SKF-Stile Bertone's FILO Car |
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The FILO concept car was the outcome of a joint development between SKF and Stile Bertone. Based on the drive-by-wire technology, it replaced many of the traditional hydraulically and mechanically operated systems with by-wire systems. Such applications converted electrical to mechanical energy and use digital signals to control the system actuation. The deployment of by-wire systems for brakes, steering and gearbox control enabled the revolutionary design of the FILO. All of the FILO's by-wire systems are controlled by SKF's drive-by-wire technology. At the heart of each by-wire system there is a smart electromechanical actuating unit (SEMAU) under intelligent control. A SEMAU combines the actuator, the controller and logic, and the power supply in a single mechatronic arrangement. Signals from the driver's control unit are interpreted by logic systems that ensure appropriate behavior from the individual by-wire systems. The actuation control units were sophisticated computer-controlled power-switching units that interpreted the signals coming in from the many sensors and control inputs and provided electrical power to the SEMAU’s brushless electric motor. To achieve the required degree of reliability, these units incorporated TTTech's time-triggered communication network that runs the data backbone in FILO’s complete by-wire architecture. |
