Development of low cost range sensing instrumentation for collision avoidance applications

Abstract

Vehicle collision avoidance and warning systems presently exist, however are generally extremely expensive and limited to luxury vehicles. This paper describes the design of a very low cost vehicle range sensor intended for the detection of tailgating vehicles and imminent collisions. The produced system is completed and has been pursued to a stage ready for manufacture. It is compact, low cost (less than twenty US dollars), and capable of measuring ranges between 5cm and 70m. Because of the very low cost and configuration flexibility of this device it has widespread
\napplications not just in vehicle collision avoidance but potentially in mobile robotics and mechatronic systems.