Development of an Anti-Pinch System for Passenger Vehicles

Abstract

Products are becoming increasingly complex and so is every vehicle on the road. Passenger car manufacturers are adding more customer-oriented comfort features at every price segment in order to differentiate themselves from the competition. A lot of these features make use of automating the movement of various parts such as sunroof panels, seats and tailgates. Automation through motorized components needs to be accompanied by systems that can act as safeguards to prevent human injury due to this automation process. This thesis aims to lay the groundwork thereby equipping Volvo Cars with the knowledge to develop a consolidated anti-pinch system that could potentially be used in several different automotive components. Different approaches for detecting pinch situations across industries and environments were evaluated. Two principally different approaches were chosen for further development, the first using hall sensors and the second leveraging ripple counting. A fundamental requirement for the developed concepts was conforming with legal regulations, namely the US regulation FMVSS No. 118 and the UN regulation ECE-R21-01. Taking an approach of early prototyping and testing, the concepts were continuously being tested along with their development. After going through prototyping and testing, three different recommendations were made for Volvo Cars based on different timescales. A concept that meets legal testing requirements was suggested for implementation in 1-2 years, whereas other concepts that would require more developmental effort were suggested for timescales of 3-4 years and 7+ years. With an inhouse system at their disposal, Volvo will have greater control over the functionality and safety of their anti-pinch systems, while also enabling cost savings.