Accelerator pedal communicates with car driver

The intelligent accelerator pedal, now being installed by a major Japanese car manufacturer, represents a unique safety engineering technology developed by the Chassis & Safety Division of Continental. The Accelerator Force Feedback Pedal (AFFP) gives warning of hazardous situations by vibrating and exerting counter pressure in the accelerator pedal. This should make the driver take his foot off the pedal and get ready to brake. This technology is an extension to Continental's ContiGuard® safety system and represents a further contribution to reducing the number of road traffic injuries, particularly as a result of rear-end collisions. The intelligent accelerator pedal can also help the driver to drive at a more even speed and therefore more economically with the aim of reducing fuel consumption and CO2 emissions.

The most important question in every interaction between the driver and the vehicle is how to warn the driver of a hazardous situation and make them fully aware of the information provided. The AFFP relies on warning the driver directly through sensory stimulation; the hazard warning is felt directly by the driver's foot, making him aware of the situation in the quickest and most reliable way so that he can react. The AFFP vibrates if the Adaptive Cruise Control (ACC) senses that the vehicle is too close to the vehicle in front. In hazardous situations, the system significantly increases the counterpressure on the accelerator pedal. However, the driver still remains in control and can accelerate if required by the specific traffic situation.

By integrating AFFP into future vehicle systems, the active accelerator pedal could make a valuable contribution to vehicle safety in a variety of dangerous situations. If a breakdown or an accident occurs where visibility is restricted and if this is reported electronically by Car-2-Car communication, the AFFP will respond – and similarly if the sensors in the vehicle register that the driver is clearly struggling not to fall asleep.

The central mechanical feature of the AFFPl is an electric motor directly linked to the accelerator pedal without any additional working parts. The motor can affect the pedal position within 0.1 seconds of responding. The drive is a one-way design; i.e. the motor only turns in release direction.

The Accelerator Force Feedback Pedal can be installed in any vehicle, being suitable for both suspended and floor-mounted pedals. This means that the AFFP can also be used for small vans and commercial vehicles – inadequate distance between vehicles and overtired drivers are the most frequent causes of accidents with both vans and trucks.