Issue link: https://te.mouser.com/i/1349215
Sensors for the Connected Car TE AUTOMOTIVE /// White Paper Seite 6 2 | INNOVATIVE SENSORS FOR INCREASED PROCESS CONTROL Sensors provide the raw data which is needed to advance from simple open-loop control strategies to closed-loop control. This is a trend which is mostly fueled by the need to bring down vehicle emissions, and to increase fuel efficiency. While open-loop control relies on average parameters of the component or process that needs to be controlled, closed-loop control factors in the real behavior of the component over its lifetime. Manufac- turing tolerances, ageing and drift of a component, for instance, will be factored in as part of a closed- loop control and can thus be compensated. Challenging control tasks like the dosing of aqueous urea solution within a selective catalytic reduction (SCR) system will not have the required precision to avoid nitrogen oxide (NOx) emissions without sensor data. → Without automotive sensors there is no control. Without control there is no greener and cleaner. The following examples show how innovative sensors can facilitate closed-loop control in automobiles (and trucks in some cases). In addition the short technology profiles below make clear that automotive sensors need a special feature profile. Depending on their application, automotive sensors have to meet very stringent requirements for rug- gedness, reliability, accuracy, weight/mass, dimensions, economy and – last but not least – their electrical interface. As a result sensors need to be specifically designed for automotive use and they need to be verified, certified and manufactured to the most demanding and exacting standards. → Automotive sensors need to be designed for their use case. → Sensors for automotive applications need to be automotive-grade sensors. It is one of TE's added strengths that its scope of expertise comprises both detailed sensor know-how and profound electrical interconnection know-how. In the case of automotive sensors this twin-expertise helps to design a complete system inclusive of the important electrical interface (vibration, low-cycle fatigue, dirt and fluid ingress!) which can greatly influence a sensor's reliability in real-world applications. → Even the best sensor will only be as reliable as its electrical interface. TE has built its reputation as a leading global automotive and vehicle sensor specialist on application-de- sign principles, testing and manufacturing processes, which together ensure product quality with an optimal cost-benefit ratio. → The growing importance of automotive sensors makes uncompromising quality a must. A | Urea pressure sensing The combustion process in diesel engines results in the formation of NOx. As the potential for reduc- ing engine-out NOx emissions is limited due to several conflict- ing developments targets, NOx emissions need to be reduced in a separate stage. In line with the increasingly demanding NOx emission regulations worldwide, a growing number of diesel cars and trucks is equipped with an SCR system. To facilitate NOx conversion an aqueous urea solution (also called