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Startup OtoSense is working with major automakers on software that could give cars their own sense of hearing to diagnose themselves before any problem gets too expensive. The technology could also help human-driven and automated vehicles stay safe, for example by listening for emergency sirens or sounds indicating road surface quality.
OtoSense has developed machine-learning software that can be trained to identify specific noises, including subtle changes in an engine or a vehicle's brakes. French automaker PSA Group, owner of brands including Citroen and Peugeot, is testing a version of the software trained using thousands of sounds from its different vehicle models.
Under a project dubbed AudioHound, OtoSense has developed a prototype tablet app that a technician or even car owner could use to record audio for automated diagnosis, says Guillaume Catusseau, who works on vehicle noise in PSA's R&D department.
Tests have shown that the system can identify unwanted noises from the engine, HVAC system, wheels, and other components. It makes the correct diagnosis 95 percent of the time. Catusseau says PSA is now considering how what he dubs a "bionic ear" could be deployed to speed up repairs and make customers happier. "Buzz, squeak, or rattle is a great concern for car owners," he says. "The customer will perceive the vehicle as being of low quality, [and] this can affect repurchase intent."
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(Score: 2) by shortscreen on Tuesday May 02 2017, @06:22PM
There is a thing now called ion sensing... instead of using a knock sensor to listen for pre-ignition, you apply a voltage across the spark plug and measure the current. This is done immediately after the spark, and the voltage is considerable (~400V) but not enough to generate a second spark. There is a correlation between the measured current and the cylinder pressure. So this is another means of detecting pre-ignition, but it also provides a way to optimize ignition timing for power. Hotrodders have a rule-of-thumb stating that peak cylinder pressure should occur 15 degrees ATDC for best torque output. An engine computer with ion sensing could adjust timing to meet that target, instead of simply getting the spark advance value from a lookup table in ROM that was created on an engine dyno.