS and other measurement data.