Industrial magnets for cars with autonomous driving

"We do not know if in the future cars will fly but they will circulate autonomously with the help of magnetic products"

Although the concept of flying cars has been shown to have practical possibilities, implementation of such bold and innovative technology is difficult, expensive and limited by requirements for drivers to have pilots' licenses. Moreover, large scale implementation of flying cars requires a complete rethink on how to manage thousands of them commuting above our cities.

In this context, the down-to-earth concept of autonomous vehicles holds far greater possibilities. Although there has been significant progress, challenges facing autonomous driving are still immense, and autonomous vehicles need to be able to:

• Know where they are

• Identify road users, pedestrians and obstacles

• Anticipate manoeuvres

• Avoid collisions

• Navigate existing roads

• Accelerate, slow down and stop

A limiting factor is the ability of autonomous vehicles to know their location accurately. Various guidance technologies are in use, including camera and radar systems, both supported by GPS. Although workable, further development is needed, and it's not clear which guidance system offers the best solution, especially in conditions of poor visibility.

While special magnets of automotive products are used by the sensory systems of autonomous vehicles, it was not realized they could play a role in guiding autonomous vehicles. That is, until Volvo used magnetic products to directly guide a test vehicleA limiting factor is the ability of autonomous vehicles to know their location accurately. Various guidance technologies are in use, including camera and radar systems, both supported by GPS. Although workable, further development is needed, and it's not clear which guidance system offers the best solution, especially in conditions of poor visibility.

While special magnets of automotive products are used by the sensory systems of autonomous vehicles, it was not realized they could play a role in guiding autonomous vehicles. That is, until Volvo used magnetic products to directly guide a test vehicle

Use of Magnets of automotive can simplify and improve autonomous systems

Volvo was concerned about limitations of existing positioning and guidance systems, which are not precise and easily confused in bad weather conditions. Their solution was to work with a magnet manufacturer and install small disc-shaped ferrite and neodymium , magnetic products in the road. The resultant magnetic field created was detected by sensors attached to a vehicle, and in this way, the vehicle was able to determine its position. 

One of the difficulties they faced is that conventional magnetic field sensors are limited to a maximum of three readings per second, a frequency that’s far too low for guiding a fast-moving vehicle. What they did was to develop a five-unit sensor rig that combined the output of 15 smaller sensor modules. This unit has the ability to take 500 readings per second, more than enough to guide a vehicle travelling at highway speeds. 

To test the system, the magnet manufacturer buried magnets in a predetermined pattern, 200 mm below the surface along a 100-metre asphalt road. A car carrying field sensors was driven over the magnets at various speeds. It was established that these magnets were able to guide the vehicle to an accuracy of 100 mm. Additionally, they established these magnets of automotive guidance systems worked even when covered by snow and ice, which are conditions that confused other guidance systems. 

This was not the first time this idea has been tried. In an earlier experiment, UC Berkeley researchers accurately guided an 18-metre bus along a 1.6 km route using magnets. 

The use of an industrial magnet for guiding autonomous vehicles offers a number of benefits including:

• Low cost
• Simplicity
• Accuracy 
• Reliability 

Contact us to discover how we can help you use an industrial magnet to develop your autonomous systems.