Application of in-vehicle data buses for collision avoidance systems

In-vehicle multiplexing and networking, including sharing information and control between different in-vehicle data buses and between the vehicle and the infrastructure, provides both opportunities and challenges for safety system designers. This paper provides an overview of in-vehicle networking and discuses trends that affect the application of in-vehicle networking to future collision avoidance systems. An overview of the classification of vehicle networking developed by the Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE) as well as descriptions of several emerging in-vehicle network standards provides background information necessary to understand the potential use of in-vehicle data buses. While most existing collision avoidance warning systems use only dedicated wiring, some emerging safety systems are beginning to employ in-vehicle networking to enhance their performance. Because use of in-vehicle networks requires careful design, the paper presents simulation results of network performance when supporting safety systems including collision avoidance systems. These results not only indicate the types of systems that can be supported by the various data bus standards, but also identify key design parameters. In addition, the paper discusses key trends such as internetworking between multiple in-vehicle data buses.