Continental protects electric vehicles from shocks
The sensor-based system will enter series production next year
AE in Technology.
- Published in Technology.
The sensor-based system will enter series production next year
Continental has developed a safety technology to shut off the high-voltage battery in electric and plug-in vehicles in the event of a collision during charging.
In normal use the airbag would send a signal to the battery management system to deactivate the battery, but when the system is switched off – during battery charging – the evSAT technology, consisting of an independent triaxial sensor with a CAN interface, is used.
An accelerator sensor uses an algorithm to detect an impact and immediately transmits a signal via the CAN interface to the battery management system which switches off the battery within half a second. The system also shuts off the battery if the vehicle rolls over.
Automotive batteries used in electric vehicles and plug-in hybrids can have voltages of up to 400V, which could potentially be fatal to those coming into contact with them.
“In the US there is a legal requirement requirement for the vehicle’s power supply voltage to fall to below 60V within five seconds of an accident occurring. No such law exists in Europe yet but the safety of electric vehicles will assume an increasingly important role,” said Telmo Glaser, Continental’s evSAT project manager.
The system can also be used while the vehicle is switched off – where the system enters a standby mode. The sensor-based system will enter series production next year.
