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It is rare for a single technology to have the power to dramatically influence almost every major industry in the world. Nanotechnology falls into this category and offers fundamentally new capabilities to architect a broad array of novel materials, composites and structures on a molecular scale. This technology has the potential to drastically re-define the methods used for developing lighter, stronger, and high-performance structures and processes with unique and non-traditional properties. This paper focuses on some of the automotive applications for nanotechnology and showcases a few of them that are believed to have the highest probability of success in this highly competitive industry. No discussion of nanotechnology is complete without touching upon its health and environmental implications.

Rollover sensing and discrimination generally requires an algorithm that monitors vehicle motion and anticipates conditions that will lead to a rollover. In general, a deploy command is required in a time frame such that safety measures can be activated early enough to protect the occupants. A rollover discrimination system will typically include internal motion sensors, vehicle signals from other on-board sensors, and a microprocessor to execute the deployment algorithm. A supplemental signal path is used to arm the system, making it less susceptible to single point component failures. In this chapter we explore basic concepts of rollover sensors and system mechanization, rollover discrimination algorithms, and arming methodology. A simulation environment that models the performance of the system across part tolerance, temperature extremes and component age is used to estimate the scope of expected discrimination performance in the field.

It is estimated that in the United States, nearly one quarter of all fatal automobile accidents involve a vehicle rollover. [1] In order to reduce fatalities and serious injuries, it is desirable to develop a sensing system that can detect an imminent rollover condition with sufficient time to activate occupant safety protection devices. The goals of a Rollover Sensing Module (RSM) are; 1 To accurately estimate vehicle roll and pitch angles 2 To reliably predict in a timely manner an imminent rollover 3 To eliminate false activation of safety devices 4 To function properly during airborne conditions 5 To be as autonomous as possible, not requiring information from other vehicle subsystems.