Mercedes-Benz has filed a patent with the European Patent Office for a system that uses suspension sensors and other vehicle data to detect rough road conditions. Without requiring any additional hardware, the system gathers real-time data to create a rough-road profile, which could benefit both drivers and road-management authorities. This technology could help improve ride comfort, optimize vehicle performance, and even assist in road maintenance planning.
Using Existing Suspension Technology
Mercedes says that no new hardware is required for its patent to work, relying solely on existing suspension sensors to gather data. However, a base level of suspension sophistication is likely needed for these sensors to be fitted in the first place. We expect the system to work with Mercedes’ adaptive suspension systems including its AirMatic air suspension as these are fully electronically controlled systems.
Turning Suspension Data into Road Insights
Suspension sensors measure the vertical movement of the wheels relative to the chassis, taking into account the speed at which the vehicle is travelling. This is sufficient to calculate the unevenness or roughness of the road section by creating a pseudo-height profile of the road and analyzing it via a quadratic mean calculation. The resultant output is a fairly straightforward assessment of road quality.
Unlocking the Potential of Road Data
Mercedes is vague about how the collected data will be used, but we can draw our own conclusions. For car owners, the system could allow vehicles to store road condition data and automatically adjust suspension and safety settings to better negotiate known uneven roads. This could lead to a smoother ride, reduced wear and tear, and improved handling in challenging conditions.
For road-maintenance authorities, the system offers an efficient way to track road conditions in real time. The data could help pinpoint deteriorating roads, update databases when repairs are completed, and improve overall road safety. Additionally, navigation systems could use this information to suggest smoother routes, helping drivers avoid poorly maintained roads.
What remains unclear is whether Mercedes plans to sell this data or make it freely available. Regardless, the ability to create an ever-growing road-quality map presents significant value for both individual drivers and infrastructure planners.
